Estonia: Saku Olletehase AS appointed new Chairman of the company’s Management Board

On 11 September 2006 the Supervisory Board of Saku Olletehase AS appointed Ireneusz Piotr Smaga as Chairman of the company’s Management Board. The former Acting Chairman of the Management Board Janno Veskimae will continue as Member of the Management Board and the company’s Chief Operating Officer. From 12 September 2006 the Management Board of Saku Õlletehase AS will have two members.

Ireneusz Piotr Smaga (date of birth 28 June 1967) is a citizen of the Republic of Poland.

Recent work experience of Ireneusz Piotr Smaga:
2002 – 2006 Carlsberg Poland, Member of the Board of Directors, Sales and Logistics Director
1994 – 2002 Pepsi Cola Poland, Member of the Board of Directors, Sales Director

Recent work experience of Janno Veskimae:
Since 2005 Saku Olletehase AS, Member of the Management Board
2005 – 2005 Saku Olletehase AS, Member of the Supervisory Board
2004 – 2005 Baltic Beverage Holding AB (BBH) (majority shareholder of Saku Olletehase AS) Baltics, Business Controller
2002 – 2004 BBH Ukraine, Business Analyst
2001 – 2002 BBH Baltics, Business Analyst

Ireneusz Piotr Smaga and Janno Veskimae do not own shares in Saku Olletehase AS.

The brewing traditions of Saku Brewery reach back to the beginning of the 19th century. Then the Saku estate was owned by count Karl Friedrich Rehbinder who built a distillery and a brewery on his estate. The brewery was first documented in October 1820. It is believed that the production of beer, for the purpose of sale to pubs and taverns begun during the autumn of that year. From the end of 19th century onward Saku has remained among the leading breweries in Estonia.

In 1991 joint venture Saku Õlletehas was established. Today 75% of the shares are owned by Baltic Beverages Holding AB - Pripps Ringnes AB and Oy Hartwall AB company - and 25% by small shareholders.

Through big investments Saku Brewery has become the market leader on the Estonian beer market. The market share of Saku in 1999 accounted for 50% of the total market. The total sales of beer and mineral water by Saku amounted to 51.6 million litres in 1999.

The main product of Saku Brewery is Saku Originaal - the leader of Estonia´s beer market since 1995. According to the market research by Emor, Saku Originaal is the most recognised and popular Estonian beer.

13 September, 2006