Dashen Brewery’s Board Looked Abroad, Found CEO at Home

Dashen Breweries has confirmed Matyas Getachew as its chief executive officer (CEO), effective April 27, 2026, handing the top job to an internal executive who had already been running the brewer through one of the tougher stretches for manufacturers in the domestic consumer goods market.

Matyas had served as acting chief executive since October 2025, following the departure of Mario van Geldern left, after running the company for five years. Matyas took charge during a transitional period in which Dashen Brewery sought to maintain operations, protect performance and manage expectations among consumersans shareholders. His formal appointment follows a board-led international head hunt that ended with the company choosing the executive who had been steering the business in practice for the past six months.

During his tenure as Acting CEO, Matyas oversaw operations while driving gains in production efficiency and sales, according to a statement the company issued.

"His appointment suggests the board valued not only his international exposure but also his familiarity with Dashen’s internal systems, market position and operational pressures," said Dashen Brewery.

Matyas joined Dashen Brewery in 2020 as chief financial officer (CFO). His move from finance chief to chief executive places him at the centre of the Brewer’s next phase, with responsibility for sustaining business continuity while working in a market that has grown more complex for producers dependent on stable inputs, disciplined cost management and reliable distribution.

Matyas has held roles at SABMiller, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa and Diageo, companies with operations across competitive beverage markets and large-scale production systems. He studied accounting at the Addis Abeba University, is a chartered certified accountant under ACCA, and earned a postgraduate degree from Heriot-Watt University.

Founded more than 25 years ago by Tiret/Nigat Corporate in Gondar, Dashen Breweries has grown steadily from its original production base. A major step came in 2011, when the company entered a joint venture with London-based investment firm Duet Vasari to establish an additional brewery in Debre Birhan. That expansion helped place Dashen among the more prominent players in the domestic brewing industry.

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