As a natural-born leader, Jesse Antonio Lopez says it’s in his DNA to take on challenges and “build from the bottom up.” In 2015, after a solid strategy and marketing career in the consumer packaged-goods industry at leading global companies—including PepsiCo, Frito-Lay, and Mondelez International—Lopez, an MIT graduate, was recruited to lead the newly formed Strategic Business Intelligence (SBI) team at HEINEKEN USA. Within a short period of time, Lopez leads a highly effective team that guides strategy generation and implementation for one of the largest operating companies in the Heineken Group. One of the most challenging and rewarding responsibilities of his current role, Lopez says, “is to drive strategic business decisions by building strong cross-functional partnerships across the organization and translating vast amounts of data into meaningful insights and actions.” His SBI team regularly collaborates across regions (Western, Southeast, Central, and Northeast regions); brands (including Heineken, Dos Equis, Tecate, Strongbow, Amstel Light, and Newcastle); and functions (working on sales, marketing, finance, and operations).
Wunderfacts:
• Lopez is the first in his family to graduate from college. He holds a BS degree in management science with a concentration in finance from MIT.
• Accolades: Last year, Lopez was recognized at the 2015 Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers™ (YHCA) program in Atlanta. Finalists were selected based on their demonstrated leadership qualities, achievements within their respective corporations, and proven commitment to the Hispanic community. Lopez says the program is “instrumental in not only helping companies identify their high-potential leaders but equally important in recognizing those leaders at the national level”
