KUALA LUMPUR (June 14): Heineken Malaysia Bhd has named Roland Bala as its new managing director with effect from Sept 1, taking over from Hans Essaadi, who will relinquish his position here and all his directorships in all the group's subsidiaries on the same day.

Essaadi will be taking up the position of MD of Heineken Egypt, also effective Sept 1, Heineken Malaysia said in a filing today. He has been Heineken Malaysia's MD since March 2013.

In this role, Essaadi has steered the company to deliver year-on-year improved financial performance through driving commercial excellence, focusing on innovation, optimising cost efficiencies, uplifting sustainability initiatives and ensuring more structured people development plans are in place, said Heineken Malaysia.

The group said he has dealt with major change initiatives including the implementation of an end-to-end automation system and the integration of the company (then known as Guinness Anchor Bhd) into Heineken in 2016.

Roland, a Malaysian, is currently the MD of Cambodia Brewery Ltd (CBL), Heineken's operating company in Cambodia.

Since February 2012, he has led CBL to increase its market share by more than double, establishing CBL as the market leader in Cambodia.

Roland joined Asia Pacific Brewery (APB) as special assistant to the regional director from February 2008 until February 2009. He was then appointed as general manager for Danang in the central region of Vietnam from 2009 to February 2012.

He started his career with British Petroleum (BP), where he spent 16 years working in sales, logistics, operations and planning roles in retail, gas and lubes businesses.

Roland was the general manager for BP Vietnam from 2003 to 2005 and then the sales director for the lubes business for Malaysia and Singapore from 2005 to 2007.