Diageo’s current president of Asia Pacific and Global Travel Sam Fischer is the new CEO of Lion Group.
Lion chair Sir Rod Eddington said, “On behalf of Kirin and the Lion Board I am thrilled to welcome Sam home to Australia and to Lion. Sam brings 30 years of global leadership experience, deep expertise in alcohol beverages and FMCG businesses and a strong track record in driving business growth.
Prior to Diageo, Fischer spent 15 years with Colgate-Palmolive working in Australia and several markets in Europe and Asia. He is also currently a non-executive director with the Burberry Group.
Eddington said Fischer was joining at a pivotal time, with the industry still navigating the impacts of Covid and Lion working on its new mid-term plan to return to sustainable growth.
“Sam’s drive for performance and proven ability to lead with purpose and conviction will be invaluable as Lion enters this next chapter,” Eddington said.
For Fischer, it was a privilege to join a company with a 180-year history, a stable of locally loved brands, and a growing craft beer business in the US.
“I’m looking forward to connecting with Lion’s customers and partners across our markets and working with Lion’s people on this next chapter,” Fischer said.
Fischer will formally move into the role in July 2022, when current CEO Stuart Irvine will step down after nine years.
Lion is undergoing a changing of the guard, with Lion managing director James Brindley resigning last October after 12 years in the role and 27 years with the group.
His replacement is David Smith, also from Diageo. He was managing director of Southern Europe for the company and MD of Australia before that. He joined the Lion fold in January.
Lion held its spot at #4 of the 2021 Food & Drink Business Top 100 companies report, in a year marked by key acquisitions here and in the US.
In November 2021, Lion acquired now of the largest craft brewers in the US, the Michigan-based Bell’s Brewing, home of the number one US IPA brand Voodoo Rangers along with Fat Tire, Two Hearted Ale, and Oberon Ale.
It followed the purchase of Colorado-based New Belgium Brewing in 2019.
Lion also acquired the Fermentum Group in 2021 in a deal said to be worth $500 million. The deal delivered Stone & Wood brewery and leading craft brands Two Birds, Fixation, Little Drago and Sunly Seltzer to the company.
All its acquisitions have had a strong commitment to environmental goals, the New Belgium flagship brand Fat Tire becoming the first carbon neutral beer in the US, and Stone & Wood, Two Birds and Fixation breweries all set to become carbon neutral.
The company announced in September 2021 that it was set to remove 630 tonnes of plastic every year by removing plastic shrink-wrap and plastic beer bottle labels by 2023.
In 2020, Lion became Australia’s first large-scale carbon-neutral brewer and is on track to reduce its absolute carbon footprint by 30 per cent by 2025.
When Food & Drink Business spoke to Irvine in mid 2021, he said one of his greatest achievements was leading a time of transformation at Lion, with sustainability, new consumer focused frameworks, and greater workplace inclusivity topping the list.
Eddington said, “I’d like to thank Stuart again for his continued leadership and his commitment to ensuring a smooth mid-year transition.”
