Nigerian Breweries Plc- Nigeria’s foremost brewing company, has announced the
appointment of Sade Morgan as the Corporate Affairs Director, for Heineken Africa & Middle
East (AME) region. Her appointment takes effect on 1st May, 2025.
The appointment was conveyed in a statement signed by the Managing Director, Nigerian
Breweries Plc, Hans Essaadi on Friday, April 4, 2025.
Morgan, who is currently Nigerian Breweries Corporate Affairs Director, has been elevated to
a global role at Heineken, succeeding David Paterson and becoming the first regional national
from AME region to hold this senior leadership role.
In this role, Morgan joins both the Heineken Global Corporate Affairs Leadership Team and
the Heineken AME Management Team to continue to drive the Corporate Affairs strategy in
advancing the growth agenda and protecting reputation for HEINEKEN in AME.
Since joining NB Plc in 2018 as Corporate Affairs Director, she has led high-stakes regulatory
and fiscal engagements in a dynamic operating environment, driving a robust optimal business
climate agenda for the Nigerian business, mitigating significant excise tax increases and
securing a more viable regulatory framework.
More recently, she played a key role in managing the temporary suspension of operations in
select breweries in Nigeria, ensuring seamless stakeholder engagement and business
continuity. Beyond her role in regulatory affairs, she has also provided strategic leadership in
advancing Heineken’s Brew a Better World sustainability ambitions and goals in Nigeria.
Morgan was recently awarded the 2025 Outstanding Corporate Spokesperson of the year in
the 2nd edition of the Nigerian National SpokesPersons Award, and Corporate
Communications Professional of the year at the 2024 Lagos Public Relations Industry Gala
and Awards.
Morgan is a highly accomplished corporate executive with a remarkable 27-year track record
of driving business growth, managing risk, and leading high-performing teams across various
industries, including fast-moving consumer goods, tobacco, and beverages. A lawyer, corporate affairs and communications professional, her impressive track record speaks for
itself, with wide cross-geographical experience and a passion for building winning teams and
empowering women.
Sade started her career as a lawyer in 1993 and has since worked with top Nigerian law firms
and multinational companies honing her skills in resolving complex business issues across
diverse sectors. In her current role as Corporate Affairs Director for Nigerian Breweries Plc, a
position she has held since December 2018, Sade has been instrumental in shaping the
company’s corporate governance, regulatory affairs, reputation management, and
sustainability strategies.
Her expertise spans legal, regulatory, and business leadership roles, having served as Legal,
Public Affairs and Communications Director at Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company as
well as other various roles within the company including Executive Committee and Board
member. She has also served as Legal Director and EEMEA Regulatory and Marketing
Counsel for British American Tobacco’s global operations.
A distinguished alumnus of prestigious business schools IMD and INSEAD, Sade holds
honors degrees in Law from Obafemi Awolowo University and the Nigerian Law School. She
is a respected member of the Institute of Directors, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations,
and she pioneered the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (Nigeria) as its first
Chairperson.
Beyond her corporate achievements, Sade has played a pivotal advisory role in shaping public
policy on business regulation and corporate governance in Nigeria. Her exceptional leadership
and expertise have influenced decision-making in the consumer goods, beverages, and
tobacco sectors, cementing her reputation as a champion of ethical practices and corporate
responsibility within the private sector.
Prior to joining Heineken, she had worked as Legal, Public Affairs & Communications
Director at Nigerian Bottling Company, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling
Company, where she played a pivotal role in regulatory and stakeholder engagement, crisis
management, and corporate reputation strategy.
Before then, she also held senior legal, corporate affairs and regulatory roles at British
American Tobacco, including an international assignment in the UAE, where she sat on the
Management Team supporting the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. She also
served as West Africa Area Legal Director, driving legal, policy advocacy and regulatory
strategy across multiple markets, followed by a UK-based role where she had regulatory
marketing oversight for the Africa, Middle East & Eastern Europe (AMEE) region.
Morgan is an alumna of executive management programs at IMD (Switzerland) and INSEAD
(France) and an active member of professional organizations including the Institute of Directors and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. She was also the inaugural
Chairperson of the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance in Nigeria.
Her leadership and ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes will be crucial in driving
the Corporate Affairs agenda across the AME region.
