DENVER & MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE: TAP; TSX: TPX) today announced that Simon Cox, 46, Managing Director of Molson Coors - UK and Ireland, will take over as CEO Europe succeeding Mark Hunter, who will take the top job at Molson Coors Brewing Company when current President and CEO Peter Swinburn retires at the end of the year. The position reports directly to the CEO of the global business and serves on the company’s Executive Leadership Team.
Cox, a Master Brewer by training, is currently Managing Director of the UK and Ireland for Molson Coors. He has held a number of senior leadership positions with Carlsberg and Molson Coors since he joined the industry in 1989.
Cox joined Molson Coors in 2005 as Director of Supply Chain Strategy, based in Burton-on-Trent and developed increasing responsibility through senior positions as strategy director, then Managing Director - Independent On Premise, before taking over the UK & Ireland business in 2012.
“We are fortunate to have someone with such broad experience in the industry and such extensive knowledge of our business to lead our European organization,” remarked Peter Swinburn, President & CEO, Molson Coors.
“With more than 25 years in the beer industry and more than 9 with Molson Coors, Simon has been directly engaged as a senior executive in building our expanded European business since the successful acquisition of StarBev two years ago.”
“Simon Cox brings exceptional operations expertise and strong, proven business leadership skills to the chief executive position. He is both a master brewer and a top-tier commercial leader,” noted Mark Hunter, President & CEO, Molson Coors Europe.
“Under his leadership, the UK business has seen consistent strong performance improvement over the past two years, and his extensive international experience makes him especially well-suited for this pan-European role.”
“I am extremely proud to be selected to lead Molson Coors Europe,” said Simon Cox, Managing Director, UK and Ireland. “This is an exciting business which has been growing on the strength of great brands and brilliant execution in the marketplace since the acquisition of the Central European operation. We have a talented team of people who are second to none when it comes to competing—and winning—even in tough economic and market conditions and I look forward to building on that success.”
Simon Cox’s position as CEO Molson Coors Europe is effective from January 1st 2015.
Overview of Molson Coors Brewing Company
Molson Coors Brewing Company is a leading global brewer delivering extraordinary brands that delight the world's beer drinkers. It brews, markets and sells a portfolio of leading premium brands such as Coors Light, Molson Canadian, Carling, Staropramen and Blue Moon across The Americas, Europe and Asia. It operates in Canada through Molson Coors Canada; in the US through MillerCoors; across Europe through Molson Coors Europe; and outside these core markets through Molson Coors International. For the past two years, the company has been listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and named global Beverage Sector Leader. Molson Coors is constantly looking for ways to improve its Beer Print. For more information on Molson Coors Brewing Company visit the company's Web site, www.molsoncoors.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes estimates or projections that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. Generally, the words “believe,” "expect,” "intend,” "anticipate,” “project,” “will,” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which generally are not historic in nature. Although the Company believes that the assumptions upon which its forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these assumptions will prove to be correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s historical experience, and present projections and expectations are disclosed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These factors include, among others, impact of competitive pricing and product pressures; health of the beer industry and our brands in our markets; economic conditions in our markets; pension plan costs; availability or increase in the cost of packaging materials; our ability to maintain manufacturer/distribution agreements; our ability to implement our strategic initiatives, including executing and realizing cost savings; our ability to successfully integrate our Central Europe business; changes in legal and regulatory requirements, including the regulation of distribution systems; increase in the cost of commodities used in the business; our ability to maintain brand image, reputation and product quality; our ability to maintain good labor relations; changes in our supply chain system; additional impairment charges; the impact of climate change and the availability and quality of water; risks relating to operations outside North America; success of our joint ventures; lack of full-control over the operations of MillerCoors; and other risks discussed in our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year-ended December 31, 2013, which are available from the SEC. All forward-looking statements in this press release are expressly qualified by such cautionary statements and by reference to the underlying assumptions. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We do not undertake to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
