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Soraya Benchikh is set to take the helm as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Executive Director at British American Tobacco (NYSE:) (BAT (LON:)), effective from May 1, 2024. Benchikh will replace interim Finance Director Javed Iqbal in this role at the company, known for cigarette brands such as Kent, Dunhill, and Lucky Strike.
Benchikh brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having served as President at beverage company Diageo (LON:) plc and holding various roles during a 20-year tenure at BAT. These roles included regional finance director for Europe, area director for eastern and southern Africa, and president of BAT France. Prior to her time at BAT, Benchikh also held finance roles at General Electric (NYSE:) and Gillette.
The appointment was met with praise from BAT’s Chairman Luc Jobin and CEO Tadeu Marroco. Both leaders commended Benchikh’s leadership skills, commercial acumen, and comprehensive understanding of the sector. Benchikh herself expressed eagerness to rejoin BAT and accelerate its transformation strategy.
In line with the Directors’ Remuneration Policy, Benchikh’s salary has been set at £800,000 per annum. This appointment comes as part of BAT’s ongoing commitment to health, demonstrated by its efforts to reduce health impacts through the development of less risky products.
In 2022, BAT reported a revenue of £27.65 billion and an operational profit of £10.5 billion.
InvestingPro Insights
As Soraya Benchikh steps into her new role at British American Tobacco (BAT), it’s worth noting some key metrics and insights from InvestingPro. BAT has a perfect Piotroski Score of 9 and high earnings quality, with free cash flow exceeding net income. This speaks to the financial health of the company and the effective management of its resources. Additionally, BAT has raised its dividend for 4 consecutive years, reflecting a commitment to returning value to shareholders.
In terms of real-time data, as of Q2 2023, BAT had a low P/E ratio of 5.86, suggesting the company’s shares could be undervalued. The company also showed strong revenue growth of 7.01% over the last twelve months, and an impressive gross profit margin of 82.66%. These figures indicate that BAT is maintaining profitability and growth, important factors for potential investors to consider.
For those interested in more detailed analysis and tips, InvestingPro offers a wealth of additional insights and metrics.
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