Nigerian Breweries Plc- Nigeria’s foremost brewing company, has announced the appointment of Sade Morgan as the Corporate Affairs Director, for Heineken Africa & Middle East (AME) region. Her appointment takes effect on 1st May, 2025.
The appointment was conveyed in a statement signed by Hans Essaadi, the Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc.
Morgan, who is currently Nigerian Breweries Corporate Affairs Director, has been elevated to a global role at Heineken, succeeding David Paterson and becoming the first regional national from AME region to hold this senior leadership role.
In this role, Morgan joins both the Heineken Global Corporate Affairs Leadership Team and the Heineken AME Management Team to continue to drive the Corporate Affairs strategy in advancing the growth agenda and protecting the reputation for HEINEKEN in AME.
Since joining NB Plc in 2018 as Corporate Affairs Director, she has led high-stakes regulatory and fiscal engagements in a dynamic operating environment, driving a robust optimal business climate agenda for the Nigerian business, mitigating significant excise tax increases and securing a more viable regulatory framework.
More recently, she played a key role in managing the temporary suspension of operations in select breweries in Nigeria, ensuring seamless stakeholder engagement and business continuity. Beyond her role in regulatory affairs, she has also provided strategic leadership in advancing Heineken’s Brew a Better World sustainability ambitions and goals in Nigeria.
Morgan was recently awarded the 2025 Outstanding Corporate Spokesperson of the year in the 2nd edition of the Nigerian National SpokesPersons Award, and Corporate Communications Professional of the year at the 2024 Lagos Public Relations Industry Gala and Awards.
Morgan is a highly accomplished corporate executive with a remarkable 27-year track record of driving business growth, managing risk, and leading high-performing teams across various industries, including fast-moving consumer goods, tobacco, and beverages. A lawyer, corporate affairs and communications professional, her impressive track record speaks for itself, with wide cross-geographical experience and a passion for building winning teams and empowering women.
She started her career as a lawyer in 1993 and has since worked with top Nigerian law firms and multinational companies honing her skills in resolving complex business issues across diverse sectors. In her current role as Corporate Affairs Director for Nigerian Breweries Plc, a position she has held since December 2018, Sade has been instrumental in shaping the company’s corporate governance, regulatory affairs, reputation management, and sustainability strategies.
Her expertise spans legal, regulatory, and business leadership roles, having served as Legal, Public Affairs and Communications Director at Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company as well as other various roles within the company including Executive Committee and Board member. She has also served as Legal Director and EEMEA Regulatory and Marketing Counsel for British American Tobacco’s global operations.
A distinguished alumnus of prestigious business schools IMD and INSEAD, Morgan holds honors degrees in Law from Obafemi Awolowo University and the Nigerian Law School. She is a respected member of the Institute of Directors, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, and she pioneered the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (Nigeria) as its first Chairperson.
Beyond her corporate achievements, Morgan has played a pivotal advisory role in shaping public policy on business regulation and corporate governance in Nigeria. Her exceptional leadership and expertise have influenced decision-making in the consumer goods, beverages, and tobacco sectors, cementing her reputation as a champion of ethical practices and corporate responsibility within the private sector.
Prior to joining Heineken, she had worked as Legal, Public Affairs & Communications Director at Nigerian Bottling Company, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, where she played a pivotal role in regulatory and stakeholder engagement, crisis management, and corporate reputation strategy.
Before then, she also held senior legal, corporate affairs and regulatory roles at British American Tobacco, including an international assignment in the UAE, where she sat on the Management Team supporting the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. She also served as West Africa Area Legal Director, driving legal, policy advocacy and regulatory strategy across multiple markets, followed by a UK-based role where she had regulatory marketing oversight for the Africa, Middle East & Eastern Europe (AMEE) region.
Morgan is an alumna of executive management programs at IMD (Switzerland) and INSEAD (France) and an active member of professional organizations including the Institute of Directors and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. She was also the inaugural Chairperson of the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance in Nigeria.
According to Nigerian Breweries, her leadership and ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes will be crucial in driving the Corporate Affairs agenda across the AME region.
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