Rafael Oliveira

Rafael (Rafa) Oliveira has been nominated as Chair of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer of Heineken N.V., subject to shareholder approval at an Extraordinary General Meeting on August 5, 2026, for a four-year term beginning October 1, 2026. He is described as a highly accomplished international consumer goods leader bringing more than two decades of experience in transformational leadership across both developed and emerging markets. He is known for consistently transforming complex challenges into clear organisational priorities, combining strategic clarity with operational rigour and strong people leadership.

Career History

• CEO, JDE Peet's N.V. (2024–present) — Leading the world's largest pure-play coffee and tea company
• Designated CEO, Keurig Dr Pepper's planned Global Coffee Co. (2026) — Leading a new publicly traded business with annual revenue of approximately US $16 billion combining coffee operations
• Executive Vice President and President of International Markets, The Kraft Heinz Company (2019–2024) — Overseeing international markets across EMEA, APAC, and LATAM regions with portfolio exceeding US $7 billion
• Executive Director for Emerging Markets in Asia, Goldman Sachs (2004–2014) — Based in Hong Kong, holding multiple senior leadership roles across the Securities and Emerging Markets divisions
• Equity Research Analyst, Brazil (1996–2002) — Worked at Banco Icatu (1996–1999) and Banco BBA Creditanstalt (1999–2002) in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo

Education

Oliveira holds an MBA from The University of Chicago and an undergraduate degree in economics from Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro.

What Rafael Oliveira could bring to Chair and CEO of Heineken N.V.: Oliveira's appointment represents a deliberate external hiring strategy to revitalize Heineken amid declining sales and investor pressure for fresh leadership. His proven track record spans both financial services and consumer goods, with particular expertise in emerging markets and international portfolio management. At Kraft Heinz, he orchestrated growth and sustainability initiatives across major global regions. His appointment to lead Keurig Dr Pepper's multi-billion-dollar Global Coffee Co. demonstrates capability managing complex, high-revenue businesses. The Heineken Supervisory Board specifically cited his unique mix of strategic vision, operational expertise, and financial acumen as decisive factors. His experience translating strategy into disciplined execution positions him to execute Heineken's EverGreen 2030 strategic agenda while addressing the company's cost-structure challenges and sales recovery needs.