Before Jørgen Buhl Rasmussen is interviewed in the tall blue malt silo that is Carlsberg’s headquarters in Copenhagen – in a corner office overlooking the city’s angular rooftops – one of his media advisers comes downstairs for a chat. He is worried that Mr Rasmussen may be difficult to “open up”.

Mr Rasmussen, 53, has been a somewhat reticent figure in the 13 months he has been chief executive of the Danish brewer in spite of completing the biggest takeover in its 160-year history: the £7.8bn purchase (made jointly with Dutch brewer Heineken early this year) of British brewer Scottish & Newcastle.