Nestlé Lanka PLC announces new MD

Bernhard Stefan

Nestlé Lanka PLC announced yesterday the appointment of Bernhard Stefan as the Managing Director effective 1 March, succeeding Jason Avanceña whose term ends 28 February. Jason, 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 the Managing Director of Nestlé Pakistan and Afghanistan with effect from 1 March. 

Joining Nestlé Lanka with over 22 years of experience, Bernhard Stefan began his career with Nestlé Waters in France in the field of Merges 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, Bernhard joined the team as Zone Deputy. 

Bernhard’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 the Managing Director of Nestlé Lanka PLC.