Coffee executive JDE Peet’s to lead Heineken

Heineken has nominated Rafael “Rafa” Oliveira as CEO and chairman of the board of directors. The new CEO comes from coffee and tea giant JDE Peet’s, marking a break with the long-standing tradition of appointing internal candidates at the brewing giant.

Experience at JDE Peet’s and Kraft Heinz

Oliveira took office as CEO of JDE Peet’s in November 2024. Under his leadership, the acquisition deal with Keurig Dr Pepper was finalized. The plan now is to merge all coffee operations into a new publicly traded coffee company, which Oliveira was originally set to lead. However, he has now chosen to join Heineken instead.

Prior to his time at JDE Peet’s, Oliveira spent ten years at Kraft Heinz, where he rose to the position of President of International Markets. In that role, he was responsible for a portfolio worth more than $7 billion across Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. He previously worked at investment bank Goldman Sachs.

First non-European

The Brazilian CEO is set to take office on October 1, 2026, provided that shareholders approve his appointment at an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting on August 5, 2026. This is unlikely to be a problem, as major shareholders have already explicitly requested that an external candidate be appointed as the new chairman of the board.

Oliveira will also be the first non-European to lead Heineken in the company’s 87-year history as a publicly traded company. His predecessor, Dolf van den Brink, had worked at Heineken for more than twenty years before becoming CEO in 2020. His departure, announced in January and effective since the end of May, led to a months-long search for a successor.

“Visionary leader”

Heineken emphasizes that Oliveira’s international experience in consumer goods, his knowledge of capital markets, and his experience with complex transformations are well-suited to the challenges facing the brewer. Supervisory Board Chairman Peter Wennink calls him “a dynamic, forward-thinking leader with an exceptional track record” and highlights his ability to translate strategy into clear priorities and disciplined execution.

Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken, a major shareholder and heiress of the Heineken family, also supports the nomination. According to her, Oliveira possesses the strategic vision, people leadership, and execution skills needed for Heineken’s next phase.