Key Points
- Former Apple General Counsel Bruce Sewell will join BAT's board as an independent non-executive director on January 1, 2027, and become a member of the Audit and Nominations Committees.
- BAT highlighted Sewell's experience across the technology industry, government and regulatory affairs, public-company governance and AI-company boards, linking his background to Horizon 2030.
- Since mid-2025, BAT has changed or announced changes to its CFO, general counsel, CMO and APMEA regional leadership.
- BAT's board has also been refreshed over the past year through new independent-director appointments, departures and changes linked to the CFO role.
- Horizon 2030 targets mid-teens New Category revenue growth through 2030 and a New Categories contribution margin of at least 30%. In the first half of 2026, New Categories revenue rose 18.0% and category contribution reached £257 million, up 54.7%.
2Firsts
October 29, 2026
British American Tobacco said on October 28 that former Apple Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary Bruce Sewell will join its board as an independent non-executive director from January 1, 2027.
Sewell will also become a member of BAT's Audit and Nominations Committees.
According to BAT, Sewell served as Apple's Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary from 2009 to 2018, overseeing legal, compliance, ethics, government relations and corporate-governance matters.
Before Apple, he spent about 14 years at Intel and ultimately served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel.
Sewell is currently lead independent director of Vail Resorts and a director of enterprise software company C3.ai, where he chairs the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
BAT Highlights Sewell's Technology, Regulatory and AI Board Experience
BAT Chair Luc Jobin cited Sewell's experience in the global technology industry and his background engaging with governments and regulators across the U.S., Europe and Asia.
Jobin also highlighted his public-company board experience and work on the board of an artificial-intelligence company, saying those credentials would support BAT's Horizon 2030 ambitions.
BAT also announced changes to the composition of its board committees. From November 30, Véronique Laury will leave the Audit Committee and join the Remuneration Committee, while Serpil Timuray will move from Remuneration to Audit.
BAT outlined Horizon 2030 at its September 2026 Capital Markets Day, targeting mid-teens New Category revenue growth through 2030 and a New Categories contribution margin of at least 30%.
In the first half of 2026, New Categories revenue rose 18.0%, while category contribution reached £257 million, up 54.7%. Smokeless products accounted for about 19.8% of group revenue.
BAT Has Changed Finance, Legal, Marketing and APMEA Leadership Since Mid-2025
Sewell's appointment follows a series of senior leadership changes at BAT since mid-2025.
In July 2025, BAT said APMEA Regional Director Michael Dijanosic would leave at year-end. Pascale Meulemeester took over the region and joined the Management Board in January 2026.
A month later, Chief Financial Officer Soraya Benchikh stepped down and Director, Digital and Information Javed Iqbal became interim CFO.
BAT appointed former Asahi Europe & International Chief Executive Dragos Constantinescu as permanent CFO in April 2026, with the appointment taking effect on September 1. Constantinescu had previously spent 16 years at BAT.
BAT's legal leadership also changed. Long-serving General Counsel Jerome Abelman left at the end of 2025, with Paul McCrory becoming Director, Legal and General Counsel from January 2026.
Responsibility for Corporate and Regulatory Affairs shifted to Chief Corporate Officer Kingsley Wheaton.
In August 2026, BAT said Chief Marketing Officer Luciano Comin would leave at the end of February 2027. Meulemeester will succeed him as CMO in March.
Celina Li joined BAT in September 2026 and will formally take over as APMEA Regional Director and join the Management Board in January 2027.
By early 2027, BAT's finance, legal, marketing and APMEA regional leadership will all be held by executives appointed or repositioned during the preceding 18 months.
BAT's Main Board Has Also Been Refreshed
BAT's main board has seen changes over the same period.
Matthew Wright joined the board as an independent non-executive director in 2025, with BAT highlighting his experience in global executive search, talent and organizational development.
Holly Keller Koeppel stepped down after the 2026 Annual General Meeting following nine years on the board.
Soraya Benchikh left the board when she stepped down as CFO in 2025, while new CFO Dragos Constantinescu joined the board when he took up the role in September 2026.
Sewell's appointment will add another independent director with experience spanning technology, regulatory affairs and AI-company governance.
When Sewell joins in January, Constantinescu will have been in the CFO role for about four months, Celina Li will be taking over APMEA, and Meulemeester will be two months away from moving into the CMO role.
Horizon 2030 and Fit2Win Advance in Parallel
The leadership and board changes are taking place as BAT advances both Horizon 2030 and its Fit2Win transformation program.
Horizon 2030 puts New Categories growth, consumer insights, science and innovation, regulatory expertise, global distribution and retail reach, and digital capabilities among the company's core priorities.
Fit2Win is focused on simplifying the organization, improving efficiency and restructuring parts of BAT's digital, technology and operating model.
BAT expects Fit2Win to deliver about £600 million in annual cost savings by the end of 2028.
The company has said the program is expected to result in about 5,500 fewer roles outside the U.S. by the end of 2026, while around 3,500 roles will move to strategic partners.
Sewell's appointment adds another board-level change as BAT continues to expand New Categories, reshape operations and refresh senior leadership.
Follow 2Firsts for timely updates on global tobacco and nicotine companies, management changes, corporate strategy and capital-market developments.
Cover Image: generated by AI
