Heineken announced that its Supervisory Board has nominated Rafael “Rafa” Oliveira as Chair of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer.
Oliveira is expected to be appointed for a four-year term effective October 1, 2026, subject to shareholder approval at an Extraordinary General Meeting on August 5, 2026.
Oliveira will join Heineken from JDE Peet’s, the global coffee and tea company, where he has served as CEO since 2024.
Following Keurig Dr Pepper’s acquisition of JDE Peet’s, Oliveira was appointed to lead Keurig Dr Pepper’s planned Global Coffee Co., a new publicly traded business combining its coffee operations with JDE Peet’s.
Heineken said Oliveira brings more than two decades of experience in global consumer goods, transformational leadership, developed and emerging markets, and capital markets.
At JDE Peet’s, Oliveira sharpened the company’s strategy, restored focus and profitable growth, and delivered shareholder value creation. Before that, he spent a decade at Kraft Heinz, where he rose to President of International Markets and oversaw a portfolio exceeding $7 billion across Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.
Heineken said Oliveira’s nomination combines extensive industry experience with continuity from the company’s established Executive Team. The company expects his leadership to support the next phase of growth, strengthen execution, and reinforce a high-performance culture.
Subject to shareholder approval, Oliveira will join Heineken on October 1, 2026. Until then, Heineken’s Executive Team will continue to lead the business and execute the company’s priorities.
KEY QUOTES:
“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.”
Peter Wennink, Chair of the Heineken Supervisory Board
“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.”
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken
“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.”
Rafael Oliveira
