Global tea business Ekaterra has announced the appointments of Nathalie Roos as CEO and Pierre Laubies as chair of the board.
The leadership changes follow the €4.5 billion sale of Ekaterra by Unilever to CVC Capital Partners Fund VIII, which was completed at the beginning of the month.
Roos is currently a non-executive director of Pret-a-Manger and Bel Group and succeeds John Davison as Ekaterra CEO. Meanwhile, Laubies brings 30 years of leadership experience, gained at companies including Mars and Campbell Soup Company.
Ekaterra has a portfolio of more than 30 brands, including Lipton, PG Tips, Pukka, T2 and Tazo, and generates annual revenue of approximately €2 billion.
Roos commented: “Tea holds an extraordinary role in societies around the world, steeped in tradition, culture and community spirit. It also has an incredible power to evolve and always be relevant to the times. Ekaterra’s future will embody these elements too, alongside ambitious plans to become a leader in sustainable tea production, in farming and distribution methods and also as a supporter of the communities in which we operate.”
Laubies added: “I am delighted that Nathalie has accepted the opportunity to become CEO of Ekaterra. She has precisely the right blend of skills for the role, with her strong commercial background, her ability to develop great teams and a passion for building consumer brands and delivering growth. Working alongside Nathalie, we have the opportunity to grow our world-leading tea business committed to reaching the highest sustainability goals.”
By Lauren Ford
Source: foodbev.com
Currently chief executive of GreenV – an international group of companies active in the horticultural sector – van Karnebeek spent a large portion of his career at Heineken, working in commercial, marketing and general management positions. He served as chief commercial officer at the Dutch brewer from 2015 until 2021.
The facility combines the existing Kerry office in Barcelona with a new customer suite and application labs. It will enable the company to work more closely with its customers in Southern Europe to develop food and beverage solutions.
The sweet and culinary flavor creation labs are the latest addition to the company’s expansive campus that has been in operation since 1964, spanning more than 312,150 square feet in Brabrand, Denmark. The innovation hub is home to more than 400 employees engaged in research, application development, ingredient and flavor creation.
