A. Le Coq chief Jaanus Vihand to leave post in October

Jaanus Vihand, who has led A. Le Coq, Estonia’s largest beverage producer, for the past four years, will leave his position at the end of October, ERR reported. He is stepping down at his own request to pursue new professional challenges, and the company has begun searching for a new chief executive.

“The decision to leave did not come easily. I spent several sleepless nights weighing the pros and cons. Although I cannot yet comment on the new challenge, it is an exciting next chapter that was difficult to turn down,” Vihand said.

“I will always remain a fan of A. Le Coq and am sincerely grateful to the team for its trust and for our shared journey,” he added.

Vihand took over as head of A. Le Coq in September 2022 from the company’s long-serving chief executive, Tarmo Noop.

During his tenure, Vihand focused on implementing the company’s updated strategy by increasing the share of non-alcoholic products in its portfolio, strengthening its core brands on the local market, expanding exports and developing a new product category with significant export potential.

One of the key milestones was a transaction completed in June through which A. Le Coq acquired Värska Originaal, a well-known mineral water producer.

Noop will become A. Le Coq’s interim chief executive from September 21. He will continue as a member of the supervisory board of Olvi plc but will step down from its audit committee because of his temporary executive role.

Noop led A. Le Coq from 1998 to 2022. His interim appointment is intended to ensure a smooth transition until a new chief executive is found and appointed.