Veronika F. Rost is to become the new Managing Director of Diageo Germany, effective from 15 January. 44 year-old Rost will take over from Jan Pörksen who occupied the role since July of 2013.
Rost (pictured) has many years of experience in the consumer goods industry: since 2011, she served as general manager of the Reckitt Benckiser in Singapore and Malaysia and previously worked in various global marketing and innovation positions for Reckitt Benckiser in the British headquarters, as well as in France.
From 1995 to 2006 she worked in various marketing positions at Procter & Gamble in Germany, France and Switzerland.
Diageo say that Rost's appointment is the result of several months of a recruitment process and part of a comprehensive renovation of the German team: In the last 18 months, Diageo hired about 70 new employees in Germany and Austria, representing approximately 40% of total Diageo teams in both countries.
Diageo Western Europe President John Kennedy commented on the appointment saying that "with Veronika we strengthen our team with a very experienced and internationally recognized leader with an impressive track record in the consumer goods industry."
Germany is one of Diageo's fastest growing markets and in 2013 they recorded an annual sales growth of 15%.