Lion has appointed Anubha Sahasrabuddhe as its new CEO. Sahasrabuddhe is the company’s chief growth and commercial officer and co-leader of the Lion Australia business. She replaces Sam Fischer, who resigned in May and leaves at the end of October to head Treasury Wine Estates.
Lion also announced a restructure of its ANZ business, unifying Australian and New Zealand operations under a single leadership team. As its US businesses – New Belgium Brewing and Distinguished Vineyards – have reached a scale and maturity to directly report to Kirin, Lion said it is turning its “full attention and investment” to ANZ customers.
Lion has undergone a number of changes in the last few years, including a major business review and restructure, changes in the group leadership team and acquisitions. Last week it announced the closure of the Four Pillars Laboratory and Bar in Sydney.
Sahasrabuddhe joined Lion in 2021 after holding leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company and Mars Wrigley across Asia Pacific and North America.
She said the projects were about transforming the company to a “powerful platform for growth” as well as supply chain, supplier and customer improvements.
“Great businesses never stand still, and Lion ANZ will position our business as an Australasian powerhouse. [It] will make us more dynamic and market-focused than ever before. Lion is an incredible company, and I am delighted to have been appointed as its next CEO to take us forward into our next era of growth,” Sahasrabuddhe said.
The company also announced the new Lion ANZ leadership team. The current Lion Australia managing director, James Brindley, will stay in the role until the end of 2025 to become a strategic adviser and part of the new leadership team in 2026. He will continue to lead the spirits division and work with key customers and external partners.
New Zealand MD, Craig Baldie, will become COO, responsible for Sales & Marketing in NZ, Strategy, Digital & Technology, Sustainability, and Container Deposit Schemes.
CFO Triston King and chief People & Transformation officer, Alicia Purtell, will both leave the company in March 2026 after supporting the transition.
Other appointees of the ANZ leadership team are:
- Severine Yerriah as CFO;
- Matthew Anderson as chief Supply Chain Officer;
- Glen Brasington as executive general manager – Marketing;
- Kerry Appathurai as executive general manager – Sales;
- Adam Gelbart as executive general manager – Commercial Operations;
- James Brindley as strategic advisor;
- Jane Hill as chief people officer;
- Saira Zaki as general counsel;
- Ted Sato as executive board director and Kirin strategy director;
- Julian Luke as executive director Corporate Affairs; and
- Kenneth Yeo as executive director Risk & Audit.
Sahasrabuddhe and the new leadership team will start as CEO on 1 October.
