Heineken Announce New UK Marketing Director

Heineken has named Jacco van der Linden, Marketing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc as its UK marketing director, following a five-month recruitment process.

Van der Linden, who replaces Sarah Warby will take up his new appointment in mid January 2012.

Van der Linden, a thorough marketer and a Dutch national, has held a number of senior international sales and marketing positions since joining the brewer 1999.

His current role is marketing director and executive member of the board of directors at Nigerian Breweries Plc, which he has held since 2008. In his new role, which reports to UK managing director Stefan Orlowski, he will oversee the marketing of brands including Foster’s, Heineken, Strongbow and John Smith’s.

Orlowski, managing director for Heineken in the UK, described Jacco as an accomplished leader and a true commercial professional with experience across sales and marketing, in emerging and mature markets.

“He brings with him a wealth of experience in portfolio management and brand development and will be able to focus on our brands-led agenda, build on our category vision work and further accelerate innovation across the beer and cider categories in the UK.”

In Nigeria, Van der Linden was able to further extend the equity of the brands through the use ideal marketing strategies.