Heineken investors urge external CEO hire to succeed van den Brink, FT reports

June 5 (Reuters) - Major shareholders in Heineken have urged the Dutch brewer to appoint an external chief executive to succeed Dolf van den Brink, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing two top-15 investors.

The brewer's board is divided over whether to promote an internal candidate or bring in an outsider, the newspaper added, citing people familiar with the matter.

Reuters could not immediately verify the FT report. Heineken did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for a comment. 

Van den Brink stepped down on May 31 after nearly six years at the helm, as the industry grapples with tepid beer demand.

Last month, Heineken said the search for van den Brink's successor was progressing well and expected to conclude soon.

Two top-15 investors told the FT that the family-controlled group should drop its tradition of promoting insiders and appoint an external candidate to revive performance.

In February, Heineken said it would cut up to 6,000 jobs globally and lowered its expectations for 2026 profit growth, as the brewer and its peers faced subdued demand.

(Reporting by Mihika Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)