Heineken has named Rafael Oliveira, formerly of the coffee giant JDE Peet’s as its new chief executive following the January exit of his predecessor.
His nomination, subject to shareholder approval, comes as the brewer is facing lower beer sales after six years under CEO Dolf van den Brink, who surprised the company by stepping down after a “mixed performance”.
“With Rafa at the helm, we look forward to building on Heineken’s strong foundations and continuing our journey of long-term, balanced growth,” supervisory board chairman Peter Wennink said in a statement.
The company said in April that beer sales slipped nearly 1% in the first quarter, citing an “increasingly complex” economic climate and higher energy prices.
“I am confident we will accelerate growth, drive productivity and future-fit Heineken, winning the hearts of consumers worldwide,” Oliveira said in the statement.
Rafael Oliveira Profile
Rafael Oliveira is an industry leader with relevant experience having served as Chief Executive Officer of JDE Peet’s since 2024. He also served in different capacities across The Kraft Heinz Company between 2014 and 2019 first as CEO Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Managing Director UK, President Europe, Middle East, and Africa and President International.
