New Belgium promotes marketing exec to CEO

FORT COLLINS — New Belgium Brewing Co. has elevated one of its existing executives to the CEO chair. 

Shaun Belongie, the Fort Collins-based legacy craft beer company’s chief marketing officer, has been tapped to take over from former CEO Steve Fechheimer, who left New Belgium this summer.

Danielle McLarnon served as NB’s interim CEO for the past few months. 

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Lion Little World Beverages Ltd., the Australian subsidiary of Japanese beer conglomerate Kirin Holdings Co. Ltd. that bought New Belgium four years ago, conducted an “extensive search and interview process, assessing a range of both internal and external candidates,” before selecting Belongie as CEO, the company said in a news release this week.

“New Belgium Brewing is a special place, powered by the best people in the business,” Belongie said in the release. “I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to work every day alongside these incredible coworkers. I want to thank Lion Group CEO Sam Fischer for his confidence in me to help guide New Belgium into its next chapter, and our co-founder Kim Jordan for her inspiration in rethinking what a business can be.”

Belongie, who was not made available to BizWest for an interview on Thursday, has worked for New Belgium since 2018. He was promoted to chief marketing officer after Lion Little World acquired Kalamazoo, Michigan-based Bell’s Brewery Inc. in 2021.

“It has been such a pleasure to watch Shaun evolve as a leader,” Jordan said in the release. “New Belgium’s deep commitment to its people and the planet requires a believer, and Shaun is absolutely that. I have a lot of faith in how he’ll continue to honor what makes New Belgium so remarkable, while integrating new, innovative practices that steward the future.”  

Belongie previously held a variety of positions with Kraft Heinz Co. and Nestlé Purina PetCare Co., according to the release. 

“We are delighted to welcome Shaun as the next CEO of New Belgium,” Fischer said in the release. “Shaun’s breadth of experience, innovative mindset, commercial acumen and great love of the New Belgium culture and coworkers makes Shaun an excellent fit to lead the team. I also want to thank and acknowledge Danielle McLarnon for her exceptional leadership as interim CEO. She will continue to play a crucial role as New Belgium’s chief financial officer. The future for New Belgium is incredibly bright, and I look forward to working alongside Shaun and the team to continue its growth story.”