Tracy said the board had searched internationally for candidates and that Mervis has a proven track record of delivering results and operational success across multiple geographies.
Mervis’ career with SABMiller, the world’s second largest brewer, began in 1989 and included senior positions in South Africa, Swaziland, Russia and Hong Kong.
In his most recent capacity, Mr Mervis was MD of SABMiller in the Asia Pacific and CEO of Carlton & United Breweries in Melbourne, with responsibility for overseeing businesses across Asia Pacific including China, India, Vietnam, South Korea and Australia.
Mervis said he was looking forward to working with the board and executive leadership team to strengthen MG’s position as Australia’s leading dairy company.
Mervis takes up the post on February 13, 2017.