Julian Dunkerton stressed that he was still talking with the business about other methods of financially supporting the group.
The change occurred around March 4 and is among the six strongest such events since 1979.
Philip Morris International is preparing to launch its flagship heated tobacco device IQOS in Austin, Texas, indicating it will be the first testing ground for its U.S. entry, job adverts on LinkedIn show. IQOS, the top selling heated tobacco device globally, sits at the core of the world's biggest tobacco company's efforts to transform its image from a purveyor of cigarettes to a driving force behind the switch to healthier options.