Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE:TAP – News) today announced that it has strengthened the leadership team supporting its growing Molson Coors International (MCI) business. Torsten Kuenzlen, formerly President Director of Coca-Cola’s Indonesia region, has joined as MCI’s new Chief Marketing Officer. Celso White, former Vice President and General Manager, Americas Concentrate Operations at PepsiCo, has joined as MCI’s new Chief Supply Chain Officer. In addition, Lee Reichert, formerly a partner with Lathrop & Gage LLP, has joined MCI as General Counsel. All of the executives will be based in Denver, Colorado.
“We are fortunate to have attracted such distinguished and seasoned executives to the company and I look forward to Torsten, Celso and Lee joining our international leadership team,” said Kandy Anand, President of Molson Coors International. “At Molson Coors, we are committed to accelerating our expansion into new markets and building up our capabilities, particularly in the areas of consumer marketing, supply chain and transaction work is essential to this aim. Leveraging this team’s proven strengths will significantly enhance our impact as we move forward with our global growth plans.”
Kuenzlen is a veteran marketing executive with deep strategic, marketing and operational management skills, as well as demonstrated experience in building and leading international teams. During his 17 years with Coca-Cola, Kuenzlen led commercial and marketing operations across the globe, including Europe, Latin America & Asia, and was part of a management team tasked with transforming their business across Africa. He received a master’s degree in International Business Management from Rheinland Pfalz University in Germany, and served as an officer of the German Air Force.
White joins Molson Coors with more than 25 years in consumer products. His initial assignments were in engineering first with Silgan White Cap, then with M&M/Mars and Campbell Soup Company. More recently, White had accountabilities in general supply chain management with PepsiCo where he held the position of Vice President and General Manager, Americas Concentrate Operations. This included leading all aspects of the Supply Chain throughout the Americas (Canada to Southern Cone) and the Asia Pacific region.
Reichert brings nearly 20 years of experience in corporate and commercial law with a focus on securities, mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances and equity and debt financings. Reichert has been recognized as a leading M&A attorney for a number of years by both the Chambers USA Guide to leading Business Attorneys and in the Best Lawyers in America. Reichert also has extensive experience in the global brewing industry having served as outside counsel to Molson Coors on a range of issues for nearly a decade. He earned his J.D. magna cum laude at the University Of Illinois College Of Law and graduated cum laude from Colgate University.
In 2008, Molson Coors established Molson Coors International to manage the expansion of its brand portfolio outside of the Company’s mature markets in the US, Canada and the UK. Molson Coors International now manages the growth of its brand portfolio across 47 countries. In the past year, MCI has announced new majority-owned JVs in China and India, as well as new contract brewing agreements in Spain, Russia, and Ukraine.