Heineken N.V. has announced the nomination of Rafael (Rafa) Oliveira as the company’s new Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 October 2026.
The Supervisory Board announced the nomination on 23 June 2026 from Amsterdam.
The Supervisory Board will nominate Rafa for the appointment for a period of four years at an Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on August 5, 2026.
Until Rafa joins on October 1, 2026, Heineken’s Executive Team will continue to steer the business and ensure continuity in execution of the company’s priorities.
Further details regarding Rafa’s onboarding and a planned introduction to investors and media will be provided as arrangements are finalised.
Professional background
Rafa will join HEINEKEN from JDE Peet’s N.V., the world’s largest pure-play coffee and tea company, where he has served as CEO since 2024.
Following Keurig Dr Pepper’s acquisition of JDE Peet’s, Rafa has been appointed to lead Keurig Dr Pepper’s planned Global Coffee Co., a new publicly traded business combining its coffee operations with JDE Peet’s.
The business has annual revenue of approximately US $16 billion.
A consumer goods leader with more than two decades of experience, Rafa has led transformational growth across developed and emerging markets.
At JDE Peet’s, formerly listed on the Amsterdam stock exchange, he sharpened the company’s strategy and restored focus and profitable growth, delivering strong results and shareholder value creation.
Prior to JDE Peet’s, Rafa spent a decade at The Kraft Heinz Company, rising to President International Markets.
In that role, he oversaw a portfolio of more than US $7 billion across Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.
His track record includes driving focused strategies, operational execution, and improving market and financial performance, while building high-performing teams.
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. 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.”
Mrs. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken said: “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.”
Rafael Oliveira said: “I am honoured and excited to join HEINEKEN, one of the world’s most iconic companies and brand portfolios. 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. I cannot wait to get started on 1 October 2026, and I will be fully committed to ensuring a seamless transition.”
Next phase for HEINEKEN
Rafa’s nomination combines his industry experience and leadership track record with the strength and continuity of HEINEKEN’s established Executive Team.
As an external leader with global FMCG and capital markets experience, he is expected to bring a fresh perspective to the company.
The Supervisory Board said that after a rigorous global search, it unanimously chose Rafa for his mix of strategic vision, operational expertise, and financial acumen to guide HEINEKEN through the opportunities and challenges of the evolving beverage industry.
