Kirin Group has announced that Anubha Sahasrabuddhe will assume the position of CEO at its Lion division from the start of next month.
Sahasrabuddhe (below), who has worked as chief growth & commercial officer as well as co-leader of Lion’s Australian operations for the last 18 months, will succeed the soon-to-be CEO of Treasury Wine Estates, Sam Fischer. The appointment coincides with the creation of a unified ‘Lion ANZ’ business, bringing together the division’s Australian and New Zealand operations under a single leadership team.
Sahasrabuddhe joined Lion in 2021 after a global career in senior leadership roles across several consumer brands, including The Coca-Cola Co, Wrigley and Mars.
The structural changes announced today will see Lion’s Australian and New Zealand businesses merged into a single entity. Meanwhile, a unified “leadership team” will replace the previous Australian, New Zealand and group structures.
As part of the reshuffle, current New Zealand MD Craig Baldie will become COO. In the role, he will oversee the sales & marketing teams in New Zealand, as well as group functions including strategy, digital & technology, sustainability and container deposit schemes.
Lion also confirmed that its US operations – New Belgium Brewing and Distinguished Vineyards – will now report directly to its parent in Japan. The group said the businesses had reached “a point of scale and maturity” that warranted the shift in reporting structure.
Fischer, who joined Lion in 2022, will conclude his tenure at the end of October, assuming his new position at TWE on 27 October.
