Heineken Ireland welcomes new managing director

Heineken Ireland has appointed Sharon Walsh as the company’s new Managing Director. 

Walsh, who succeeded Maarten Schuurman as of March 1, moves up from her position as Commercial Director for Heineken Ireland. She has held senior roles within the company and across at the brewer’s global operations over the past 11 years. 

Schuurman is leaving Ireland to take up the role of Managing Director of Heineken’s East & West Africa region from 1st April 2023.  In his new role he will be responsible for Heineken’s operating companies in Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Sierra Leone, Mozambique and a joint venture business in Dubai.

Heineken Ireland, which employs 340 people at its brewery in Cork and across the country, boasts a portfolio including Heineken, Heineken 0.0%, Birra Moretti, Coors, Orchard Thieves, Murphy’s, Beamish and Islands Edge.

Walsh led the Heineken Ireland sales team over a three year period characterized by COVID-19 closures for the hospitality industry. Under her leadership, the company introduced a new e-business to business platform, Smart Pub, which is now the preferred ordering platform in the industry in Ireland.

Walsh joined Heineken Ireland as Marketing Director in 2011; before being appointed as Heineken’s Global Cider Director in 2016 at the company’s HQ in Amsterdam.

Before joining Heineken, Walsh gained broad marketing experience in the drinks industry holding roles with UDV, Diageo and Coca-Cola.

A native of Dublin, Walsh has a Degree and Higher Diploma in Hotel and Catering Management and a Master’s degree in Strategic International Marketing from DCU.