Jacek Olczak, the new chief executive officer of Philip Morris International (PMI)
The new chief executive officer of Philip Morris International (PMI) confirmed its pleasure in its local Philippine market and its partner there, and also committed to phasing out conventional cigarettes in the Japan market within 10 years.
“This is a case of one plus one is equal to more than two,” said Jacek Olczak, the new chief executive officer of Philip Morris International (PMI), describing PMFTC, the 50/50 partnership between PMI and the Fortune Tobacco Company, owned by Lucio Tan, as reported by the Manila Times last week. Olczak made the statement on PMFTC shortly after assuming his post as c.e.o. of PMI.
“We started slowly but surely getting focused on bringing IQOS to the Philippines,” he said.
PMFTC started marketing IQOS in Metro Manila last year to users 21 years old and above. Last June, theIQOS.com website launched offering IQOS, as well as the HEETS tobacco sticks and device accessories. To date, there are 15 IQOS stores in Metro Manila.
In an interview last week with Japanese news service Nikkei, Olczak said the company aims to phase out conventional cigarettes in Japan within 10 years. In 2016, PMI announced a in 2016 a long-term goal to stop selling cigarettes and replace them with alternatives that it says are less harmful – but this is the first time it has given a timeline in any particular market. .
"We want Japan to be the first market" for the phase-out, Olczak told Nikkei in an interview published in Japanese.
PMI announced the appointment of Olczak last week as c.e.o. from his previous position as chief operating officer. André Calantzopoulos, who was c.e.o. from 2013 is now appointed executive chairman of the board prior.
“I am humbled and excited to lead PMI as we accelerate our transformation into a smoke-free company,” said Olczak indicating he is “committed to accelerating PMI’s smoke-free transformation” which was announced in 2016. “[PMI’s] ambition is that more than half of our net revenues will come from smoke-free products in 2025.
Olczak has 25 years’ experience at Philip Morris starting in finance and general management positions across Europe, including as managing director of PMI’s markets in Poland and Germany and as president of the EU region.