Accelerate speed of implementation
Amstel volume
12.2 million hectolitres
Heineken volume
25.8 million hectolitres
Consolidated beer volume
111.9 million hectolitres
In 2006, we continued to put into practice our belief that flatter and less complex management structures are essential to increase the speed at which decisions are taken and implemented across the business. That was the clear thinking behind the creation of the Executive Committee and a smaller Executive Board.
It was this desire to continually streamline our management structures that led us not to replace the role of Chief Operating Officer on the Executive Board and for each of the Regional Presidents to report directly to me.
In addition, the same philosophy drove management changes in markets such as France, the USA, the Netherlands, Latin America, Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe and within our Head Office. But it is our culture as well as our structure that is changing.
I see big initiatives within our business that clearly signal that we are beginning to understand the need to move quicker: taking Heineken Premium Light from an agreed concept to launch in just three months; our decision to accelerate the roll-out of DraughtKeg early in its life cycle and then to invest further in production; the accelerated integration of our Russian business; our decision to centralise the IT function; these and many more examples like it convince me that the sense of urgency is more than just talk.
As always, there is more we need to do and in 2007 we will continue to deliver that message via the Executive Committee and the management teams throughout the organisation.
