Anubha Sahasrabuddhe has been appointed as Lion’s new Chief Executive Officer.
Lion has announced the appointment of its new CEO, and the creation of a unified Lion ANZ business which will position Lion as an Australasian powerhouse.
The new structure combines Lion’s Australian and New Zealand operations under a single Lion ANZ Leadership Team, enabling faster decision-making and even closer collaboration across both markets.
Anubha Sahasrabuddhe Lion’s Chief Growth & Commercial Officer and the co-leader of Lion Australia, has been appointed as Lion’s new Chief Executive Officer. Anubha joined Lion in 2021 following senior leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company and Mars Wrigley across Asia Pacific and North America.
180 Year Heritage of Lion
“In recent years we’ve been transforming Lion to create a powerful platform for growth – unlocking new investment which has been refocused into our world-class brands, digital transformation and product innovation – while strengthening our supply chain and improving our partnerships & execution with customers,” Anubha said.
“But great businesses never stand still and Lion ANZ will position our business as an Australasian powerhouse, building on our incredible heritage spanning more than 180 years and the momentum we have created in recent years.
“Lion ANZ will make us more dynamic and market-focused than ever before – propelling our iconic beer brands to new heights and supercharging our growth in Australia and New Zealand. Lion is an incredible company and I am delighted to have been appointed as its next CEO to take us forward into our next era of growth.”
Lion’s current New Zealand Managing Director, Craig Baldie, has been appointed to a new role of Chief Operating Officer and New Zealand Country Director.
In this role Craig Baldie will take on an expanded portfolio of responsibilities including Strategy, Digital & Technology and Sustainability, and he will continue to lead the Sales & Marketing teams in New Zealand.
“Our new leaner operating model will speed up decision-making, boost collaboration, and support shared best practices across both markets, while keeping sales and marketing teams empowered to lead locally,” Craig said.
The changes will take effect from 1 October 2025 and Sam Fischer will conclude as Lion CEO at the end of October 2025, as previously announced.