Outsider CEO Hired
Heineken Appoints Former JDE Peet's CEO Rafael Oliveira, First Outsider Leader
Anonymous
Key Points
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Oliveira has a long, varied corporate pedigree before Heineken, including a decade at Kraft Heinz where he rose to President of International Markets and earlier roles as CEO for Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea; he also spent time at Goldman Sachs (2004–2014) and started his career in equity research in Brazil. He was appointed CEO of JDE Peet's in November 2024 and was tapped in 2026 to lead Keurig Dr Pepper's planned Global Coffee Co after KDP's acquisition of JDE Peet's.
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Heineken has set Oliveira’s start date for October 1, 2026, with a four-year term, following a rigorous global search that the company’s supervisory board said found the right mix of strategic vision, operational expertise and financial acumen.
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A governance step accompanies the appointment: Oliveira is to be nominated for appointment for four years at an extraordinary general meeting on August 5, 2026, and until then Heineken’s executive team will maintain leadership continuity.
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Oliveira’s cross-border experience includes involvement in Keurig Dr Pepper’s plan to create a Global Coffee Co by integrating JDE Peet’s, highlighting the broader strategy of combining consumer-brands across geographies as Heineken seeks to accelerate its EverGreen 2030 agenda.
Heineken has named Rafael Oliveira as its new chief executive, making him the first outsider — and the first non-European — to lead the Dutch brewer in its 87-year public history. Oliveira, who has been CEO of coffee giant JDE Peet's since November 2024, will take over on October 1, 2026, for a four-year term, according to Reuters.
The appointment ends a months-long search that followed the May 31 departure of Dolf van den Brink, who spent 28 years at Heineken before leading it for six. Heineken shares rose roughly 2% on the news. Oliveira steps into one of the toughest jobs in consumer goods: a brewer facing falling beer volumes, a planned cut of up to 6,000 jobs, and pressure to revive growth.
First Outsider CEO Breaks a 160-Year Tradition
Heineken has always promoted from within. Van den Brink was a 28-year company veteran. Before him, every CEO came up through the ranks. Oliveira breaks that mold entirely, Just Drinks reported. He is a Brazilian national with no prior beer-industry experience — a fact that is both the point and the risk.
Supervisory board chair Peter Wennink said the search was "rigorous and global" and that Oliveira stood out as "a dynamic, visionary leader" who "consistently transformed complex challenges into clear organizational priorities." Controlling shareholder Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken backed the external hire, praising his ability to turn strategy into "disciplined execution," according to FoodBev.
From Goldman Sachs to Coffee to Beer: Oliveira's CV
Oliveira started his career in equity research in Brazil, then spent a decade at Goldman Sachs from 2004 to 2014. He then joined Kraft Heinz, where he rose to President of International Markets and managed a portfolio worth more than $7 billion. At Heineken, he will oversee a business with roughly 87,000 employees worldwide, according to Reuters.
He joined JDE Peet's — one of the world's largest coffee groups — as CEO in November 2024. When Keurig Dr Pepper bought JDE Peet's in an $18 billion deal, Oliveira was tapped to lead the combined "Global Coffee Co," a business with $16 billion in revenue. His move to Heineken leaves that role vacant. KDP chair Pamela Patsley has launched a search for a replacement, FoodBev reported.
Heineken's Beer Slump Sets the Stage for His Arrival
Oliveira walks into a company under strain. Heineken's total beer volume fell 1.2% in 2025, with European volumes down 3.4%. In February 2026, the company announced plans to cut 5,000 to 6,000 jobs — about 7% of its workforce — as part of its EverGreen 2030 strategy, which targets €400 million to €500 million in annual gross savings, according to Just Drinks.
The EverGreen plan also aims to shift 400 head-office roles into lower-cost "Global Capability Centers." Heineken's 2026 operating profit growth is forecast at 2% to 6%. Oliveira said he looks forward to "building on that momentum while bringing my own passion for performance, innovation and consumer focus."
Shareholder Vote on August 5 Will Make It Official
Oliveira's appointment is not yet final. Heineken has called an Extraordinary General Meeting for August 5, 2026, where shareholders will vote to formally approve his four-year term. Until October 1, Heineken's existing executive team will keep the business running, FoodBev reported.
Analysts at ING said Oliveira is "highly capable" but has "a lot to prove" as an outsider to both Heineken's culture and the beer industry at large. Van den Brink will stay on in an advisory role for eight months to help with the handover. The pressure is clear: fix a business that analysts, shareholders, and even its own board have said needs a fresh set of eyes.
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