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Cape Town - SABMiller [JSE:SABMiller] announced on Wednesday that its chairperson Graham Mackay, who has been with the company for 35 years, has passed away. Mackay was diagnosed with a brain tumour in April 2013.
Mackay died peacefully on Wednesday morning in Hampshire with his family at his side, the group said in a statement.
Under his leadership SABMiller made rapid inroads across Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Latin America and the United States, according to a biography on the company's website.
Mackay graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1972 with a BSc in engineering, and gained a BCom from the University of South Africa in 1977.
He was brought up in Swaziland, Natal and Zimbabwe.
John Manser, who has been acting chairperson, will take over as chairperson with immediate effect, while Guy Elliott has been appointed as senior independent director.
"Graham was one of the most inspirational and successful leaders in international business by any measure," said Manser.
"Everyone in the SABMiller family has been blessed by his vision, his loyalty and his friendship during his 35 years with the group."
He said the board is confident that the group will continue to build on Graham's legacy and fulfil his vision to make SABMiller the most admired company in the global beer industry.
The group also noted that Manser will defer his previously expected retirement date for about one year to July 2015.
At lunchtime the SABMiller share price was up 4.73 (0.93%) to R511.03.
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said Mackay was a phenomenal leader who took a South African giant and turned into a multinational corporation.
Mackay died peacefully on Wednesday morning in Hampshire with his family at his side, the group said in a statement.
Under his leadership SABMiller made rapid inroads across Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Latin America and the United States, according to a biography on the company's website.
Mackay graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1972 with a BSc in engineering, and gained a BCom from the University of South Africa in 1977.
He was brought up in Swaziland, Natal and Zimbabwe.
John Manser, who has been acting chairperson, will take over as chairperson with immediate effect, while Guy Elliott has been appointed as senior independent director.
"Graham was one of the most inspirational and successful leaders in international business by any measure," said Manser.
"Everyone in the SABMiller family has been blessed by his vision, his loyalty and his friendship during his 35 years with the group."
He said the board is confident that the group will continue to build on Graham's legacy and fulfil his vision to make SABMiller the most admired company in the global beer industry.
The group also noted that Manser will defer his previously expected retirement date for about one year to July 2015.
At lunchtime the SABMiller share price was up 4.73 (0.93%) to R511.03.
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said Mackay was a phenomenal leader who took a South African giant and turned into a multinational corporation.
"Despite the success of SABMiller’s venture into the
global arena, Mackay never forgot his South African roots and
remained proudly South African in international fora," he said, according to Sapa.
