Keurig Dr Pepper Expands ELT: Gorli To Lead U.S. Refreshments, Panayiotou Named CMO, Cronican Promoted to Chief Customer Officer
Keurig Dr Pepper has made several changes to its executive leadership team. The company has hired Eric Gorli as president of its U.S. refreshment beverages business; Drew Panayiotou will be taking on the chief marketing officer role; and Sean Cronican has been named chief customer officer.
Gorli will oversee the company’s $9 billion U.S. liquid refreshment business, which includes a portfolio of carbonated soft drinks, still beverages, and energy drinks. He was promoted to the role, having joined the company in 2015. In that time, he’s helped develop KDP's pricing, promotional, and growth strategies, most recently as chief commercial officer.
Gorli takes over for Andrew Archambault, who is leaving the company to serve as Hershey’s president of its U.S. confection business.
Also read: KDP Expands DSD Operations With Bottling Acquisition
More on the Leadership Shifts
Panayiotou, has been with KDP since November and will now have an expanded role that includes marketing for both the company’s U.S. refreshment beverages business and its U.S. coffee division. Additionally, he will lead the enterprise marketing services operations, helping to accelerate the company’s digital-first marketing strategy.
As chief customer officer, Cronican will use his nearly 30 years of sales experience to lead the company’s customer-facing teams for all customer partnerships in the U.S., including grocery, mass, club, small format, fountain food service, and e-commerce. Cronican joined the company in 2016 from Abbott Nutrition, holding several roles in sales and commercial leadership.
Gorli, Panayiotou, and Cronican will join the executive leadership team and report to CEO Tim Cofer.
Additionally, as the company looks to grow in the energy category, it has created the new role of president of KDP energy, hiring Justin Whitmore to oversee the portfolio and focus on marketing, sales, operations, and integration strategies.
