Up to 50 jobs could be lost at Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company (S&NPC) if proposals by Heineken UK to restructure the business get the go-ahead.
Willie Crawshay, the head of S&NPC, is one of the likely casualties of the changes being considered.
Heineken said that after a review of the business it planned - following a consultation with affected staff - to integrate the S&NPC structure into its existing on-trade operation as a "stand alone" trade channel.
"Better alignment with our independent free trade operation will unlock new opportunities for both channels and ensure a good exchange of retailing skills, brand opportunities and synergies for the integrated channels," the group said.
The current five S&NPC geographic regions will be reformed to align with Heineken UK's three on-trade areas.
As part of the proposals, Chris Moore (currently SNPC property director) has been appointed to the new role of trading director, S&NPC and will report to Lawson Mountstevens as existing managing director on trade.
Current S&NPC managing director, Willie Crawshay and operations director, Kim Francis will head the transition to the new structure "whilst both considering new career opportunities".
Stefan Orlowski, managing director of Heineken UK said: "The S&NPC team has done an excellent job in realising a new structure which helps us to share expertise by working alongside our independent channel. In broader terms, it is another major step forward in our plans to focus our UK business and to achieve our ambition for a high quality, well supported pub estate."
Orlowski said the transition would have no impact on customers "and it is very much business as usual whilst the consultation process is carried out".
If confirmed, the new structure will take effect from the January 10, 2011.