BAT Korea appoints new CEO

Erik Stoel has been appointed CEO of British American Tobacco Korea, effective Jan. 1. He succeeds Guy Meldrum who has been transferred as head of BAT Australasia.

“Over the past three years, in his role as marketing director of BAT Korea, Mr. Stoel has made a substantial contribution to the company by strengthening the company’s flagship brand Dunhill to establish BAT Korea’s stronger foothold in the local tobacco market,” BAT Korea wrote in a press release.

The Dutch-born new CEO is also touted for successfully introducing a new sales and distribution structure at the company, the first for a multinational fast-moving consumer goods company in Korea.

Stoel has worked at BAT since 1995, holding a variety of senior roles covering numerous markets in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He was marketing director at BAT Malaysia before joining the Korean unit in 2012.