Amsterdam: Heineken N.V. has announced the nomination of Rafael (Rafa) Oliveira as the company’s new Chair of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer. The Supervisory Board will nominate Oliveira for a four-year term, effective October 1, 2026, at an Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for August 5, 2026.
Oliveira joins HEINEKEN from JDE Peet’s N.V., the world’s largest pure-play coffee and tea company, where he has served as Chief Executive Officer since 2024. Following Keurig Dr Pepper’s acquisition of JDE Peet’s, he was appointed to lead Keurig Dr Pepper’s planned Global Coffee Co., a new publicly traded business with annual revenue of approximately US$16 billion, combining the company’s coffee operations with JDE Peet’s.
A seasoned consumer goods executive with more than two decades of international leadership experience, Oliveira has built a reputation for driving transformation and growth across developed and emerging markets. During his tenure at JDE Peet’s, he refined the company’s strategic direction and helped restore profitable growth, delivering strong business performance and shareholder value. Prior to that, he spent a decade at The Kraft Heinz Company, ultimately serving as President, International Markets, overseeing a portfolio exceeding US$7 billion across Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.
Commenting on the appointment, Peter Wennink, Chair of the HEINEKEN Supervisory Board, said, “We are delighted to welcome Rafa to HEINEKEN. He is a dynamic, visionary leader with an exceptional track record of leading global consumer businesses and delivering transformational growth. Throughout his career, Rafa has consistently transformed complex challenges into clear organisational priorities, aligning teams around what matters most, and driving disciplined execution of strategy. He combines strategic clarity with operational rigour and strong people leadership to deliver superior results. The Supervisory Board is confident that his energy and strategic acumen will accelerate the execution of the company’s EverGreen 2030 strategic agenda and create sustainable value for all our stakeholders. With Rafa at the helm, we look forward to building on HEINEKEN’s strong foundations and continuing our journey of long-term, balanced growth.”
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken also welcomed the nomination, stating, “My family and I are pleased with the rigorous global selection process that led to the nomination of Rafa as CEO. We believe Rafa’s proven ability to translate strategy into disciplined execution, his strong people leadership, and his clear strategic vision are the qualities needed to become an excellent HEINEKEN CEO.”
Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, Oliveira said, “I am honoured and excited to join HEINEKEN, one of the world’s most iconic companies and brand portfolios. As a long-time admirer of HEINEKEN’s heritage and global impact, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this great company into its next chapter. HEINEKEN’s EverGreen 2030 strategy provides a powerful platform for the future, and I look forward to building on that momentum while bringing my own passion for performance, innovation and consumer focus. What excites me most is the opportunity to work alongside HEINEKEN’s talented people around the world, whose dedication and capabilities are the foundation of HEINEKEN’s success, and I look forward to building on that legacy together. I am confident we will accelerate growth, drive productivity and future-fit HEINEKEN, winning the hearts of consumers worldwide. I cannot wait to get started on 1 October 2026, and I will be fully committed to ensuring a seamless transition.”
