What’s the purpose of a company that makes beer? Paolo Lanzarotti, CEO of Asahi Europe & International, defines his company’s purpose as “creating meaningful connections.”
The phrase is deceptively simple, but the CEO and his team have unpacked the meaning in the words and put them to practical work across this giant beer maker. They are using the purpose to drive hard commercial decisions, engage employees, shape sustainable practices and drive product development, ultimately linking purpose to overall business strategy.
This purpose has changed how people are paid, how products are designed, and even prompted the decision to withdraw from the plastic-bottled beer market in Eastern Europe.
In this episode of The Purposeful Strategist, Paolo describes the five-year journey to uncover the business purpose, and the continuing efforts to put it to work, both inside the business and beyond.
Paolo began his career in ExxonMobil where he worked in several increasingly senior commercial and country leadership roles across Europe, Africa and India. In 2005, he joined SABMiller as Strategic Planning Director for Birra Peroni in Italy. Since then he has worked in a number of strategically important roles including Managing Director of SABMiller businesses in Slovakia, India, and the Czech Republic. Through the transition in ownership from SABMiller, through ABInbev and into Asahi, Paolo has led the business in Central Europe. Since April 2017, he has been the CEO of Asahi’s businesses across Europe and is current CEO of Asahi Europe & International (AEI) which today runs 19 production facilities across 8 European countries, while also developing and managing a number of key export markets globally. Paolo also serves as Vice-President of the Brewers of Europe.
Asahi Europe & International is the international branch of Asahi Group Holdings, a global beverage and food company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan. Building on centuries of European brewing heritage, the business runs 19 production facilities in 9 countries across Europe and North America and is the custodian of some of the best beer brands in the world, including Asahi Super Dry, Pilsner Urquell, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Grolsch and Kozel. Within the Asahi Group, the remit of Asahi Europe and International is also to develop and manage all export markets globally, outside of Japan and Oceania. Covering 90 markets and with over 10,000 passionate colleagues on board, through their shared purpose of Creating Meaningful Connections, the business is well positioned to inspire people around the world to drink better.
Paolo Lanzarotti