World: Asahi Group Holdings announces new CEO for Asahi Europe & International

Following the decision of Asahi Europe & International CEO, Paolo Lanzarotti, to retire from full time executive activity, Asahi Group Holdings (AGH) have promoted Dragos Constantinescu as CEO of its European and International business (excluding Japan, Australasia and Asia) effective 1st April 2025. At the same time Dragos will join the Executive Board of AGH, headquartered in Tokyo.

The Romanian led the local operations of Ursus Breweries from 2019 to 2021, following which he assumed the role of Managing Director for Asahi Europe & International’s operation in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Michał Mrowiec, who led Ursus Breweries since 2023, will take over Dragoș’ former role, becoming the CEO of Asahi’s business in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany and Austria. The appointment of a new MD of Ursus will be announced in due course.

“I am thrilled to take on this new challenge, and to be able to work alongside talented colleagues across Asahi Europe & International and the wider group. It is a privilege to lead our growing European business and to oversee so many impactful initiatives focused on people and the planet. I look forward to driving future growth for our global and local brands, and continuing to further offer consumers more choice with a diverse portfolio to suit different lifestyles and occasions,” said Dragoș Constantinescu, CEO of Asahi Europe International.

Since becoming leader of Ursus Breweries in 2023, Michał Mrowiec has contributed to the strong growth of the business and has led the Romanian team through many successful initiatives.

“Romania treated me well, and being part of the team who worked on implementing the DRS system was both an insightful and rewarding experience. Together with my team, I rediscovered that beer is more than a product – it’s an opportunity to bring people together, to create meaningful connections, and to discover new ideas. As I embark in a new journey, I would like to say that I am very grateful for my team’s achievements, and I am sure that our business will continue to innovate and to provide the consumers with great experiences,” said Michał Mrowiec, Country Manager for The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany and Austria.

Dragos Constantinescu began his career in British American Tobacco (BAT) in the Netherlands in 2002 and spent 17 years in various finance and General Management roles across multiple countries in Europe including as Area Director for Central Europe. Dragos brings a wealth of business experience and a strong drive for results, combined with multiple cultural perspectives gained from his roles across Europe. He is deeply passionate about advancing Asahi’s business performance through innovation, our iconic brands and people. As a strong advocate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion he is equally committed to advancing to driving progress on our sustainability agenda, for which Asahi is recognized.

Over the last 9 years with Asahi Europe & International Michał has held different positions at Kompania Piwowarska (Asahi’s Polish entity) and in Romania. Over this time, he has a strong reputation for driving business growth, and for supporting transformation of the business. Prior to this, he was the Commercial Director of Coca Cola HBC in Poland and Sales Vice President of Unilever, where he implemented several organizational transformation initiatives. Michal holds a master’s degree at Economic University in Katowice, Poland.