Italy: Piero Perron (Heineken) new chairman of AssoBirra

On June 13 Piero Perron has been elected chairman of the Association of Beer and Malt Industrialists - AssoBirra - replacing Sepp Harald Fuchs (Birra Forst), according to the information revealed by AGI on behalf of the Italian Prime Minister's office. Piero Perron, active for over 30 years in the beer sector and chairman of Heineken Italia, currently chairs the Brewers of Europe.

The Association's meeting has further elected two vice-chairmen who will flank Perron: Roy Bagattini, M.D. of Birra Peroni Spa and Claudio Riva, M.D. of Carlsberg Italia. Outgoing chairman, Sepp Harald Fuchs, has been nominated Delegate to the chairman's office for international relations and for relations with the business association system.

The Association of Beer and Malt Industrialists was founded in 1947 and unites nearly all Italian producers who together account for more than 70 pct of the beer consumed in Italy.

15 June, 2005