Who we are

The HEINEKEN Africa Foundation is proud to work with an extremely committed and diverse team of people.

On a day to day basis the Foundation is managed by the General Manager who is assisted by a range of highly motivated people working for HEINEKEN at Head Office and in the African operating companies. The Trustees are responsible for the decision making and depend highly on the diverse range of expertise of the Advisory Board members.

The Advisory Board is under review due to the new strategic direction of the Foundation. 

 

Suzanne Giele

General Manager

With a master's degree in communications and linguistics, Suzanne started her career in commercial roles with TNT and HEINEKEN. She then moved to corporate philanthropy with the aim to leverage the power and presence of corporates as a force for good. As general manager of the HEINEKEN Africa Foundation, she provides the vision, direction and motivation necessary to ensure the Foundation’s success covering nine countries in sub-Sahara Africa.

Hayley Barone

Program Manager

With a background that spans neuroscience, health & safety, and communications, Hayley is passionate about people. Originally from the USA, she lived in the Philippines as a child showing her the importance of being involved in our communities. As program manager, she ensures the smooth implementation and delivery of our community programs while communicating our strategy and achievements internally and externally.

Board of Trustees

Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Bilikiss was educated in the USA and she holds an MBA from MIT. After a successful corporate career she returned to Lagos and founded WeCyclers, a social enterprise for waste collection and recycling. She transitioned to the public sector and is currently Director General of the Lagos State Records and Archives. An experienced board member, Bilikiss served 5 years as a trustee of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund.

Anne Marie van der Waal

Member of the Board of Trustees

As Company Secretary and Corporate Legal Director at Heineken N.V., Anne Marie is responsible for providing legal advice to the Executive and Supervisory Boards regarding corporate law, corporate governance and regulatory compliance. She has also initiated a Pro Bono program within HEINEKEN, providing legal advice to people and charities in need. She started her career at a law firm before joining HEINEKEN in 2011 and has fulfilled several legal roles in the company.

Jan Paul Boon

Member of the Board of Trustees

Born in South Africa then returning to the Netherlands at a young age, Jan Paul always dreamt of seeing the world and working in different cultures. After graduating with a master's in Mechanical Engineering, he moved abroad to New Caledonia, the UK, Papua New Guinea and Singapore. From 2005, he has held various Supply Chain Director roles in La Reunion, Congo, DRC and the a combined role France, Italy and Switzerland. In 2017 he was appointed Regional Supply Chain Director for Asia Pacific, and since 2023 he is in the same position for the Africa Middle East region.

Marc Goumans

Treasurer of the Board of Trustees

Marc is a retired & experienced Financial Director with a successful career working over 30 years in the food & beverages industry in seven countries as a regional or operational Finance director. He has led successful business integrations in Zaire, Hungary, Poland, and Mexico, as well as leading a diverse team of over 100 internal business specialists.

Advisory Board - Under Review

The Advisory Board is under review due to the new strategic direction of the Foundation. 

 

The HEINEKEN Africa Foundation (HAF), established in 2007, is a corporate foundation closely linked to the HEINEKEN Company with the purpose of building sustainable communities in the sub-Sahara African countries where HEINEKEN operates.

The Foundation recently reviewed its strategy and identified the exciting new focus area of empowering smallholders to thrive and build climate resiliency through the implementation of regenerative agriculture farming practices.

The Foundation is funded by an endowment fund provided by the HEINEKEN Company. It is a separate legal entity, is registered under Dutch law and has non-profit status (ANBI). We work closely with the local HEINEKEN operating companies in Sub-Sahara Africa and with selected NGOs to support projects which meet the objectives of the Foundation.

The Foundation obtains support from different departments at HEINEKEN Head Office (legal, communication, financial control). The Foundation’s General Manager falls under the HEINEKEN Collective Labour Agreement and part of her/his salary is charged to the Foundation. 

The Foundation is independent in its decision making with regard to the assessment, final selection and awarding of the projects: this is done by the Board of Trustees that bases their decisions upon the recommendation of the Advisory Board, which consists of mainly external experts. The external advisory board members receive a yearly voluntary contribution to cover costs, including travel costs.