CHICAGO -- The Gatorade Co., a division of PepsiCo, has named Sarah Robb O'Hagan as its new chief marketing officer. O'Hagan, 36, joins PepsiCo after nearly six years at Nike. In her new role, O'Hagan will lead the marketing efforts for Chicago-based Gatorade in the United States, which includes the core business and new/emerging audiences. In addition, as part of the new PepsiCo Americas Beverage sector, O'Hagan will have influence over the strategic direction of the Gatorade marketing agenda across Latin America.
O'Hagan most recently served as the general manager of the western region [image-nocss] for Nike. She also oversaw the development of Nike Action Sports in the region. Prior to that, she held the post of Nike marketing director USA, where she provided category business leadership and brand direction for running, women's fitness/teen girl sport, tennis and sport culture.
Prior to her tenure with Nike, O'Hagan was vice president of U.S. Marketing at Atari Entertainment where she oversaw the successful relaunch of the brand. She also led the marketing function at both the Virgin Entertainment Group and Virgin Atlantic Airways North America. She began her career with Air New Zealand in marketing.
The Gatorade hydration portfolio includes the nation's leading sports drink Gatorade Thirst Quencher, as well as Gatorade Tiger, G2 and Propel Fit Water.
Several other beverage companies have recently announced new personnel:
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Purple Beverage Co. Inc. has announced that former Fuze Beverage LLC executive Michael McKee has agreed to join the company as vice president of operations and logistics.
As director of procurement and inventory planning for Fuze, he strengthened the brand by developing and implementing continuous improvement strategies, including maximizing manufacturing, planning, packaging and asset utilization. By translating long-range marketing and sales plans into manufacturing direction and strategy support, McKee helped the startup beverage company experience nearly 300% growth during his time with the company, which was purchased by the The Coca-Cola Co. in 2007.
Prior to his position with Fuze, McKee served as a business planner for Unilever and previously Cadbury Schweppes (formerly Snapple Beverage Group Inc.), where he worked with beverage brands that included Snapple, Mistic, Yoo-hoo and Orangina.
At Purple Beverage, he will be in charge of handling contract manufacturing, production planning and purchasing, among other responsibilities.
Purple is a blend of seven antioxidant-rich juices, including acai berry, black cherry, pomegranate, black currant, purple plum, cranberry and blueberry.
Molson Coors Brewing Co., Denver, has appointed Peter Swinburn as president and CEO and Stewart Glendinning as global CFO. Both appointments are effective upon the close of the previously announced agreement with SABMiller plc to form the MillerCoors joint venture, currently anticipated to occur on or about June 30, 2008.
Swinburn, currently president and CEO of Coors Brewing Co., joined the company in 2002 during the Coors Brewers Ltd. acquisition in the U.K. Swinburn has held various senior leadership roles around the world and was responsible for introducing Molson Coors brands to several emerging markets, including Asia. Glendinning, who joined Molson Coors in 2005, is currently the CFO for Coors Brewers Ltd., the U.K.-based subsidiary of Molson Coors Brewing Co.
Prior to assuming his current role at Coors Brewing C, Swinburn served as CEO of Coors Brewers, responsible for the company's business in the U.K., Europe and Asia. He has also served as president of Coors Brewing Worldwide and as COO of Coors Brewers.
Glendinning joined Molson Coors in 2005. Previously, he was managing director and a principal at The Hackett Group, a professional services company where he led the finance consulting practice and built their European operations from startup. Prior to the Hackett Group, he served at KPMG where he focused on helping CFOs to redesign their organizations for increased efficiency and effectiveness.
Molson Coors Brewing brews, markets and sells Coors Light, Molson Canadian, Molson Dry, Carling, Coors and Keystone Light throughout North America, Europe and Asia. It operates in Canada, through Molson Canada; in the United States, through Coors Brewing; in the U.K. and Ireland, through Coors Brewers.
And American Enterprise Development Corp. and HAVOC Distribution Inc. announced that they have entered into a consulting agreement with Rick Peterson. Peterson has 28 years of local, regional and national account sales, operations and marketing experience in beverages and consumer products.
Peterson has more than 20 years of experience with consumer brands such as PepsiCo, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Group, Gatorade, Tropicana, H.J. Heinz and Sara Lee that will be valuable in expanding Havoc Energy Drink's distribution within the grocery, c-store, drug, mass and food service classes of trade.
Dallas-based HAVOC is owned by American Enterprise Development. It develops, manufactures and distributes energy drink products through affiliations with universities and conferences, professional sports franchises and corporate alliances.Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.