Beam Suntory to Transition CEO Responsibilities from Baladi to Hughes

July 19, 2023

Greg Hughes will take the helm from Albert Baladi, who spent the past five years as president and CEO.

CEO responsibilities for Beam Suntory will pass from Albert Baladi — who has held the CEO title for the past five years — to senior vice president chief growth & brands officer Greg Hughes, effective Oct. 1, 2023, according to a release from the company. Baladi will serve as CEO advisor through the year’s end and carry on as a senior advisor for the company in 2024.

Baladi is passing the torch after 12 years of service on Beam Suntory’s leadership team. The company states that in his five years as CEO, annual sales grew at high single digits to more than $5 billion as the company angled its brand portfolio toward more premium product lines.

Hughes brings more than 30 years of experience in consumer goods in management, commercial and marketing roles. He joined Beam Suntory in 2015 after working for Procter & Gamble, Bel Brands USA and Kraft Foods. Beam Suntory plans to announce plans for his replacement in the coming months.

About the Author

Andy Hanacek | Senior Editor

Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.