Champion Breweries welcomes Malolan Sampath as Managing Director and CEO
Sampath brings more than 26 years of international executive experience as Champion Breweries enters a new phase of operational and commercial growth.
NIGERIA – Champion Breweries Plc has welcomed Malolan Sampath as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1, as the Nigerian brewer begins a new phase of leadership.
The company disclosed the appointment in an official corporate notification released on the Nigerian Exchange Limited, following an earlier announcement by its Board of Directors on the leadership transition.
The Board said Sampath’s experience would support the company’s strategic and operational objectives.
“With his extensive experience in manufacturing excellence, commercial execution, business transformation and leadership across diverse markets, the Board is confident that Mr. Sampath will provide the strategic leadership required to advance the Company’s objectives, strengthen its market position and deliver sustainable long-term value to shareholders and other stakeholders,” the Board stated.
Sampath brings more than 26 years of international executive leadership experience spanning the beverage, fast-moving consumer goods, manufacturing and agro-industrial sectors. His career includes business transformation and commercial leadership roles across several African markets.
His experience in the brewing and beverage industry includes serving as Managing Director of Unique Beverages in Angola and Sales and Marketing Director for a PepsiCo bottling franchise.
Before joining Champion Breweries, Sampath served as Managing Director of the NPK Joint Venture and Chief Marketing Officer at Indorama Eleme Fertilizers in Nigeria. He previously held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Global Industries Limited, a Wilmar International joint venture in Zambia.
Champion Breweries is undergoing a period of corporate restructuring following core equity acquisitions aimed at improving operational efficiency and expanding its regional and national market reach.
The company operates from Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria’s South-South region and has been working to strengthen commercial execution across national distribution channels.
Sampath assumes the CEO role amid macroeconomic pressures affecting Nigeria’s fast-moving consumer goods and brewing industries, including currency fluctuations and rising input costs.
The Board expressed confidence in his ability to lead the company through its next operational phase.
It also commended Rasheed Adebiyi, Executive Director of Finance, for his leadership and commitment while serving as Acting Managing Director during the transition.
Champion Breweries reported strong financial growth for the 2025 financial year. Profit after tax rose 119% to N1.79 billion compared with the previous year, while revenue increased 43% to N29.80 billion.
The revenue growth was supported by what the company’s chairman described as a margin-led growth strategy and improved operational efficiency.
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