2016年，中國(guó)啤酒市場(chǎng)的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者華潤(rùn)啤酒（CR Beer）面臨一個(gè)關(guān)鍵的轉(zhuǎn)折點(diǎn)。隨著市場(chǎng)容量達(dá)到頂峰，消費(fèi)者對(duì)高端化和個(gè)性化體驗(yàn)的需求不斷上升，傳統(tǒng)的規(guī)模、價(jià)格戰(zhàn)和收購(gòu)策略已經(jīng)不再奏效。對(duì)于新任CEO侯孝海來(lái)說(shuō)，他的任務(wù)不僅是增加銷(xiāo)量，更是重塑公司的核心價(jià)值。在這樣一個(gè)強(qiáng)調(diào)敏捷性和真實(shí)性的商業(yè)環(huán)境中，華潤(rùn)啤酒的轉(zhuǎn)型故事成為了一個(gè)強(qiáng)有力的案例研究，展示了如何通過(guò)勇氣、清晰的戰(zhàn)略和文化凝聚力來(lái)引領(lǐng)變革。這一經(jīng)驗(yàn)不僅適用于啤酒行業(yè)，從波士頓的董事會(huì)到圣保羅的創(chuàng)業(yè)圈，都能找到共鳴。

在愈發(fā)看重敏捷與真實(shí)性的商業(yè)環(huán)境中，華潤(rùn)啤酒轉(zhuǎn)型的故事是一個(gè)強(qiáng)有力的案例研究，它展示了如何以勇氣、清晰戰(zhàn)略和文化凝聚力為引領(lǐng)的變革。其經(jīng)驗(yàn)遠(yuǎn)超啤酒行業(yè)，從波士頓的董事會(huì)到圣保羅的創(chuàng)業(yè)圈，皆可共鳴。

In 2016, China Resources Beer (CR Beer)—the world’s largest beer company by volume—stood at a crossroads. The Chinese beer market had peaked. Consumer tastes were shifting dramatically toward premium, personalized experiences. The old playbook of scale, price wars, and acquisitions was no longer enough. For CR Beer’s new CEO, Hou Xiaohai, the challenge wasn’t just about selling more beer—it was about reinventing the company’s soul.

In a landscape that increasingly rewards agility and authenticity, the story of CR Beer’s transformation is a powerful case study in leading with courage, clarity, and cultural alignment. Its lessons resonate far beyond the beer business—from boardrooms in Boston to startup hubs in S?o Paulo.

Snow Beer, leading beer brand in ChinaMARK GREEVEN

侯孝海接手的是一臺(tái)“笨重的機(jī)器”：98家低效的工廠、臃腫的團(tuán)隊(duì)，以及高端市場(chǎng)的弱勢(shì)地位。多數(shù)CEO會(huì)選擇小修小補(bǔ)，但侯孝海選擇直面他口中的“三座大山”。

華潤(rùn)啤酒將工廠削減三分之一，員工規(guī)模減半，同時(shí)為保留核心人才將他們的薪資提高47%。這并非紙上談兵，而是貫穿痛苦、目標(biāo)與人本導(dǎo)向的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力實(shí)現(xiàn)。這一過(guò)程需要長(zhǎng)期的忍耐力、自制力和情商。

對(duì)習(xí)慣季度業(yè)績(jī)壓力的美國(guó)高管而言，侯孝海的多年轉(zhuǎn)型之路提醒我們：長(zhǎng)期戰(zhàn)略變革需要犧牲，而非口號(hào)。

Hou inherited an unwieldy machine: 98 inefficient breweries, a bloated workforce, and a weak position in the premium market. Many CEOs would tinker at the edges. Hou chose to climb what he called the “Three Mountains” head-on.

CR Beer cut its breweries by one-third, halved its workforce, and increased wages by 47% to retain critical talent. This wasn’t a spreadsheet exercise—it was leadership through pain, purpose, and people. It took years of patience, discipline, and emotional intelligence.

For American leaders accustomed to quarterly performance pressures, Hou’s multi-year transformation reminds us that long-term strategic change demands sacrifice, not just slogans.

轉(zhuǎn)型不僅是行動(dòng)，更是員工在過(guò)程中的感受。華潤(rùn)啤酒發(fā)起中國(guó)企業(yè)管理史上最大規(guī)模的文化轉(zhuǎn)型之一，讓3.6萬(wàn)名員工共同參與塑造新文化基因——“每一個(gè)人都不簡(jiǎn)單，每一瓶酒才放光彩”。

這絕非表面功夫。華潤(rùn)啤酒將文化植入管理體系、績(jī)效考核和領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力發(fā)展中。那結(jié)果如何呢？員工從抵觸轉(zhuǎn)向踐行。

正如微軟、喜力等全球企業(yè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人所領(lǐng)悟的：文化是現(xiàn)代企業(yè)真正的運(yùn)作機(jī)制。是讓轉(zhuǎn)型扎根的關(guān)鍵。

Transformation isn’t just about what you do—it’s about how people feel doing it. CR Beer launched one of the largest cultural transformation efforts in Chinese corporate history, engaging over 36,000 employees in co-creating a new cultural DNA: “Every Individual Matters, Every Bottle Shines.”

This wasn"t window dressing. CR Beer embedded culture into its management systems, performance reviews, and leadership development. The result? A workforce that moved from resistance to resilience.

As global leaders—from Microsoft to Heineken—have learned, culture is the real operating system of modern organizations. It’s what makes transformation stick.

當(dāng)許多中國(guó)企業(yè)追逐海外市場(chǎng)時(shí)，侯孝海提出了逆向思維：先讓世界頂尖品牌走進(jìn)中國(guó)。2018年，華潤(rùn)啤酒與喜力達(dá)成里程碑合作，獲得喜力授予在中國(guó)（包括內(nèi)地、香港和澳門(mén)）獨(dú)家使用Heineken?品牌，加速高端化戰(zhàn)略。

對(duì)喜力而言，此舉使其在中國(guó)（現(xiàn)為全球第二大市場(chǎng)）重燃增長(zhǎng)。對(duì)華潤(rùn)啤酒而言，合作帶來(lái)了全球品牌背書(shū)，并贏得年輕都市消費(fèi)者的即時(shí)信任。

這是全球化的正確打開(kāi)方式——不靠盲目擴(kuò)張，而是協(xié)作共贏。這對(duì)進(jìn)軍亞洲的美國(guó)企業(yè)亦是啟示：本土規(guī)模與全球品牌資產(chǎn)的結(jié)合，遠(yuǎn)勝單打獨(dú)斗。 

While many Chinese firms chase overseas markets, Hou took a contrarian view: first, bring the world’s best to China. In 2018, CR Beer formed a landmark partnership with Heineken, securing exclusive China distribution rights and accelerating its premium strategy.

For Heineken, the move reignited growth in what is now its second-largest market globally. For CR Beer, the partnership brought global cachet and immediate credibility with younger urban consumers.

This is globalization done right—not through expansion alone, but through collaborative advantage. It’s a lesson for American companies entering Asia: local scale and global brand equity can be more powerful together than apart.

華潤(rùn)啤酒的變革不止于架構(gòu)調(diào)整。公司實(shí)現(xiàn)了從供應(yīng)鏈到銷(xiāo)售渠道的全面數(shù)字化。作為Z世代的旗艦品牌“SuperX”的推出不僅是新品上市，更是與消費(fèi)者共創(chuàng)、數(shù)據(jù)驅(qū)動(dòng)、以生活方式為中心的品牌重塑。

華潤(rùn)啤酒還重構(gòu)了市場(chǎng)策略，效仿快消品最佳實(shí)踐，以“大客戶平臺(tái)”取代傳統(tǒng)經(jīng)銷(xiāo)商，通過(guò)大數(shù)據(jù)精準(zhǔn)定位高端渠道，賦能小經(jīng)銷(xiāo)商技術(shù)與培訓(xùn)，并將激勵(lì)與戰(zhàn)略目標(biāo)對(duì)齊。

此處的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力不僅關(guān)乎宏大愿景，更在于將戰(zhàn)略與執(zhí)行貫穿企業(yè)每個(gè)層級(jí)——從生產(chǎn)線到音樂(lè)節(jié)現(xiàn)場(chǎng)。

CR Beer didn’t stop at restructuring. The company digitized everything from supply chains to sales channels. The creation of SuperX—its flagship Gen Z brand—wasn’t just a product launch. It was a co-created, data-driven, lifestyle-centered reinvention.

CR Beer also overhauled its go-to-market model, replacing traditional distributors with a sophisticated “Major Customer Platform,” modeled after FMCG best practices. It used big data to target premium outlets, empowered small distributors with tech and training, and aligned incentives with strategic goals.

Leadership here wasn’t about bold vision alone—it was about connecting strategy to execution across every level of the business, from factory floors to music festivals.

面對(duì)不斷變化的酒類(lèi)市場(chǎng)，華潤(rùn)啤酒做了一件很少有“巨頭”敢做的事：進(jìn)軍白酒市場(chǎng)。質(zhì)疑聲四起，但侯孝海的長(zhǎng)遠(yuǎn)視角終占上風(fēng)。

華潤(rùn)啤酒耐心布局白酒業(yè)務(wù)——收購(gòu)區(qū)域品牌股權(quán)、整合分銷(xiāo)網(wǎng)絡(luò)、投資高端化。這一案例堪稱(chēng)“鄰近創(chuàng)新”的教科書(shū)，正如亞馬遜從圖書(shū)轉(zhuǎn)向云計(jì)算，或百威英博整合全球精釀品牌。

對(duì)全球CEO而言，啟示明確：未來(lái)不僅能在核心業(yè)務(wù)中深挖發(fā)現(xiàn)，還能在能力與信念的邊緣處發(fā)現(xiàn)。 

Facing an evolving alcohol market, CR Beer did something few giants dare to do: diversify into Baijiu, China’s iconic liquor category. Skeptics questioned the move. But Hou’s long-term view prevailed.

CR Beer built its liquor business patiently—acquiring stakes in key regional brands, integrating distribution, and investing in premiumization. It’s a textbook case of adjacency innovation, mirroring how Amazon moved from books to cloud or how AB InBev integrated craft beer brands globally.

For global CEOs, the message is clear: the future isn’t found by looking deeper into the core—it’s found at the edges of capability and conviction.

華潤(rùn)啤酒的歷程不僅是中國(guó)企業(yè)的成功故事，更是21世紀(jì)高管應(yīng)對(duì)動(dòng)蕩的商業(yè)世界的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力指南。它告訴我們：卓越領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者要先對(duì)齊再加速——在追逐增長(zhǎng)前，先修復(fù)架構(gòu)與文化。顛覆需要同理心與紀(jì)律——尤其在傳統(tǒng)厚重的行業(yè)。全球合作不是控制，而是共創(chuàng)——喜力在中國(guó)的復(fù)興即是明證。數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型始于人才，而非平臺(tái)。面向未來(lái)的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者超越效率——他們塑造身份認(rèn)同。

CR Beer’s journey is more than a Chinese success story. It’s a leadership playbook for any executive navigating the volatility of the 21st century. It teaches us that:Great leaders create alignment before acceleration—fixing structure and culture before chasing growth.Reinvention demands empathy and discipline, especially in legacy-heavy industries.Global partnerships are not about control but co-creation, as seen with Heineken’s resurgence in China.Digital transformation must start with people, not just platforms.Future-ready leaders go beyond efficiency—they shape identity.

當(dāng)華潤(rùn)啤酒步入九年轉(zhuǎn)型的收官階段，它有力印證了規(guī)模無(wú)法替代靈魂，而在顛覆時(shí)代，領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力才是真正的差異化競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力。

對(duì)紐約、內(nèi)羅畢、深圳或圣保羅的CEO而言，問(wèn)題不在于是否改變，而在于是否以勇氣引領(lǐng)變革——讓改變有意義，且可持續(xù)。

As CR Beer enters the final phase of its nine-year transformation, it offers a powerful reminder that scale is no substitute for soul, and that in the age of disruption, leadership is the true differentiator.

For CEOs in New York or Nairobi, Shenzhen or S?o Paulo, the question isn’t whether to change. It’s whether you’re leading with the courage to make that change meaningful—and sustainable.

從傳統(tǒng)制造業(yè)向服務(wù)業(yè)轉(zhuǎn)型的過(guò)程中，華潤(rùn)啤酒不僅關(guān)注產(chǎn)品本身的質(zhì)量提升，更注重打造一個(gè)充滿活力的企業(yè)文化氛圍。通過(guò)一系列富有創(chuàng)意的品牌活動(dòng)及員工參與項(xiàng)目，該公司成功激發(fā)了全體員工的積極性與創(chuàng)造力。這種以人為本的理念將是未來(lái)任何一家想要長(zhǎng)久發(fā)展下去的企業(yè)都必須重視的核心要素之一。