With a record-breaking year-to-date leaving Budweiser Budvar UK in the strongest position it has been in since first launching in the UK in 2005, the Czech national brewer has announced the appointment of Rich Sanna as its new Managing Director.
Moving from the position of Commercial Director and representing a natural continuation for the business, Sanna joined Budweiser Budvar UK in 2019 and has been working closely with Jitka Vlčková, under whose six-year leadership the brand has seen a remarkable turnaround.
Since Jitka Vlčková’s stewardship began in 2020, Budweiser Budvar UK has tripled the number of on-trade taps and grown annual volume from 57,700hl to 93,835hl in 2025. At the end of September 2026, volume was already 18% ahead of last year with the key festive trading season still to come.
Proudly owned by the Czech Republic and its 10 million-plus citizens, increased investment by Budweiser Budvar UK has focused on driving awareness of its unique beer-making techniques, tradition, authenticity, provenance and the perfect Czech serve.
Rich Sanna, who officially begins as Managing Director on the 1st January 2027, said:
“It’s a huge honour to be appointed as the new Managing Director of Budweiser Budvar UK – a truly iconic brand and an integral part of Czech culture. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with and learn so much from Jitka these past few years and I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved together. She leaves us in an exceptionally strong position for future growth and I’m excited to lead the charge to take Budweiser Budvar UK and Czech beer to new audiences and frontiers in the UK.”
On her time in the role and her achievements, Jitka Vlčková, commented:
“It’s been one of the great privileges of my life to represent Budweiser Budvar UK, our beer, our country and our people over the past six years. We’ve built a fantastic team, tripled our on-trade distribution and nearly doubled the business, and I leave enormously proud of what we have achieved together.”
“Rich deserves a great deal of credit for that success. He was already part of Budweiser Budvar UK before I joined and, particularly over the past few years, we have worked very closely in tandem. He has played a key role in shaping our commercial strategy, developing the brand and building our customer partnerships, and has contributed significantly to the growth we have delivered. That makes me particularly confident about handing the business over to him. He knows the company, our customers, our people and the opportunities ahead, and I know Budweiser Budvar UK will be in very good hands.”
“Leaving wasn’t an easy decision. The UK has become my second home, but the time is right for me to return to the Czech Republic. I want to be closer to my family and watch my grandchildren grow up, as well as becoming involved in developing our family business. I leave incredibly proud of what we have built together and excited about what comes next, both for Budvar UK and for me personally.”
