British American Tobacco Recruits Asahi CEO Dragos Constantinescu to Stabilize CFO Role

British American Tobacco names Asahi CEO Dragos Constantinescu as CFO, effective Sept 1, 2026, to lead its financial shift toward smokeless products.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 9, 2026, 7:26 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Reuters

A Strategic Return to the Management Board

British American Tobacco (BAT) confirmed on April 9, 2026, that Dragos Constantinescu will rejoin the company as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director. The 46-year-old Romanian executive brings a unique blend of internal institutional knowledge and external consumer goods expertise, having served as the CEO of Asahi Europe & International since 2019. His appointment is viewed as a stabilizing move for the maker of Lucky Strike and Dunhill, as the company seeks to reinforce its financial leadership during a critical phase of its "A Better Tomorrow" corporate transformation.

Ending a Period of Executive Volatility

The recruitment of Constantinescu concludes a search that began following the abrupt departure of Soraya Benchikh on August 26, 2025. Benchikh’s exit, which occurred after only 15 months in the role, followed a prior leadership transition from Tadeu Marroco, who vacated the CFO position to become Chief Executive. Since Benchikh’s departure, Javed Iqbal, the Director of Digital and Information, has managed the company’s finances in an interim capacity. Iqbal is scheduled to return to his primary role in technology and digital strategy once Constantinescu officially takes office in September.

Deep Roots Within the Tobacco Giant

Constantinescu is far from a stranger to BAT’s operational intricacies, having spent 16 years with the group prior to his tenure at Asahi Breweries. During his previous stint, he held high-level positions including Finance Director for BAT Poland and General Manager for Central Europe North. CEO Tadeu Marroco highlighted this historical context as a "key asset," noting that Constantinescu’s familiarity with the company’s internal structures will allow for a seamless transition as the firm pursues its mid-term growth targets and robust cash returns for shareholders.