Heineken N.V. has nominated former coffee-sector chief executive Rafael (Rafa) Oliveira as its next CEO and Chair of the Executive Board, a move that links the world of branded coffee with one of the largest global brewers as both navigate changing drinking habits.
The nomination, announced on 23 June 2026 and effective 1 October 2026 if approved, will be put to a shareholder vote at an Extraordinary General Meeting on 5 August 2026, according to Heineken N.V. Oliveira has been serving as Chief Executive Officer of JDE Peet’s N.V. since November 2024, and in April 2026 he was appointed CEO of Keurig Dr Pepper’s (KDP) global coffee business following KDP’s acquisition of JDE Peet’s, Heineken stated.
In that role, Oliveira was chosen to lead KDP’s planned Global Coffee Co., a business KDP projects will generate around US $16 billion in annual revenue, according to an April 2026 announcement from Keurig Dr Pepper. KDP said it had acquired 96.22% of JDE Peet’s shares and outlined plans to separate into two independent, U.S.-listed publicly traded companies, one focused on beverages and one on coffee, with the separation targeted for early 2027.
For the coffee industry, Oliveira’s trajectory ties together three major beverage players: JDE Peet’s, whose portfolio spans global coffee brands; KDP, which is building a dedicated Global Coffee Co.; and now Heineken, a brewer facing what media describe as softer beer demand. Storyboard18 reported that the global brewing industry is grappling with subdued demand and changing consumer preferences, and noted that Heineken has announced plans to cut up to 6,000 jobs globally and lowered its expectations for profit growth in 2026.
Heineken’s Supervisory Board said it had unanimously chosen Oliveira. Peter Wennink, Chair of the Supervisory Board, told FoodBev that “he combines strategic clarity with operational rigour and strong people leadership to deliver superior results,” adding that the board is confident his energy and strategic acumen will accelerate execution of the company’s EverGreen 2030 strategic agenda.
Oliveira has described his leadership of coffee businesses in similarly expansive terms. When he was appointed CEO of JDE Peet’s in 2024, he said “it is truly my honour to take the helm of this storied company,” according to a statement from JDE Peet’s N.V. In comments on his Heineken nomination reported by Storyboard18, he called himself “a long-time admirer of Heineken’s heritage and global impact” and said the brewer’s EverGreen 2030 strategy “provides a powerful platform for the future.”
The move also opens a new chapter for KDP’s coffee plans. In its April 2026 announcement, KDP said Pam Patsley, Chair of the Board, would lead the search for the future CEO of Global Coffee Co. Patsley called the acquisition of JDE Peet’s “a defining step” in KDP’s value creation strategy and described Oliveira as “the right choice to lead the combined coffee business and launch Global Coffee Co.” at that time.
According to KDP, the timing of its separation into Beverage Co. and Global Coffee Co. will depend on milestones such as achieving appropriate leverage levels, with the company targeting operational readiness to separate by the end of 2026 and a listing of the two entities in early 2027. For coffee professionals watching how large brand owners position themselves, these moves mean that leadership with deep coffee-market experience is now being tapped at the very top of a major global brewer, while one of the sector’s biggest corporate coffee platforms prepares to stand on its own.
If Heineken’s shareholders approve the nomination on 5 August, Oliveira will take over from outgoing CEO Dolf van den Brink—who stepped down on 31 May after nearly six years at the helm, according to Storyboard18—bringing more than two decades of what Heineken describes as transformational leadership across developed and emerging markets to a brewing group whose next chapter is increasingly intertwined with broader beverage and coffee trends.
