Heineken has boosted its Global Duty Free and Travel Retail management team with six senior appointments. The moves are underpinned by an enhanced focus on cruise lines and airlines and the strengthening of the company’s Asia and Americas regional teams.
The appointments follow hot on the heels of Heineken naming the much-respected Natalia Kulyueva as Global Duty Free & Travel Retail Manager earlier this month.
Natalie Fernandez, formerly Heineken Senior Duty-Free Manager and a seasoned commercial leader with over 20 years’ experience in the beverage and retail resale sectors, has been appointed Senior Manager, Duty Free Americas.
She leads strategic development across cruise, border, airline and military channels in the Americas. Fernandez has been instrumental in shaping the company’s global duty-free strategy and driving a record-breaking performance in the channel across the Americas, Heineken said.
Greg Watson becomes Key Account Manager Cruises Americas. He was formerly Distribution and Chain Business Manager for the Heineken-controlled brewer Cervecería La Tropical.
Walson, who helped to relaunch and grow Cervecería La Tropical – Cuba’s oldest brewery, remixed in Miami since 2021 – in the Americas, brings 12 years’ experience across Europe and the US.
Reflecting the global focus of the Heineken Global Duty Free team reshape, Claudio Stanchi is appointed Global Account Manager Airlines & Duty-Free Asia, bringing over a dozen years of commercial experience across Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
With a strong foundation in sales and trade marketing, as well as experience in various FMCG sectors, Stanchi also brings specialist digital expertise.
Kim van Haagen joins as Customer Marketing Manager for Cruises & Airlines. During six years’ experience within Heineken she has developed a strong and well-rounded commercial background, the company said, including specialist sales and marketing experience and solid expertise in commercial operations.
Dennis Deege has been appointed Junior Customer Marketeer Duty Free Cruises. He has a particular passion for the on-trade, backed by 18 years of experience within Heineken, principally in sales and marketing.
Completing the new-look line-up is Daniel Maczonkai, the newly appointed Brand and Portfolio Manager, Global Duty Free.
Maczonkai has spent seven years with Heineken and brings over 14 years’ experience in marketing, media and sales, with a particularly strong background across EMEA markets.
In his new role, he oversees a portfolio of more than 30 premium international brands, ensuring strategic alignment between global positioning and local market needs, and partnering closely with distributors and stakeholders to drive performance in diverse markets.
The team reports to recently appointed Heineken Global Duty Free & Travel Retail Manager Natalia Kulyueva. They will utilise this week’s TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes to meet key customers, discuss their new roles, and express their commitment to taking customer partnerships to new levels, Heineken said. ✈
