Bernhard Stefan takes over as Managing Director of Nestlé Lanka

Nestlé Lanka PLC appointed Bernhard Stefan as its Managing Director, effective March 1, 2023, succeeding Jason Avanceña, whose term ends on February 28, 2023. 

Avanceña, who successfully led Nestlé’s operations in Sri Lanka and the Maldives through unprecedented challenges during his tenure, will move on to a new role as Managing Director of Nestlé Pakistan and Afghanistan, with effect from March 1, 2023. 

Joining Nestlé Lanka with over 22 years of experience, Stefan began his career with Nestlé Waters in France in the field of mergers and acquisitions. In the years that followed, he took on various roles with increasing responsibility in Nestlé Waters in the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland, eventually becoming Country Business Manager, Nestlé Waters Direct, in Germany, in 2007. 

A year later, he moved to Australia to become Head of Route Sales and Operations for Nestlé Peters Ice Cream, a role he held for more than four years before moving to the Greater China Region in 2012, to lead strategy and business development. In 2017, he returned to Switzerland as a Regional Manager for Zone Asia, Oceania and Africa, supporting Greater China, South Asia Region and Nestlé Pakistan and leading marketing, sales and ecommerce for the Zone and Ice Cream. When Nestlé created Zone Greater China a year ago, Stefan joined the team as Zone Deputy. 

Stefan’s breadth of experience and his extensive knowledge of the South Asia region, its challenges and opportunities will no doubt help him to navigate successfully in his new role as Managing Director of Nestlé Lanka PLC.