Budweiser Budvar UK appoints Rich Sanna as new managing director

Budweiser Budvar UK has announced Rich Sanna will become managing director on 1 January, taking over from Jitka Vlčková. Sanna joined the company in 2019 and has worked closely with Vlčková, whose six-year leadership has delivered a notable turnaround for the brand. Since 2020, Budvar UK has tripled its on-trade taps and grown annual volume from 57,700hl to 93,835hl in 2025. Vlčková said stepping back wasn’t easy and that the UK had become her second home, but she’s returning to the Czech Republic to be closer to family and to help run the family business. She credited Sanna with strengthening Budvar UK’s commercial strategy and partnerships, and said the business would be in very good hands. Sanna described the appointment as a huge honour and said he looked forward to taking Czech beer to new audiences; Budweiser Budvar UK is owned by the Czech Republic and its citizens and has focused on raising awareness of its brewing techniques, authenticity and provenance. By the end of September 2026, volume was 18% ahead of last year.

Source: Beer Today https://beertoday.co.uk/2026/10/11/budweiser-budvar-uk-md-1026/