Romain Apert will join Heineken’s executive team as of 15 May 2026, stepping down from his current role as chief information officer (CIO) at Mars Petcare.
In his new position as chief digital and technology officer, Apert will succeed Ronald den Elzen, who is leaving the company after a remarkable tenure of 31 years.
Den Elzen began his journey with the beverage giant in 1995 as a finance management trainee. Over the years, he held various finance-related roles, culminating in his position as managing director of Heineken USA in 2015. Most notably, he became Heineken’s inaugural chief digital and technology officer in his later years.
“Ronald retires from Heineken after an extraordinary 31-year career across five countries in Europe and the Americas, encompassing six distinct functions. His contributions to HEINEKEN’s success over the past three decades, driven by his deep understanding of the company and its portfolio, as well as his passion and remarkable people skills, will be greatly missed. I wish Ronald all the best in his future endeavours,” stated Dolf van den Brink, chairman of the executive board and CEO of Heineken.
Apert, trained as an engineer, is transitioning from his role at Mars, where he has dedicated over 20 years. He has held global CIO positions, most recently leading the CIO function for Mars’ pet care sector. In that capacity, he spearheaded a digitalisation-at-scale initiative, which integrated ERP modernization, built robust data foundations, and enhanced capabilities to drive growth and productivity.
His expertise also includes sponsoring numerous high-impact digital projects across supply, commercial, and consumer sectors, including AI-enabled diagnostics, and overseeing one of the industry’s most ambitious ERP implementations.
Commenting on the new addition, Brink remarked: “I am delighted to welcome Romain to the Heineken family. He brings a wealth of international experience in leading extensive digital transformations and technology strategies across global businesses. Romain will collaborate with the executive team, advancing Heineken’s EverGreen 2030 strategy through the deployment of the company’s Digital Backbone, while also maximizing value from data and AI. Known for his operational rigor paired with practical innovation and a people-centric leadership style, he is an excellent fit for the Heineken culture.”
