Major shake-up at Lion: Managing director Rory Glass resigns, NZ to be run from Australia

Rory Glass, managing director of Lion NZ. Photo / Doug Sherring

Lion NZ is undergoing a major restructure and will move to a new operating model in the New Year with the New Zealand business to be run from Australia.

The liquor firm, ultimately owned by Japanese brewer Kirin Holdings, is moving to an integrated global operating model and local managing director Rory Glass has resigned, finishing up with the company at the end of February.

From February, Lion will establish transtasman teams.

Craig Baldie, Lion's commercial director, has been appointed country manager for New Zealand, the company said when asked to comment on the changes. The remaining New Zealand-based management team are unaffected by the changes, a spokeswoman stressed.

Glass will leave the company after 10 years in charge and 20 years at the company. He is the longest-serving managing director outside of the late Sir Douglas Myers.

Staff at Lion were told of the restructure plans yesterday.

"We have been working through our transtasman operating model and looking for ways to simplify how we work across our network to set up global centres of excellence in areas such as supply chain, finance, digital, advanced analytics and customer experience," Lion's spokeswoman said.

Earlier in the year Lion axed 30 jobs in New Zealand - about 3 per cent of its workforce - as part of an internal structure.

At the time, the company said it had "reduced a number of roles" as part of plans to "reshape the business" as a result of disruption from the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent closures of hospitality venues.

The job cuts affected those in sales and administration divisions.

Lion Group CEO Stuart Irvine said Glass had achieved great results for Lion over the past decade, and that the company had been in consistent growth under his leadership.

"He has led the acquisition of craft breweries Emerson's, Panhead, and Harrington's and of coffee business Havana, and built Little Creatures Hobsonville Point. He has also led the NZ business through significant events such as the Christchurch earthquake, a significant Cyber-attack and COVID.

"His focus on culture has seen the NZ business consistently ranked in the top decile globally for engagement, and his passion for innovation and experimentation were displayed in his leadership of the Lion Growth Hub, which has set the customer experience, digital and innovation agenda for Lion into the future. We thank Rory for his years of leadership of the business and we wish him all the very best for the future."

Lion employs about 1000 staff in New Zealand. According to the company's website, it generates "$818m worth of economic activity for the country".

It produces beer brands Speight's, Steinlager, Mac's, Emerson's, Stella Artois and Corona, popular wine brands Wither Hills and Lindauer and spirits including Smirnoff, Baileys and Johnnie Walker, among others.