Simon is a seasoned beer industry veteran with a deep understanding of the U.S. beer market. Simon joined Pabst as CEO on December 1, 2016. Before joining PBC, Simon was the President & CEO of Duvel Moortgat USA, where he led the transformation of the company’s U.S. craft brewing business into a respected leader in the craft beer segment. He was instrumental in building the high-end success of Duvel Moortgat’s Brewery Ommegang in Upstate New York, and established Duvel Moortgat’s partnerships with Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City, MO and Firestone Walker Brewing Company in Paso Robles, CA. He also led the development of Duvel Moortgat’s import brand portfolio including Duvel, La Chouffe, Liefmans, and Mardesous.
Prior to joining Duvel Moortgat, Thorpe led various private equity projects in Europe and was formerly head of strategy, M&A and new markets for InBev and President & CEO of InBev USA. His career has spanned beer, support services, art and stationery, food, and personal care categories in the Americas, Europe and Asia, including senior management positions with Compass, Crayola and Kellogg’s. His early career was with Tambrands and Unilever. Thorpe was born and educated in England and has spent 12 years living in Belgium and 19 years in the USA. He resides in Los Angeles, where Pabst is headquartered, with his wife Kati and son Henry.
