Management board changes at BAT

At British American Tobacco, Jack Bowles, currently regional director –Americas, is due to be appointed regional director – Asia Pacific on January 1. Bowles, who joined the company’s management board in 2008 after running its French and Malaysian businesses, has over 20 years of tobacco industry experience.

At the same time, Naresh Sethi, currently business development director, will be appointed regional director –Western Europe. Sethi, who joined the management board in January 2012, has 23 years experience in the tobacco industry, having held various marketing roles in India with ITC, and then with the BAT group in Indonesia, West Africa, Australasia and, most recently, in Japan.

Also on January 1, Ricardo Oberlander, currently global consumer director, will be appointed regional director –Americas. Oberlander joined Souza Cruz in May 1989 and has held various roles including marketing director of BAT’s business, regional marketing manager for theAmericasand general manager inFrance.

The role of business development director will not be replaced on the management board.

These appointments were made necessary by the impending departures of David Fell, currently regional director – Asia Pacific, who will step down from the management board at the end of this year and who will leave the group at the end of March 2013, and Mark Cobben, currently regional director – Western Europe, who will step down from the management board and leave the group at the end of this year.

Commenting on these departures, CEO, Nicandro Durante, said, “Both David and Mark have dedicated a very large part of their professional careers to British American Tobacco, and have made significant contributions to the performance of the group. I thank them both as colleagues and friends and wish them well for the future.”