Canada | Kelly Heyworth has joined First Key Consulting and will be stepping into the role of CEO & Managing Director at the end of 2025.

Bernd Masche, the visionary engineer behind Windhoek Lager, died on 6 October, aged 81

Obituary | Bernd may not have been a fan of the musician Frank Zappa, but he would have subscribed to his pithy observation that every nation needs an airline and its own beer. As it happens, the former no longer holds true (Air Namibia was grounded in 2021), but, in Namibia, beer remains a marker of national identity and a source of pride. Its flagship brand Windhoek Lager dominates the market and has made substantial inroads into the South African market, where the incumbent South African Breweries (SAB) has held a de facto monopoly for decades.

Switzerland | On 10 September 2025, Bühler Group announced a key leadership transition within its Grains & Food business. After a decade of outstanding leadership, Johannes Wick will step down from his role as CEO Grains & Food at the end of 2025 to take on a new strategic position within Bühler. Mike Häfeli will succeed him as CEO Grains & Food and Member of the Executive Board.

Spain | Following the recent acquisition of Thielmann Portinox by Irestal Group, the Board of Directors has appointed Mr. Alberto Borque as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company based in Granada, Spain.

BrewDog’s co-founder Martin Dickie leaves craft beer firm

United Kingdom | BrewDog’s co-founder Martin Dickie has abruptly left the Ellon-based craft brewer and pub operator, British media reported in August. He said the decision was taken for personal reasons: he now wants to spend more time with his young family.

Nuremberg | The scientific magazine BrewingScience, published by Hans Carl in Nuremberg, is delighted to welcome Dr. Florian Lehnhardt from the Weihenstephan Research Center for Brewing and Food Quality to its group of experts.

Berlin | Dr Björn Klotzbücher took up his position as the new Managing Director of VLB Berlin on 1 July 2025. He succeeds Dr Josef Fontaine, who will step down from this position at his own request in October 2025. The areas of finance, IT, human resources and research will remain under the responsibility of the previous Managing Director, Gerhard Andreas Schreiber (CFO).

Berlin | On 1 July 2025, Martin Dubrowsky took over the position of International Sales Manager at the Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB). He succeeds Roberto Biurrun, who has left the VLB at his own request after ten years to take on a new professional challenge at Jürgen Löhrke GmbH.

Petr Košin new chairman of EBC Brewing Science Group

Brussels | At the recent 14th Technical Meeting of the EBC Brewing Science Group, held 20–22 May in Budapest, members were asked to approve the successor to Gert De Rouck, the director of the brewing pilot plants at KU Leuven (Technologiecampus Gent). Gert De Rouck had become the chairman in 2019 and the end of his term of office necessitated the search for a replacement chair. This was forthcoming in the person of Petr Košin, the production director at Budweiser Budvar, based at České Budějovice, Czech Republic, a national brewery run and supported by the Czech state.

Obituary: Oscar Wong, craft beer pioneer and founder of Highland Brewery, Asheville

Obituary | Oscar Wong, a retired engineer who founded the Highland Brewing Company as a hobby, died on 25 May, aged 84.

Berlin | The Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei in Berlin (VLB) e.V. is initiating a significant generational change: After more than two decades of dedicated service as VLB Managing Director, Dr. Josef Fontaine will hand over the position in October 2025. His successor will be Dr. Björn Klotzbücher, who will take up his position at the VLB on 1 July 1 2025.

Warsaw | On Tuesday, 13 May 2025, the Brewers of Europe’s General Assembly elected Mr Christian Weber, CEO of the Karlsberg brewery and current president of the German Brewers’ Association (Deutscher Brauer-Bund), as its new president.

Bülach | The Vetropack Group, one of Europe's leading manufacturers of glass packaging, has announced that Riccardo Gobbis has taken over the position as Managing Director of Vetropack Italia S.r.l. as of 1 April 2025. With his extensive experience in the glass packaging industry, Riccardo Gobbis will be responsible for driving the further development of Vetropack's business in Italy, to fully leverage the potential of the highly modern production facility in Boffalora sopra Ticino.

Wolnzach | At the beginning of 2025, Alexander Epplen has joined HVG as one of their international sales managers. He will be responsible for North America, France and the UK and will take care of the craft beer sector.