Molson Coors Names Simon Cox CEO Europe

01 Sep 2014 --- Molson Coors Brewing Company announced that Simon Cox, 46, Managing Director of Molson Coors - UK and Ireland, will take over as CEO Europe succeeding Mark Hunter, who will take the top job at Molson Coors Brewing Company when current President and CEO Peter Swinburn retires at the end of the year.

The position reports directly to the CEO of the global business and serves on the company’s Executive Leadership Team.

Cox, a Master Brewer by training, is currently Managing Director of the UK and Ireland for Molson Coors. He has held a number of senior leadership positions with Carlsberg and Molson Coors since he joined the industry in 1989.

Cox joined Molson Coors in 2005 as Director of Supply Chain Strategy, based in Burton-on-Trent and developed increasing responsibility through senior positions as strategy director, then Managing Director - Independent On Premise, before taking over the UK & Ireland business in 2012.

“We are fortunate to have someone with such broad experience in the industry and such extensive knowledge of our business to lead our European organization,” remarked Peter Swinburn, President & CEO, Molson Coors.

“With more than 25 years in the beer industry and more than 9 with Molson Coors, Simon has been directly engaged as a senior executive in building our expanded European business since the successful acquisition of StarBev two years ago.”

“Simon Cox brings exceptional operations expertise and strong, proven business leadership skills to the chief executive position. He is both a master brewer and a top-tier commercial leader,” noted Mark Hunter, President & CEO, Molson Coors Europe.

“Under his leadership, the UK business has seen consistent strong performance improvement over the past two years, and his extensive international experience makes him especially well-suited for this pan-European role.”

“I am extremely proud to be selected to lead Molson Coors Europe,” said Simon Cox, Managing Director, UK and Ireland. “This is an exciting business which has been growing on the strength of great brands and brilliant execution in the marketplace since the acquisition of the Central European operation. We have a talented team of people who are second to none when it comes to competing—and winning—even in tough economic and market conditions and I look forward to building on that success.”

Simon Cox’s position as CEO Molson Coors Europe is effective from January 1st 2015.