Nagpur: Once again proving that women are equally capable, a Nagpur-born professional has achieved a landmark feat by being appointed CEO of a prestigious Australian company. While Indian men have been making their mark in leading global corporations, Anubha Sahasrabuddhe from Nagpur has become the first female Chief Executive Officer in the 180-year history of Lion, a renowned Australian brewery. The company, which owns popular beer brands like XXXX and Little Creatures, announced her appointment as CEO. Alongside this, Lion has decided to merge its operations in Australia and New Zealand to form a new business unit, Lion ANZ.
Anubha, daughter of Dr. Ravindra and Dr. Sheela Sahasrabuddhe, originally from Nagpur, is now settled in Australia. Her parents, alumni of Government Medical College and Hospital, Nagpur, moved to Windsor, near Sydney, in 1973. Anubha currently serves as Chief Growth and Commercial Officer and Co-Head of Lion Australia.
Before joining Lion in 2021, she held senior positions at global corporations including Coca-Cola and Mars Wrigley for nearly two decades. She gained extensive experience in brand management, marketing strategies, and customer-focused initiatives across Asia-Pacific and North America. Anubha Sahasrabuddhe will officially take over as CEO on October 1, 2025, succeeding the current CEO Sam Fisher, whose tenure ends at the close of October. Industry experts believe that her leadership will strengthen Lion’s presence in the Australian and New Zealand markets. The newly formed Lion ANZ unit will consolidate the company’s operations in the region.
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18 Aug 2025
From an early age, Anubha excelled academically. After completing her LLB and Bachelor of Business Management, she received multiple offers from reputed companies for senior roles. “We are extremely proud that she is assuming the CEO position at such a young age. Her achievement is a result of her dedication and the constant encouragement from our family,” said Dr. Ravindra Sahasrabuddhe, her father.
Speaking about her vision, Anubha Sahasrabuddhe, CEO of Lion, said, “We have established a strong platform for Lion’s growth. By strengthening our global brands, driving digital transformation, innovating products, and enhancing our supply chain, we are improving engagement with our customers. We aim to take our iconic brands to new heights and accelerate business growth in Australia and New Zealand.”
