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Finance

Keurig Dr Pepper names Kimberly Clark executive as new CEO of coffee unit

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on October 1, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: October 1, 2026

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Keurig Dr Pepper Appoints Russ Torres as CEO Amid Coffee Division Spin-Off

Leadership Changes and Strategic Moves at Keurig Dr Pepper

Oct 1 (Reuters) - Keurig Dr Pepper on Thursday named Kimberly-Clark executive Russ Torres as CEO of the coffee business, which will operate as a publicly traded company early next year. 

Background on Executive Transition

The move comes months after former head Rafael Oliveira left the firm to join Heineken.   

Key Details of the Appointment

Here are more details: 

Russ Torres' Role and Responsibilities

• Torres will join on November 3 and will initially serve as CEO of Keurig's coffee unit called Global Coffee Co, during which time he will lead the integration of Keurig's and JDE Peet's coffee operations.

Strategic Acquisitions and Business Integration

• Keurig earlier this year closed its roughly $18 billion acquisition of JDE Peet's, creating a global coffee giant.

Torres' Experience and Reporting Structure

• Torres, currently Kimberly-Clark's president and COO, brings three decades of consumer goods experience leading global brands and large-scale business transformations.

• He will report to Keurig's chief executive Tim Cofer, who will lead the beverage unit, following separation of the coffee and beverage operations into two U.S.-listed public companies.

Previous Leadership Announcements

• In April, Keurig had named Oliveira as the planned CEO of the future coffee company, currently called Global Coffee Co.

Financial Performance and Outlook

• In August, the company reaffirmed its annual forecasts after beating analysts' estimates for second-quarter sales and profit.

(Reporting by Koyena Das in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)

Key Takeaways

  • Russ Torres brings three decades of consumer goods and transformation leadership, most recently as President & COO at Kimberly‑Clark (kimberly-clark.com).
  • He will lead integration of Keurig’s coffee business with JDE Peet’s under the Global Coffee Co. banner, reporting to Tim Cofer ahead of separation into two listed companies (keurigdrpepper.com).
  • The move follows KDP’s roughly $18 billion acquisition of JDE Peet’s earlier this year, unlocking scale to become a global pure‑play coffee leader via planned early‑2027 spin‑off (en.wikipedia.org)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the new CEO of Keurig Dr Pepper's coffee unit?
Russ Torres, a Kimberly-Clark executive, has been named CEO of Keurig Dr Pepper's coffee unit.
When will Russ Torres officially join Keurig Dr Pepper?
Russ Torres will join Keurig Dr Pepper as CEO of the coffee business on November 3.
What recent acquisition did Keurig Dr Pepper complete?
Keurig Dr Pepper completed an $18 billion acquisition of JDE Peet's earlier this year.
What is the future structure of Keurig Dr Pepper's business?
Keurig Dr Pepper will separate its coffee and beverage operations into two publicly traded companies.
Who did Russ Torres replace as planned CEO?
Russ Torres replaced Rafael Oliveira, the former head who left to join Heineken.

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