José Carlos Cruz has an extensive career spanning several decades within The Coca-Cola System, where he has held a variety of senior leadership roles (including president, executive, officer, and general manager). He has expertise in general management, commercial, and managing global key accounts, having worked in diverse markets such as Japan, Portugal, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom. He has also been responsible for commercial relationships across multiple countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, showcasing his capacity to infuse teams with enthusiasm and a forward-looking approach while judiciously allocating resources to achieve desired outcomes.
In Japan, he led the national chain accounts across various channels, guiding a large organization to notable growth and increased efficiency, and championing sustainability within the team. In his role as general manager in Portugal, José Carlos was instrumental in redefining growth strategies that markedly impacted revenues and crafted a forward-thinking business plan that saw a significant uptick in revenue. As the Coca-Cola Company commercial director for Iberia, his strategic commercial planning met set targets for revenue and profit. His initiatives successfully reversed negative trends in the Horeca channel through substantial investment in environmentally friendly practices and introduced an innovative program for modern food retail, leading to substantial incremental revenue.
During his tenure as head of international accounts based in France, José Carlos managed different global customers across many European countries, leading to notable increases in the System’s revenue. This success was underpinned by his strategic efforts in joint business planning, customer-focused marketing, supply chain optimization, and the cultivation of new consumption opportunities.
He is fluent in English, Spanish, and French, enabling him to communicate effectively in a diverse range of cultural contexts.
José Carlos is an associate partner at Globalpraxis.
