As young students bid farewell to their campuses, the liquor industry is also experiencing a significant "graduation ceremony." Recently, the leaders of giants such as Yanghe, CR Snow, and Diageo have stepped down, alongside executive shake-ups at Shuijingfang, Jinseed, and Budweiser APAC. This wave of deep-seated changes, which reflects the industry's pulse, goes beyond ordinary personnel transitions. It highlights the collective reshaping of leadership in China's liquor sector amid structural adjustments and strategic transformations.

First, the baijiu camp is witnessing a profound moment of generational transition. The departures of Yanghe's Zhang Liandong and Yang Weiguo, the appointment of Xi Jiu's new general manager Wan Bo, and the major leadership overhaul at Shuijingfang collectively outline the contours of industry reform. The baijiu industry places great emphasis on accumulated experience and networks. However, under the pressure of stock-based competition, leaders now face unprecedented growth challenges and the dual task of breaking through existing models. The exit of visionary helmsmen, the retirement of veteran figures, and the restructuring of core executive teams are far more than simple handovers of power. They reveal an industry undergoing a difficult shift from scale expansion to meticulous cultivation, from individual-driven to systematic operations, and underscore the stringent demands for organizational vitality and strategic execution. The next critical step for the baijiu industry's upgrade is how to infuse innovative energy into established strategic frameworks.

Second, the beer sector is equally turbulent. The resignation of CR Snow's Hou Xiaohai has drawn industry attention, but this wave of leadership changes was foreshadowed earlier: Budweiser APAC welcomed its first Chinese CEO, the chairman of Zhujiang Beer retired due to age, and Tsingtao Brewery completed its leadership transition late last year. Each change in key positions serves as a subtle footnote to how giants are adapting to the new phase of "value refinement" in the beer market. Currently, the battle for premiumization has reached a fever pitch, with the domestic market transitioning from fierce market share competition to a critical stage of value-driven rivalry. The core of competition has shifted to brand value and profit depth. In the future, the "leader of the beer world" will be the one who can strike a balance between the breadth of channel expansion and the depth of premium scenarios, break through homogenization with product innovation, and unlock brand premium through cultural resonance.

Finally, the strategic adjustments of international spirits giants carry even greater depth. Just days ago, the CEO of Diageo stepped down, signaling a recalibration of the global liquor giant's strategy in China—where its local operations directly influence the momentum of global growth. As "national trend" disrupts consumer logic, traditional channel structures are being reshaped by instant retail and live-streaming e-commerce, and Gen Z consumers prioritize cultural identity over brand heritage, the scale of change is forcing the entire industry to reevaluate the problem-solving capabilities of its executives.

Thus, it’s foreseeable that the dimensions of talent competition in the liquor industry will undergo a fundamental leap. New leaders must possess both global vision and local wisdom, build resilient networks amid channel fragmentation and consumer stratification, and craft new aromas that transcend borders in the clash of cultures.

In summary, while "graduation season" is often tinged with nostalgia and reluctance, the conclusion of executive transitions marks the prologue to a new era for the industry. As bottles no longer hold only aged memories, whether new leaders can cultivate branches and fruits suited to the new consumer ecosystem in this refined soil will determine whether this blood change is merely a growing pain or a true rebirth. Beneath the ripples of power transitions, undercurrents surge, and more figures and transformations are brewing.