Anheuser UK head nets top East Asia role

The UK head of the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch, which owns Budweiser and Michelob, has been promoted to an international director role in East Asia and the Pacific.

Christopher Stainow, formerly managing director of Anheuser’s European Trade Co, which markets the two brands in the UK and Ireland, is leaving to become vice-president and regional director for the company’s East Asia and Pacific division. He has headed the UK division for the past two years.

His replacement in the UK is US vice-president of Michelob and speciality brewing, William McNulty.

A spokeswomen says the Asia and Pacific market is growing and McNulty’s role will be to try to gain a foothold in the market.

Anheuser has a nine per cent share of the world market and a 44 per cent stake of the US beer trade. Last year it sold 87.5 million barrels of beer in 70 countries.

McNulty will have to adapt to changes. Michelob which, he oversaw in the US, is to drop its US image in Britain. It will no longer compete with Budweiser in the growing premium lager market.

In the UK Anheuser has budgeted 2.5m to spend on advertising for Michelob this year, and a further 16m on Budweiser, the leading US beer in the country.

UK marketing director Peter Jackson says: “Budweiser has outperformed the market as the fastest growing premium lager. Our programme will ensure it remains at the leading edge.”