Kim Jeffery
President & Chief Executive Officer
Nestlé Waters North America

Kim Jeffery is President and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Waters North America Inc. based in Greenwich, Connecticut. He oversees the largest bottled water company in North America with 8,500 employees, 25 plants, and over 100 facilities.

Mr. Jeffery joined the Company in 1978 as Central Division Sales Manager. Over the following years, he advanced to lead posts in Sales, Marketing, and Operations progressing to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer before assuming the Company’s top position in 1992.

For 28 years, Mr. Jeffery has been at the vanguard of the rapidly growing bottled water industry. When Mr. Jeffery joined the Company, shortly after its inception, Perrier was the only brand marketed. Since then Nestlé Waters North America has developed into the leading bottled water Company in America. With sales of more than $3.4 billion in 2005, the Company holds five of the top ten U.S. brands including Poland Spring, Arrowhead, Deer Park, Ozarka and Zephyrhills. The Company also owns and distributes imported brands Perrier, Acqua Panna and S. Pellegrino.

Today, Nestlé Waters North America controls over 33% of the bottled water category in America and is three times larger than the closest competitor.

A native of Wilmette, Illinois, Mr. Jeffery received a B.A. degree from Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. Prior to joining Nestlé Waters, Mr. Jeffery held sales positions with Kraft Foods and the Pepsi Cola Company. Mr. Jeffery is dedicated to charitable activities related to children and is an avid golfer. He, his wife Mary, and their four young children live in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Alain Barbet
President and Chief Operating Officer
Pernod Ricard USA

Alain Barbet is President and Chief Operating Officer of Pernod Ricard USA, the top sales volume contributor to the world's second largest spirits and wine company, Pernod Ricard S.A.  Since assuming his current role in September, 2005, Alain led Pernod Ricard USA's integration of brands and people from the former Allied Domecq.  Pernod Ricard USA doubled in size as a result of the Allied acquisition, and it now ranks fifth in volume and third in value in the U.S.

Alain began his beverage alcohol career with Pernod Ricard USA's predecessor company, Austin-Nichols, which appointed him Chief Financial Officer in September, 1999.  He was named Chief Operating Officer for Austin-Nichols in August, 2000, and became CFO for Pernod Ricard North America in January, 2002 

Alain started his career with Arthur Andersen Associates, and then held various senior finance and operations responsibilities with several large food and consumer products companies.  He holds an MBA from Essec, a leading French business school, and is an alumnus of the Columbia Business School's Senior Executive Program.

Alain lives with his wife, Jeanne, and son, Alexandre, in a nationally registered historic home in Plainfield, N.J.

Javier Sánchez Lamelas was elected vice president of Coca-Cola Trademark in January 2006. In his role, Javier is responsible for the worldwide growth and brand marketing of the trademark Coca-Cola brands. Javier joined The Coca-Cola Company in June 1996, as division deputy marketing director at Coca-Cola East and Central Eurasia Division in Austria. In 1998 he joined Coca-Cola Iberian Division as division marketing director and in 2003 as country manager and division marketing director for Coca-Cola Nordic & Baltic Division.

Prior to joining The Coca-Cola Company, Javier spent nearly 8 years at Procter & Gamble in positions in management and leadership functions in a number of P&G divisions in Europe.

A native of Spain, Javier graduated in Law by the University of Navarran and holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from I.E.S.E. He is married with three children.

Graham Mackay
Chief Executive
SABMiller plc

Peter van Stolk began in the beverage business when he founded Urban Hand Ltd., a predecessor company to Jones Soda Co., in 1987.   Urban Hand Ltd. operated until 1995 as the largest independent distributor of New Age beverages in Western Canada.  In 1995, Mr. van Stolk initiated the creation and launch of the Company’s own brands, with the launch of its flagship brand, Jones Soda Co. (“Jones Soda” or “Jones”), in 1996.    Initially launched into alternative channels of trade with a unique marketing approach including alternative athletes and sampling of Jones Soda via the roving R.V. program, Jones Soda is best known for its innovative labeling technique that incorporates always-changing photos sent in from its consumers.   Jones Soda Co. was a pioneer in launching its soda to alternative channels as well as creating an interactive soda, which further allows its consumers to create their own personalized case of “myjones” on-line, becoming the first beverage company to provide value-added and personalized packaging at a price which makes economic sense for both Jones Soda Co. and its consumers.  With such a strong emotional connection between the brand and its consumer, Jones has quickly developed a cult-like following in the youth demographic in North America as well as becoming the leader in the premium soda category.  

In 2001, Jones Soda Co. extended its product line into the non-carbonated juice & tea category with Jones Juice, utilizing the ever-changing photo concept as well.  In this same year, Jones Soda Co. launched Jones Energy, its own energy drink, which has rounded out the Jones brand to include premium soda, juice & teas and an energy drink.  The emotional connection between the consumer and the brand is the backbone of Mr. van Stolk’s branding strategy and for which he has been recognized by such publications as Advertising Age, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, CNN, and People Magazine.

Michael Weinstein is Chairman of INOV8 Beverage Company LLC, a beverage development company, which he co-founded in 2005. He began his career at the Pepsi-Cola Company in 1972 where he held various sales and marketing positions. From 1978-1981 he was vice-president/account supervisor at Kenyon & Eckhardt Advertising in New York. In 1981 he joined A&W Brands, a soft drink manufacturer, as VP Marketing and rose to President and Chief Operating Officer. Between 1995 and 2001 he was CEO of the Snapple Beverage Group and was responsible for multiple beverage brands including Snapple, Royal Crown, Mistic and Stewart’s. Snapple was acquired by Cadbury Schweppes plc in 2000 and Weinstein became Cadbury’s President of Global Innovation and Business Development in 2001.

Mr. Weinstein received a bachelor’s degree with honors in Economics from Lafayette College in 1970 and received an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1972. He is a director of H. J. Heinz Company and a board member of the National Federation for Teaching Entrepreneurship. In addition, Mr. Weinstein is on the external affairs committee of Lafayette College and is a section secretary for the Harvard Business School. He is also an active volunteer with the American Red Cross, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Food-PATCH.