Imperial Brands plc

11/16/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/16/2021 01:02

Full Year Results Statement

Stefan Bomhard, Chief Executive

"This has been a year of important progress and significant change, as we begin to deliver on the new, focused strategy we announced in January 2021. We have substantially refreshed our leadership team, making new hires to strengthen our consumer-facing capabilities, while building on our existing deep tobacco experience. We have changed the way we work, placing the consumer at the centre of our decision making. We have simplified the organisation, creating efficiencies for reinvestment. And we have introduced more rigorous performance management, enabling better prioritisation of resources.

"This approach is already delivering improved operational and financial outcomes. In tobacco, our sharper focus and increased investment in the top-five priority markets have begun to stabilise the aggregate market share performance. This is encouraging early progress in addressing the long-term historical declines. We will build on this foundation in the coming year, with further investment in brand building and sales execution.

"Through our focused, consumer-led next generation products strategy, we are committed to making a meaningful contribution to harm reduction over time by offering adult smokers potentially reduced risk products. In line with our plans, we launched market trials for our heated tobacco proposition, Pulze and iD sticks in the Czech Republic and Greece, as well as a trial of an improved consumer marketing proposition for our US vapour product, blu. We will track the consumer data over the coming months to inform our next steps.

"Our five-year plan to transform Imperial is divided into two distinct periods. The year ahead will complete the two-year strengthening phase, with further investment in our five priority markets and NGP pilots, the embedding of new ways of working and cost-saving initiatives. This period builds the foundations for the subsequent three-year phase, which focuses on the acceleration of returns and sustainable growth in shareholder value."