A key pillar of the refined British American Tobacco plc (LON:BATS) strategy announced earlier this year is the delivery of a Sustainable Future. Together with a focus on Quality Growth and a more Dynamic Business, this underpins the Building of a Smokeless World.
To accelerate our progress, BAT announces today that Kingsley Wheaton will be appointed into the newly created role of Chief Corporate Officer. Kingsley’s current role, Chief Strategy & Growth officer, will cease to exist. Reporting into Tadeu Marroco, Chief Executive, the Chief Corporate Officer will have overall responsibility for the strategy and execution of the Group’s Sustainable Future pillar, including:
· Establishing broad acceptance of our Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) agenda, working with BAT’s Director, Research and Science, James Murphy, to ensure the scientific basis for harm reduction and encouraging a fact-based discussion on nicotine among key stakeholders;
· Shaping the landscape through responsible and transparent dialogue with regulators, policy makers and other relevant stakeholders; and
· Enhancing BAT’s leadership in sustainability and integrity.
Paul McCrory, Director, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs will continue to report to Kingsley in this role. Paul’s leadership has been instrumental in re-establishing this critical function for BAT’s future. Significant progress has been made in both developing the functional strategy and sharpening its executional focus.
Paul and Kingsley will work together during this important phase, as the management team continues to evolve to deliver the strategy.
Donato Del Vecchio, Chief Sustainability Officer, will also continue to report to Kingsley.
As we continue to expand and grow our smokeless new category product portfolio and Kingsley takes up this new role, Luciano Comin, Marketing Director, Combustibles & New Categories, will be appointed as Chief Marketing Officer, reporting directly to Tadeu Marroco, the Chief Executive.
James Barrett, Director, Business Development, will report to Soraya Benchikh, the Chief Financial Officer, bringing business development and M&A together with the rest of the Finance function.
All these changes are effective immediately.
Tadeu Marroco, British American Tobacco Chief Executive, commented on these changes:
“We will be taking an important step later today in our journey to encourage THR acceptance with the launch of a compelling science and evidential case for THR in the form of ‘The Omni: Forward Thinking for a Smokeless World’.
As we embark on the next phases of building a Sustainable Future this is the right time to make these changes and together, Kingsley, Paul, James and Donato, will form a powerful and complementary leadership team to deliver real change.
“I would like to thank Kingsley for all that he has done as Chief Strategy & Growth Officer. He has stepped into the role at a critical time for BAT and has helped shape the strategy and establish new functional capabilities. In all of these areas, BAT is now stronger and more robust.”
Kingsley Wheaton, Chief Corporate Officer commented:
“I feel honoured to take up this new challenge. As BAT moves forward towards A Better Tomorrow, the focus on this area of the strategy will be all-important. I am looking forward to bringing my experience and understanding of, both BAT and the external environment, and making a real difference.”
