Shaun Belongie is the CEO of New Belgium Brewery. He previously served as VP of Marketing for New Belgium before becoming CMO and then CEO in 2023. Shaun has over 20 years of CPG experience, having managed marketing innovation and brand direction for iconic companies like Nestle Purina and Kraft Foods. He’s helped build and maintain New Belgium’s human-powered business model as the brand grows and expands, all the while stewarding the brewery’s legacy and people-centric culture. Shaun joins Roy to discuss the challenges and opportunities during his journey from CMO to CEO, the differences between working at a large CPG brand versus a smaller, more nimble company, how New Belgium embodies and enacts their foundational values, and much more.

Highlights from our conversation include:

Shaun’s transition from CMO to CEO at New Belgium (3:35)
Challenges he’s confronted as New Belgium’s CEO (6:14)
Shaun’s experience serving as New Belgium’s CMO (9:53)
Shaun’s perspective on building and shaping culture as CEO (12:09)
New Belgium’s human-powered business model (14:55)
Maintaining authentic values throughout periods of growth (16:16)
How his son’s health crisis inspired him to think differently about life and leadership (18:35)
Leadership lessons that carried over from Shaun’s Kraft and Purina days (21:11)
How changes in the industry are affecting Shaun’s approach to hiring (23:08)
Leadership qualities that Shaun seeks in his senior executive team (25:01)
How technology fits into his strategic plan (25:48)
Guidance he’d offer to somebody early in their career (28:18)
What Shaun’s most excited about in the future (30:13)

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