Vietnam, October 6, 2023 - The Saigon Beer – Alcohol – Beverage Corporation (SABECO) proudly announces the appointment of Mr. Lester Tan Teck Chuan as its new General Director, effective from October 1, 2023. In his new role, Mr. Lester Tan assumes responsibility for shaping SABECO's overall business and sustainable growth strategies while reinforcing its core strengths.
Mr. Lester Tan, a Singaporean national, brings to SABECO a wealth of experience, boasting over 28 years of expertise in the beer, spirits, and beverage industry across various Asian markets, including Thailand, Myanmar, Mongolia, and Singapore. Throughout his career, Mr. Lester Tan has consistently catalyzed positive changes and fueled business growth within the organizations he has led.
The announcement of this leadership transition has been met with enthusiasm from SABECO's Board of Directors. In their statement, they expressed, "Over the past five years, SABECO has made significant strides in enhancing its business capabilities, streamlining processes, and executing transformative initiatives. To continue this remarkable transformation journey, the company requires fresh ideas, innovative perspectives, and renewed vigor. We believe the new leadership will spearhead transformative business strategies and guide this centuries-old company to greater heights." The Board has full confidence in Mr. Lester Tan's extensive experience and outstanding leadership qualities, foreseeing his success in steering SABECO to new horizons.
In 2018, SABECO embarked on a transformation journey, guided by seven strategic pillars, with the aim of becoming a globally competitive company. The year 2021 marked the culmination of the first phase of SABECO's transformation, punctuated by significant milestones. This achievement has set the stage for the company's second transformation phase, characterized by six key pillars: Sales, Brand/Marketing, Production, Supply Chain, People, and Unlock – all supported by the SABECO 4.0 project and other governance initiatives.
SABECO's commitment to growth and sustainable development has been evident over the years, as it adapted to changing consumer preferences by re-launching its iconic Bia Saigon range in 2019, and introducing new product lines such as Bia Saigon Gold, Bia Saigon Chill , Bia Lac Viet and limited edition beers to promote the craftmanship of its local brewmasters and enhance consumers’ drinking experience.
In the period spanning 2022 to 2023, SABECO expanded the capacity of the Bia Sai Gon Quang Ngai Brewery to 250 million liters per year, undertook a rooftop solar power installation project across 17 breweries, and initiated an extensive warehouse and logistics project with a 31,000 square meter area and storage capacity for 30,000 pallets. These efforts are designed to optimize storage, preserve goods, and ensure timely supply to meet market demands.
While 2023 has been challenging for the entire industry, SABECO's financial performance in 2022 is a testament to its strong foundations, having recorded VND 34,979 billion in net revenue and VND 5,500 billion in profit after tax, marking a remarkable increase of 32% and 40% compared to 2021, respectively. These figures represent the highest profit after tax in the company's history. Additionally, as of August 2023, Bia Saigon retains its market-leading position in terms of product consumption, as confirmed by research conducted by NielsenIQ Vietnam.
As the newly appointed General Director, Mr. Lester Tan will spearhead the second phase of SABECO's transformation, focusing on sustainable growth and further cementing its position both domestically and internationally, aligning with the group's vision for 2025 to strengthen its leadership in the Southeast Asia region.
In Mr. Lester Tan's own words, "Having had the opportunity to engage with SABECO's team, customers, and consumers, I am excited about the opportunities ahead of us. I am honored to collaborate with SABECO's leaders and colleagues to drive sustainable growth for the company, deliver enhanced value to our shareholders, and continue creating a positive socio-economic impact in the communities where we operate, and for Vietnam."
Before assuming his role at SABECO, Mr. Lester Tan served as the Chief of Beer at ThaiBev PLC, overseeing Thailand's beer market from 2020 to 2023. He also held CEO positions in beer and beverage businesses in Mongolia, Myanmar, and Thailand.
About SABECO
With 148 years of brewing history, Saigon Beer – Alcohol – Beverage Corporation (“SABECO”) has established itself as one of Vietnam’s leading companies.
SABECO includes 26 breweries and 11 trading subsidiaries and has a distribution network consisting of hundred thousand retailers nationwide. SABECO is proud to offer a brand portfolio that consists of some of the most well-loved beer brands in Vietnam, including Bia Lac Viet, Bia Saigon Chill, Bia 333, Bia Saigon Special, Bia Saigon Export, Bia Saigon Lager and Bia Saigon Gold.
Our flagship brands Bia Saigon and Bia 333 have been consistently recognized for its outstanding quality by prestigious local and international organizations, such as “National Brand” of Vietnam for several years. Most recently, it has received 8 gold and silver medals from the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) in the United States, Asia Beer Championship 2022, the gold medal at the International Brewing Awards 2019 (IBAs), the Gold, Silver and Bronze Prize at the International Beer Cup 2019 (IBC) and Gold, Silver Medal at Australia International Brewing Award 2020 (AIBA), Gold and Silver Medal at Monde Selection Award 2021.
With a commitment to investing in business development along with sustainable development, SABECO is always striving to create positive changes to enhance the position of the Vietnamese brand, while promoting positive development for the community and Vietnam. Accordingly, our sustainable development strategy focuses on four pillars: Consumption, Conservation, Country, and Culture.
For more information on SABECO, please visit: www.sabeco.com.vn
Press information, please contact: Dinh Nguyen Thi Huong, Head of Corporate Communication, Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (SABECO) – huongdnt@sabeco.com.vn