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15.01.2025 Today’s Inspiration from $33B Heineken CEO Maggie Timoney, in the Irish Star

15.01.2025 Today’s Inspiration from $33B Heineken CEO Maggie Timoney, in the Irish Star
Dear Students,
 
As an ambitious international student, would you expect to see a woman at the helm of a global beer company with operations in 190 countries?
 
While it’s tempting to speculate, as the CEO of 160-year-old Heineken (the second-largest beer company in the world), Maggie Timoney’s personal beer-drinking habits have not yet been let out of the bottle (bad pun). However, it wouldn’t be surprising if Timoney is not a beer aficionado, since “According to Gender Pint Gap, ‘While 50% of UK men drink beer on a weekly basis, just 14% of women do so,’ “ as shared in Morningadvertiser.uk. Statistics may be similar elsewhere, too.
 
Still, Timoney is known for jumping right into whatever she takes on. Prior to leading a team of 85,000 global employees, the Iona College grad gained strong college and master’s-level grounding in international business, after having been recruited as an athlete from Ireland. Timoney’s competitive nature helped ultimately drive her commercial leadership skills and accomplishments, with Womenpower.ge noting that “…as a child, she was fascinated with basketball, [a] passion [which] gave her endurance and self-confidence.”
 
One of Timoney’s greatest “leaps” took place after she “…began her career with Heineken USA in 1998, as a national Sales Planning Manager. In 2001, she transferred to Heineken Netherlands, holding several positions, including Global Sales and Distribution Manager. When she came back to Heineken USA, it was as Senior Vice President of Human Resources.” Despite having little HR experience (although Timoney had studied organizational behavior during her MBA), she took on the challenge, and eventually returned to the US, assuming the CEO role, which she’s held over the past six years.
 
Timoney, the first woman to serve as Chief Executive of a major American beer brand (and also President & CEO of Heineken USA), holds strong to values including the importance of trust, transparency, and merit-based recognition (please see her LinkedIn article below for more details). In an NBC News interview, Timoney expressed a message captured by Thomas Net: ” I did not get this job because I am a woman. I got this job because I have left previous companies in a better place for having been there, and that is what my job is today. I am a CEO [who] happens to be a woman, not a CEO because I am a woman.”
 
For talented young professionals like you and your friends, who may be planning global leadership careers, it’s exciting to know that Timoney’s levels of confidence, courage and commitment to principles can be nurtured through coaching, regardless of your gender, GPA, academic institution or specific country of origin.
 
So, with this in mind, our coaches would like to proactively “raise a toast” to the aspiring international CEOs among today’s MCI candidates (which just may include you!), who are eager to gain the skills, build the knowledge and obtain the inspiration you need to do so, through partnering with our experienced Western coaches!
 
She explained that being given the role of Grand Marshall for the 263rd New York City St Patrick’s Day parade feels “surreal”. She said: “Yet, as I prepare to lead the parade, I do so with immense pride, knowing that I represent not only my family, friends, and company, but also the countless individuals who have dedicated themselves to ensuring that this cherished tradition will endure for …
 
www.irishstar.com
Wishing you “the luck of the Irish” this evening!
 
Best,
 
Amy-Louise
 
Want to learn more about Maggie Timoney and her values? Please see below: