Belgian brewing company AB InBev has appointed Dirk Van de Put as its new chair.The group said on Wednesday that the board unanimously selected Van de Put for the role, effective June 16. He has been an independent director since April 2023.Van de Put succeeds Martin J Barrington, who retired from his position on the board of directors at the annual shareholders’ meeting.AB InBev CEO Michel Doukeris welcomed Van de Put to the new role, commenting that he brings a wealth of expertise and a distinguished record of leadership that will be invaluable.“Having spent the past three years on the AB InBev board, I am supportive of the company’s strategy and 10-year plan. I have been impressed by the company’s talented management team, led by CEO Michel Doukeris, and I look forward to helping AB InBev write the next chapter in brewing history,” said Van de Put.Van de Put, a Belgian and US national, is a proven leader in the food, beverage, and consumer packaged goods industries. He currently serves as chairperson and CEO of Mondelez International, a position he has held since 2017. Beer volumes grew by 1.2%, with record-high first-quarter volumes in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, South Africa and Peru. In the US, sales-to-retailer volumes grew and AB InBev continued to outperform the industry“Mr Van de Put is an expert in commercial operations in both emerging and developed markets, with broad experience spanning more than 30 years in consumer-packaged goods. He brings a global perspective, having lived and worked on three different continents and is fluent in English, Dutch, French, Spanish and Portuguese,” AB InBev said.Prior to Mondelez, he served as president and CEO of McCain Foods and previously held senior leadership positions at Novartis, Danone, Coca Cola and Mars Inc.Business Day reported in May that AB InBev has had a solid start to the new financial year, with record-high first-quarter beer volumes in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, South Africa and Peru.The group reported broad-based volume growth for the quarter to end-March and a 20.8% increase in underlying EPS to $0.97, a record high for the first quarter, the group said.“Megabrand momentum, innovation in Balanced Choices and acceleration of our Beyond Beer portfolio drove top- and bottom-line growth in four of our five zones, and we estimate to have gained or maintained market share in 75% of our markets,” the company said.Revenue increased by 5.8% to $15.27bn, while normalised earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) increased by 5.3% to $5.4bn.Beer volumes grew by 1.2%, with record-high first-quarter volumes in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, South Africa and Peru. In the US, sales-to-retailer volumes grew and AB InBev continued to outperform the industry.The group saw continued momentum of its global megabrands — Corona, Stella Artois and Michelob Ultra — which grew revenues by 16%, 14% and 39%, respectively, outside their home markets.In addition, the expansion of the group’s no-alcohol beer and Beyond Beer portfolios continued, with revenue up by 27% and 37%, respectively.