Euan Venters, a Scots-born former Sara Lee executive, has been named as the new head of beer company Belhaven, taking up the baton from its long-standing chief executive Stuart Ross.

Euan Venters, a Scots-born former Sara Lee executive, has been named as the new head of beer company Belhaven, taking up the baton from its long-standing chief executive Stuart Ross.

Belhaven, which was acquired by Suffolk brewery giant Greene King in 2005, said the appointment was part of the succession plan which Rooney Anand, Greene King's chief executive, and Ross developed together.

Ross, who announced his retirement in 2007, will be leaving a business he first joined in 1973, and has led since 1989.

In the time that has elapsed, Ross has presided over a series of milestone developments including the evolution of Belhaven Best, Scotland's number one ale, a management buyout in 1993, and the sale of the business to Greene King almost three years ago in the rapidly consolidating brewery market.

Ross said: "Belhaven has been the love of my working life. I have been very lucky to be the leader of a great team of talented people for many years now and I will miss them a lot. Belhaven is a fantastic business and I wish Euan well."

Glasgow-born Venters grew up in Springburn and attended the University of Stirling, where he graduated with an honours degree in Economics.

Venters, 51, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

However, the firm said he had 25 years experience building major branded consumer goods businesses, most recently at Sara Lee, where he was global brand president for the group's Body Care business.

Before joining Sara Lee, Venters worked for Grand Metropolitan, one of the companies that merged into Diageo in 1997, on major beer brands such as Holsten and the launch of Fosters draught in the UK.

The company said Venters would take up his new role as head of Greene King's Scottish business on October 6 and that Ross would continue working at Belhaven during the handover .

Anand said: "Euan loves beer and pubs and brings over 25 years experience building major branded consumer goods to Greene King and the Belhaven business.

"Euan takes over the reins from Stuart, whose long and distinguished career with Belhaven has seen him build the business into what it is today."

Earlier this year Greene King revealed that operating profits from its Belhaven division soared 16% as it ditched what its chief executive called "West Lothian beer shops" and focused its outlets on an older, more female-biased customer base.