Charlie’s appoints new CEO

Charlie’s appoints new CEO

With the appointment of New Zealander Craig Cotton to the position of CEO, Charlie’s Trading Company Limited is set to continue its growth trajectory with an injection of big-brand thinking.

That comes courtesy of Cotton’s skills and experience in working with the global Coca-Cola brand – and his personal commitment to create exciting opportunities to share Charlie’s ‘honest Kiwi refreshment and goodness’ with everyone.

He succeeds Charlie’s co-founder Stefan Lepionka, who has left after bedding-in the company’s transition to Asahi ownership.

Cotton (38) joins Charlie’s from a 17-year career with Coca-Cola Amatil NZ most recently as national sales manager, non-grocery. Cotton has a strong track record in sales and marketing. He is renowned for being a strong leader who is consumer and customer focused and big on excellence in execution of brands in the marketplace.

“It’s an exciting time to be joining Charlie’s,” Cotton says. “Our beverage brands are recognised and enjoyed by consumers and there is great opportunity for growth through innovation and market expansion.”

“Not many New Zealand companies enjoy the opportunities we do. We have local and offshore manufacturing facilities, the best brands in our categories and are now owned by Asahi who are keen to invest for growth”.

“We will continue to keep the business deeply rooted in its ‘Kiwi-ness’. Charlie’s was born in New Zealand and is managed and run from here. That is important to us and we will not be turning our backs on our heritage.”

Cotton takes up his appointment on October 15.

Short biography
Born: Palmerston North, March 1974
Qualifications: Bachelor of Applied Science majoring in Agricultural Economics, Massey University (graduated 1995)
General Manager Program – Australian Graduate School of Management 2010
Recent roles: National sales manager NZ, non-grocery, Coca-Cola Amatil NZ (January 2011 – October 2012)
National sales manager NZ, grocery, Coca-Cola Amatil NZ
(June 2006 – January 2011)
Pacific Islands business manager, The Coca-Cola Company
(August 2003 – June 2006)
Interests: Father of two, fitness, wine, cooking, reading, gardening, sports, outdoor activities.

About Charlie’s
Charlie’s is one of New Zealand's largest beverage companies and was established in 1999 by childhood mates Marc Ellis, Stefan Lepionka and Simon Neal. It was founded on the principle of providing quality & freshly squeezed juice to consumers, with honesty the cornerstone of the product offering. Charlie’s was purchased by Asahi Beverages New Zealand Limited in August 2011.

The brand began life as an orange juice company and Charlie’s is now regarded as the leader in the category. Charlie’s does not use juice from concentrate in any of its products, only the freshest ‘not-from-concentrate’ ingredients are used.

Today Charlie’s offers a range of drinks including Honest Juices, Honest Quenchers, Honest Smoothies and more recently an Honest Water which utilises an Eco-bottle made from plants. Charlie’s also lends its brand to fresh fruit such as mandarins, oranges, lemons & limes to reinforce the lengths it goes to, to get fresh fruit!
ends

© Scoop Media