Heineken names Romain Apert Chief Digital & Tech Officer
Heineken N.V. has appointed Romain Apert as Chief Digital & Technology Officer and member of the Executive Team, effective 15 May 2026. He succeeds Ronald den Elzen, who will step down after 31 years with the company.
Romain Apert joins from Mars, Incorporated, where he currently serves as Chief Information Officer for Mars Petcare. He will work with the Executive Team to advance Heineken’s EverGreen 2030 strategy, focusing on the company’s Digital Backbone and expanding the use of data and AI across the business.
Digital transformation at scale
During more than two decades at Mars, Romain Apert held several global CIO roles. Most recently, he led digital strategy at Mars Petcare, overseeing ERP modernisation, data infrastructure development and capability building programmes designed to support growth and productivity.
He also sponsored digital initiatives across supply, commercial and consumer functions, including AI-enabled diagnostics, and led a large-scale ERP implementation programme. Trained as an engineer at ECAM Lyon in France, Romain Apert has worked across Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States, partnering with senior business leaders to align technology initiatives with business strategy.
Dolf van den Brink, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO, Heineken: "I am delighted to welcome Romain to the HEINEKEN family. He joins HEINEKEN with deep international experience leading large-scale digital transformation, data and technology strategy, and complex change across global businesses. Romain will be partnering across the Executive Team, advancing HEINEKEN’s EverGreen 2030 strategy through the further deployment of the company’s Digital Backbone, and scaling value from data and AI. He is known for combining operational rigour with practical innovation and a people-centred leadership style, and is an excellent fit with the HEINEKEN culture."
Leadership transition after three decades
Ronald den Elzen joined Heineken in 1995 as a Finance Management Trainee and held a series of finance and commercial leadership roles in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. He later moved into general management positions, including Managing Director of Sociedade Central de Cervejas e Bebidas in Portugal and Managing Director of Heineken USA.
In March 2020, Ronald den Elzen became Heineken’s first Chief Digital & Technology Officer and joined the Executive Team. He led the development of digital platforms, data and analytics capabilities, and cyber resilience frameworks across the organisation. During his tenure, the Digital & Technology team supported the company’s ambition to become the Best Connected Brewer.
Dolf van den Brink, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO: "Ronald retires from HEINEKEN after an extraordinary 31-year career across five countries in Europe and the Americas and across 6 distinct functions. His contributions to HEINEKEN’s success in the past three decades through his deep knowledge of the company and portfolio, his passion and incredible people skills, will be greatly missed. I wish Ronald all the best in his future endeavours."
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