Kraft Heinz announces leadership changes

The Kraft Heinz Company announced it has appointed Carlos Abrams-Rivera as chief executive officer (CEO) and a member of the board, effective January 1, 2024. 

Abrams-Rivera will continue in his role as president of the North America Zone with the added responsibilities of becoming president of Kraft Heinz. Abrams-Rivera will take over as CEO from Miguel Patricio, who has served as the company’s CEO since 2019 and chair of the board since 2022. Patricio will transition to the role of non-executive chair of the board on January 1, 2024.

In his role as EVP and president of the North America Zone, Abrams-Rivera oversaw Kraft Heinz’s U.S. and Canadian operations.

“Carlos is the best person to lead the next phase of the company’s transformation,” says Miguel Patricio, CEO and chair of the board. “His strategic and innovative mindset is ideal to continue to propel Kraft Heinz forward on our path to greatness. Since joining Kraft Heinz in 2020, he has consistently delivered strong results in the North American retail and Away From Home businesses. Carlos’ experience in both developed and emerging markets complements our ambition for growth. I feel privileged to entrust Carlos with the leadership of this great company, and I am confident that Kraft Heinz is poised for more growth in the years to come.”

“We are extremely grateful for Miguel’s leadership over the past four years. He has a deep understanding of marketing and consumers, which was instrumental to the Company’s turnaround,” adds Jack Pope, lead director of the board. “The transition from Miguel to Carlos reflects the board’s thoughtful succession planning and we are confident that the company will continue to accelerate growth with Carlos assuming the role of CEO. He is an experienced leader with a long tenure in the food and beverage industry who has shown consistency and excellence in execution.”