Boardroom reshuffle at BAT as boss plans transition to vapes  

British American Tobacco’s new chief executive has unveiled a major boardroom reshuffle as he doubles down on its transition from cigarettes to vapes.

The announcement is the first major change by Tadeu Marroco, who took over last month after Jack Bowles left after four years in charge.

He quit weeks after the tobacco firm agreed to pay £509million to US authorities after a subsidiary pleaded guilty to charges it violated US sanctions on North Korea. 

Bowles has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the North Korea case.

Marroco’s shake-up sees Johan Vandermeulen, who steps up to chief operating officer, and Kingsley Wheaton, who will become chief strategy and growth officer.

But the changes mean BAT’s management board will be male as its only female member, Hae In Kim, steps down from her post as director of talent, culture and inclusion.

BAT has been on a mission to pivot away from cigarettes and towards vapes and heated tobacco products.