Last updated on October 2nd, 2017 at 02:31 pm
Pabst Brewing Co. (PBC), an independent brewer, has named Matt Bruhn to the role of chief marketing officer (CMO), effective Oct. 2. In this role, he will oversee marketing for the entire PBC portfolio, including heritage, imports, craft and other categories. Bruhn will take over the responsibilities of Dan McHugh, PBC’s previous CMO for the heritage brands, who will be leaving the company.
Bruhn previously served as CMO for GWA Group Limited—Australia, where he led the company’s transformation from an industrial building business to a lifestyle brands business, generating positive growth trends each year. Prior to his role at GWA, Bruhn held the position of global SVP, Smirnoff & Release Brands at Diageo PLC, where his focus was the delivery of marketing platforms for brands including Smirnoff vodka, Cîroc vodka, Captain Morgan rum, and Diageo’s Venture Brand portfolio. Prior to his tenure at Diageo in the U.S., Bruhn served in a variety of senior-level marketing roles at Diageo over a period of seven years in both Australia and Asia.
“Matt is a world-class marketer, and bringing him onboard is another critical step toward our goal of becoming a truly great American brewing company,” said Simon Thorpe, CEO. “Marketing is a crucial part of what we do, and Matt is a proven leader with a strong track record for building organizations and brands. He will focus on further strengthening PBC’s authentic and compelling brand propositions, including PBR and our heritage brands, as well as transformational marketing initiatives. On behalf of the entire team, I’d like to thank Dan for his numerous contributions to Pabst. So much of who we are and how we engage with our local communities is a result of Dan’s leadership over the past six years, and we wish him well as he moves on to his next adventure.”
“Pabst has a compelling portfolio of iconic brands with strong foundations and tremendous growth potential—something I can really sink my teeth into,” added Matt. “I’m thrilled to join the company at such a pivotal time in its evolution and can’t wait to start working with the team.”
Matt, his wife Narelle, and their three children, Henry, Jack and Molly are relocating from Sydney to Los Angeles, where Pabst is headquartered.
Since 1844, Pabst Brewing Co. has been American-owned and -operated. Its portfolio includes brands such as Pabst Blue Ribbon, Ballantine IPA, Lone Star, Rainier, Schlitz, Old Style, National Bohemian, Stag, Stroh’s and Old Milwaukee.
