Champion Breweries Plc has announced the resignation of its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Inalegwu Adoga, with the board appointing seasoned FMCG executive Malolan Sampath as his successor.
The leadership change was disclosed in a statement dated June 22, 2026, signed by the Chairman of the Board, Mr. Imo-Abasi Jacob, and made available to the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), shareholders and the investing public.
The company did not disclose the reason for Adoga’s resignation.
What they are saying
According to the statement, the Board of Directors approved a succession plan that will see Sampath assume the role of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer effective September 1, 2026.
- “Champion Breweries Plc hereby notifies the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), its shareholders and the investing public that the Board of Directors has approved certain leadership transition arrangements following the resignation of Dr. Inalegwu Adoga as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Company,” the statement read.
- “The Board has approved the appointment of Mr. Malolan Sampath as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.”
To ensure a seamless transition, the board also appointed Mr. Rasheed Ademola Adebiyi, Executive Director, Finance, as Acting Managing Director pending Sampath’s resumption.
More insights
Sampath joins Champion Breweries with more than 26 years of international leadership experience spanning the beverage, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), manufacturing and agro-industrial sectors.
- Throughout his career, he has led and managed businesses with revenues of up to $500 million.
- His experience in the beverage industry includes serving as Managing Director of Unique Beverages in Angola and Sales and Marketing Director for a PepsiCo bottling franchise. He also has prior experience within the brewing sector.
Most recently, he served as Managing Director of the NPK Joint Venture and Chief Marketing Officer at Indorama Eleme Fertilizers in Nigeria. Before that, he was Chief Executive Officer of Global Industries Limited, a joint venture of Wilmar International in Zambia.
Sampath holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Management (MBA) from the Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development, Pune, India, and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Chennai.
- “The Board is confident that his expertise in manufacturing excellence, commercial execution and business transformation will support the Company’s strategic objectives and long-term growth,” the statement added.
What you should know
Adoga’s resignation comes months after Champion Breweries reported a decline in earnings despite recording strong revenue growth in the first quarter of 2026.
- The brewer posted a pre-tax profit of N839.2 million for the quarter, down from N1.7 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
- Revenue from brewed products surged to N14.3 billion, compared with N8.4 billion a year earlier, reflecting strong demand and improved sales performance. However, the gains were largely offset by a sharp increase in finance costs, which rose to N2.1 billion during the period.
- Profit after tax stood at N881.4 million, compared with N984.5 million in the first quarter of 2025, while earnings per share declined to 59 kobo from N1.10.
Despite the softer earnings performance, Champion Breweries strengthened its balance sheet, with retained earnings increasing to N5.7 billion from N5.1 billion and total assets expanding significantly to N132.4 billion from N82.3 billion recorded in the corresponding period of the previous year.
The incoming CEO is expected to take over at a time when the company is seeking to sustain revenue growth while improving profitability amid a challenging operating environment.
