British American Tobacco (BAT) is to reduce the number of regions in its management structure from five to four with effect from 1 January 2011.

The company said it will form a new region – Eastern Europe, Middle East and  Africa or EEMEA, which will include all the previous Africa and Middle East (AME business units) in addition to Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Caucasus and Central Asia. Andrew Gray, currently regional director of AME, will be the regional director for the new region.
Meanwhile, the company's Asia-Pacific and Americas regions will remain unchanged. The Western Europe (WE region) will include the South Eastern Europe (SEE area), consisting of Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo, Jack Bowles, currently regional director of WE, will continue in that position.
Further, BAT said that Peter Taylor, group operations director, has decided to retire at the end of May 2011. He will be succeeded by Des Naughton, currently regional director of Eastern Europe. Des will become group operations director designate on 1 January 2011 and work closely with Peter and the global operations as well as research & development teams. (pi)