CEO Insights Magazine

Chas Geschke is a meticulous leader who has been driving Hanuman Beverages on the right trajectory as the most impartial ‘constructive’ critic and the CEO. Beyond strong communication skills, realistic optimism, out-of-the-box thinking, and more; there is an 'X' factor that makes Chas Geschke so respected by his team.

A visionary in its true sense, Chas Geschke doesn’t hesitate to understand various business aspects from Operation to Business Development, Administration, International and National Sales, Production Planning, Sourcing, Budgeting, Forecasts, P&L analysis, and more. At the end of the day, the quintessence of his leadership is leading from the front by putting himself into a task with passion, working with the team, and guiding them diligently. With several years of experience in the beverage industry, he forms the most accurate picture of a great executive and role model for budding leaders in the segment. In order to honor his contribution to paving the road to progress in Cambodia, CEO Insights engages in an exclusive interview with him. Peruse his valuable inputs below.

Briefly tell us about your professional background and experiences.

I grew up in Australia, and my career spans working in the hospitality industry in Melbourne, retail sales and the timber industry in both Victoria and New South Wales. While I had to travel to Cambodia a couple of times, I fell in love with the place and moved to the country; where I got an opportunity to work in my first cider company. As a manager of the cider company that was exporting at a global level, I was responsible for overseeing all of the business operations - from the supply chain to production, budgeting and forecasts, and more.

I was also responsible for setting up and managing all of the sales and distribution teams and channels from scratch for the company. Subsequently, I moved to a spring water company, which was the first in the market. I was responsible to set up the distribution networks and rebranding the company while expanding it across the nation.

What made you choose Cambodia for your career?

Cambodia is one of the fastest growing economies, upping its stature in every possible way to catch up with the western market. The business leaders in the country are upbeat about steadfast growth strategies. The country’s entrepreneurial community's contribution is boarded as an important merge for its progress. Showcasing high regard to the commitment shown by the go-getters for promoting an enterprising environment in the nation. I definitely saw a great opportunity to be a part of building the country’s business environment.

"This successful modern-day leader showcases mastery by being an innovative and unique leader"

What is the motivation that fuels your leadership at Hanuman Beverages?

Hanuman beverages is a new-age, advanced brewery in Cambodia operating with huge investment and remarkable vision and commitment from the Chairwoman and owner of the company. It is rare

to get an opportunity to lead a company of this stature with the full backing of the owner, to keep innovating and pushing boundaries to reach new heights, challenging the traditional ways of such an old industry. At Hanuman, Khmer tradition and European brewing technology meet to create bold new flavors that relish the adventurous taste buds of our customers.

I must admit that the vision for the company to be the best beverage brand and the unconventional approach of the brand intrigues me the most. Everything at Hanuman Beverages is unique and exciting. Moreover, the company adheres to worldclass sustainability practices. The opportunity to be part of such a great company with this vision really is the fuel for motivation. Hanuman Beverages is not here for a short disruption to the beverage industry; we are here to stay and lead the industry becoming the benchmark for others to follow.

What are the initiatives that you have adopted in line with your sustainability vision?

We have invested heavily in state-of-the-art equipment that ensures the most optimal and advanced processes of brewing, by adapting these modern processes it allows us to be a step ahead of most other older breweries to achieve our sustainability vision. All of which allows for minimal wastage and streamlining of processes. We also have a keen focus on wastewater treatment and reusing water for landscaping, fountains, and more. We have also been looking into energy-saving processes in our heat recovery systems. We have encountered a few restrictions with the integration of solar power production at our factory, so we are looking at other solutions such as thermal that will allow for less energy consumption in place of this. Most importantly, we don't go with the cheaper packaging trends such as plastics and ensure to use recyclable packaging for our products.

How do you maintain the perfect balance between your personal and professional life? What is your success mantra?

I wish I could say that I've mastered this part. However, this is something where I still have to learn a lot. As a new company, we are fast-paced and very busy, so balancing this time can quite be difficult at this stage in our start up. I am lucky to have two lovely children at home and whilst we are so busy, I do manage to spend sufficient time with them mostly on the weekends.

It has only been possible by empowering my management team to make more decisions. They definitely take some load off my shoulders, otherwise, it would be a lot more difficult.

Chas Geschke, CEO, Hanuman Beverages

Chas Geschke is driven by the leadership philosophy of respecting employees. His ability to design effective strategies and consistently ensure better performance with out-of-the-box ideas is highly inspirational.