The Board of HEINEKEN Malaysia announces that Roland Bala has been nominated as the successor for Hans Essaadi who will be taking up the position of Managing Director of HEINEKEN Egypt effective 1 September 2018. Essaadi will also relinquish his directorships in all subsidiary companies of HEINEKEN Malaysia with effect from the same day.
Essaadi has been Managing Director of HEINEKEN Malaysia since March 2013. In this role, he has steered the Company to deliver year-on-year improved financial performance through driving commercial excellence, focusing on innovation, optimising cost efficiencies, uplifting sustainability initiatives and ensuring more structured people development plans are in place. He has dealt with major change initiatives including the implementation of an end-to-end automation system and the integration of the Company, then known as Guinness Anchor Berhad, into HEINEKEN in 2016.
Roland Bala, a Malaysian, is currently the Managing Director of Cambodia Brewery Ltd (CBL), HEINEKEN’s operating company in Cambodia. Since February 2012, he has led CBL to increase its market share by more than double, establishing CBL as the market leader in Cambodia. Roland joined Asia Pacific Brewery (APB) as Special Assistant to the Regional Director from February 2008 until February 2009. He was then appointed as General Manager for Danang in the central region of Vietnam from 2009 to February 2012.
Roland started his career with British Petroleum where he spent 16 years working in sales, logistics, operations and planning roles in retail, gas and lubes businesses, Roland was the GM for BP Vietnam from 2003 to 2005 and then as the Sales Director for the lubes business for Malaysia and Singapore from 2005 to 2007. Roland Bala will succeed Hans Essaadi who will continue to serve the Company until he hands over his position as the Managing Director of HEINEKEN Malaysia on 1 September 2018.
