Tesco's Emma Reynolds takes AB InBev corporate affairs role

The world’s largest brewer announced that Reynolds, currently Tesco’s UK government affairs and policy director, will join the firm on 5 November.

She fills the post vacated by Mike Kelly in December 2011. Kelly had headed corporate affairs at the brewer for four years and left ‘by mutual agreement to seek new challenges’.

Reynolds joined Tesco in 2005 after a two-year stint as a consultant at AS Biss & Co. Before this she served as a policy adviser to the Conservative Party.

The news comes as the Government presses ahead with new measures to curb binge drinking. Earlier this year the Government revealed plans to introduce minimum unit pricing across England and Wales to help combat harmful drinking habits.

In July the Commons Health Select Committee called for an independent review of the coalition’s ‘responsibility deal’ with drinks manufacturers, suggesting drinks manufacturers are too close to policy makers.

The Portman Group, of which AB InBev is a founder member, said it was ‘deeply disappointed’ the committee had ‘failed to understand the significance of the innovative unit reduction pledge’.

AB InBev is the world’s largest brewer, with nearly 25 per cent global market share and 200 brands, including Beck’s, Budweiser, Stella Artois and Brahma.

This article was first published on prweek.com