Steve Presley, a former Nestlé executive with nearly three decades of leadership experience, has been appointed CEO and Executive Board member of Refresco, effective August 4, 2025. He will succeed Hans Roelofs, who will retire on August 1 after leading the company since 2013 and serving since 2007 (inside.beer, 26.6.2025)
Presley brings extensive expertise in international operations, finance, and manufacturing from his time at Nestlé, where he most recently held the role of Executive Vice President and CEO of Zone Americas. In that position, he oversaw business in 24 countries, managed over 100,000 employees, and supervised a network of more than 120 manufacturing and distribution facilities across 20 product categories.
Under Roelofs, Refresco expanded rapidly through an aggressive “buy and build” strategy, growing to 75 production sites across Europe, North America, and Australia, and employing over 14,000 people. Notably, the company is awaiting regulatory approval for the acquisition of Norwegian beverage producer Telemark Kildevann Holding AS, marking a further step into the Scandinavian market (inside.beer, 30.05.2025).
This growth trajectory, however, has also raised concerns about the sustainability of capital-intensive acquisitions and integration challenges in an increasingly competitive private-label segment. These concerns are seen as central to current discussions on Refresco’s future direction.
Presley has expressed his commitment to build on Refresco’s strong global foundation by focusing on innovation and aligning with evolving customer and market demands. “Refresco has built a strong reputation as a global leader in the beverage solutions industry,” he said. “I look forward to working closely with the talented team to drive the next phase of growth.”
James Cunningham, partner at KKR and chair of Refresco’s supervisory board, welcomed the appointment, citing Presley’s deep industry insight and operational expertise as key assets for the company’s next chapter. KKR, which acquired majority control of Refresco in 2022, is expected to play a decisive role in shaping its future strategy (inside.beer, 22.02.2022).
Refresco, headquartered in Rotterdam, is the world’s largest independent bottler for both retailers and A-brands in the non-alcoholic beverage sector, producing approximately 138 million hectoliters annually.
