Management Board Changes

RNS Number : 9033P

British American Tobacco PLC

31 October 2012

 

Wednesday, 31 October 2012

Management Board Changes

at British American Tobacco

David Fell, Regional Director - Asia Pacific, will step down from the Management Board at the end of December 2012 and will leave the Group at the end of March 2013.  After over 23 years with the Group, over 4 years of which were on the Management Board based in the UK and Hong Kong, David will now be able to spend more time with his wife and family who live in Australia.

Mark Cobben, Regional Director - Western Europe, will also step down from the Management Board and will leave the Group at the end of December 2012.  Mark has been with the Group for over 19 years, and was appointed to the Management Board in 2007, firstly as Regional Director - Americas, and most latterly leading the European business.  Mark steps down to pursue other interests outside BAT.

Commenting on these departures, Nicandro Durante, Chief Executive Officer of British American Tobacco remarked, "Both David and Mark have dedicated a very large part of their professional careers to British American Tobacco, and have made significant contributions to the performance of the Group. I thank them both as colleagues and friends and wish them well for the future."

Jack Bowles, currently Regional Director - Americas, will be appointed as Regional Director - Asia Pacific on 1^st January 2013. Jack joined the Management Board in 2008, after running the French and Malaysian businesses and has over 20 years of tobacco industry experience.

Naresh Sethi, currently Business Development Director, will be appointed Regional Director - Western Europe on 1^st January 2013. Naresh joined the Management Board in January this year and has 23 years of experience in the tobacco industry, having held various Marketing roles in India with ITC Limited, and then with the Group in Indonesia, West Africa, Australasia and most recently in Japan.

Ricardo Oberlander, currently Global Consumer Director, will be appointed as Regional Director - Americas on 1^st January 2013. Ricardo joined Souza Cruz in May 1989 and has held various roles including Marketing Director of our Malaysian business, Regional Marketing Manager for the Americas and General Manager in France.

Commenting on these appointments, Nicandro said "I should like to welcome Ricardo to the Management Board, whilst congratulating Naresh and Jack on their new roles.  I am confident that Ricardo's enormous energy and knowledge will bring a new dimension to the Board, and that Naresh and Jack will deliver to the highest of standards in their new challenges."

The role of Business Development Director will not be replaced on the Management Board.

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END

 

 

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