We ask industry leaders five questions about their working life. This month we talk to Robert Iervasi from Asahi Beverages. This article first appeared in the July 2021 issue of Food and Drink Business.
1 Tell us about your current role
I am Group CEO of Asahi Beverages Oceania. I have the privilege of running Australia’s largest beverages company. Along with being known for our Asahi beers, we’re the custodians of some of Australia’s best loved and oldest brands, from Schweppes and Cottee’s to Victoria Bitter to Cascade, which has been brewing beer for nearly 200 years. Our vision is to bring enjoyment and connections to everyday moments in life and our brands are designed to do just that!
Things I love about my role include being the custodian of iconic brands, overseeing our extensive manufacturing operations across Australia and New Zealand, and collaborating with our fantastic people that make Asahi Beverages what it is today.
2 What is your greatest career achievement to date?
Over the past few years, we have expanded our presence in Australia and New Zealand through organic growth and acquisition. Last year’s successful expansion of our business and footprint through the acquisition of Carlton & United Breweries stands out. The successful integration of CUB into our region has been a personal highlight for me. We’ve had a lot of feedback from our employees and customers about how smoothly the transition has gone for them, how transparent and open we were during the change process and importantly, how excited they are about the future. We’ve combined the businesses to set ourselves and our customers up for future success.
3 What was your biggest mistake and what did you learn?
I learned early in my career never to say I don’t have a solution, after I said this to senior colleagues in response to a problem we were facing in my first year of work. I learned very early on that every problem has a solution or multiple solutions, and it’s really important to get the right people in the room to brainstorm what that looks like. I now always ensure I know what to do next whenever I’m challenged even if it seems almost insurmountable at the time.
4 What would you tell your 25-year-old self?
Never hesitate to take opportunities as they arise, both professionally and personally. You should take considered risks if you want to succeed. What may be perceived as a risk now can ultimately be a critical learning experience, with enormous satisfaction. Learn from mistakes and don’t let fear of the unknown limit you.
5 What is one goal you still want to achieve?
I’m passionate about delivering our sustainability goals – it’s something that really drives me and our employees. We’re well advanced on our commitment to get 100 per cent of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025. We’re also delivering a big circular plastics program, which includes our new joint venture PET recycling facility in Albury. When it’s completed late this year it will recycle the equivalent of one billion 600 ml PET plastic bottles annually. It’s our part in giving back to make our community better than what it is today.
