World: SABMiller plans to appoint Jan du Plessis as chairman in a year

Brewing giant SABMiller PLC on August 6 said it has plans to appoint Jan du Plessis as chairman in July next year, to succeed John Manser.

In December last year, Chairman Graham Mackay died after battling with a long-term illness. The board appointed acting Chairman John Manser as chairman with immediate effect, and appointed Guy Elliott as senior independent director in succession to Manser.

In a statement on August 6, SABMiller said du Plessis, aged 60, will join the board as an independent non-executive director with effect from September 1, after which it intends to appoint him as chairman in succession to Manser at the conclusion of its annual general meeting in July 2015, when Manser retires.

"This will allow for an appropriate period of familiarisation and handover, and facilitate orderly succession planning," SAB Miller said.

Du Plessis is currently chairman of Rio Tinto PLC, and has been a non-executive director of Marks and Spencer Group PLC since 2008 and senior independent director since March 2012.

"Du Plessis has agreed with the chairman of Marks and Spencer that he will stand down from the board of Marks and Spencer during the first half of 2015, before being appointed as chairman of SABMiller," the company added.

06 August, 2014