After six years at the helm, Dolf van den Brink has concluded that it’s the ‘right time’ to pass the torch and will step down from his role on 31 May.
Brink began his role at Heineken in 1998 in a commercial management trainee role, fielding customer complaints. Over the course of almost three decades, he has climbed the corporate ladder, taking on roles such as commercial director at Bralima and president and CEO for Heineken USA.
Brink has steered the business through some tough political and economic times, and was at the helm when Heineken launched its EverGreen strategy in 2021 – a plan rolled out after the Covid pandemic, aimed at future proofing the business.
This roadmap has been built on the drinks business’s value creation model which is designed put growth, profit and capital on an equal footing with sustainability and responsibility.
Now with the next phase in place – the EverGreen Strategy 2030 – Brink says it’s a good time to transition but in an emotional post on Linked In added that the decision to leave was one of the hardest he has ever made.
Leading Heineken has been the greatest privilege of my career and this decision was one of the hardest I’ve made in my life.
Heineken outgoing CEO, Dolf van den Brink
But his departure also follows what the drinks business described as a “challenging quarter”, with its Q3 2025 results showing declining volumes. This was partly cushioned by a stronger price mix, premium brands and its geographical spread.
Its shares have also seen a dip, entering the red after its operating profit for the first half of the year fell short of analysts’ expectations.
“The past years have been marked by significant change as Heineken progressed through its transformation and has now reached a stage where a transition in leadership will best serve the company in further executing its long-term ambitions. Over the coming months, I remain fully focused on disciplined execution of our strategy and to ensure a smooth transition,” Brink commented.
Peter Wennink, chairman of the supervisory board of Heineken added: “The supervisory board is grateful to Dolf for his leadership and long-standing commitment to Heineken, including guiding the company through a demanding period of transformation, delivering on EverGreen 2025 while navigating a challenging external environment.
“With the launch of EverGreen 2030, Dolf has set out a compelling strategy for the future of HEINEKEN, and the Supervisory Board greatly values his contribution. The next phase will focus on bringing this strategy to life through disciplined execution of our strategic growth ambitions. With this in mind, the Supervisory Board agrees this is the right moment to start the succession process to secure strong leadership for the future.”
Brink’s Linked In post revealed that after working his entire career at Heineken, he is looking forward to taking time for a “personal reset” and considering his next steps.
He will remain available to the company to offer advise for a period of eight months, starting 1 June.
