Nestlé Waters North America Names New CEO

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 31, 2017 – Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) announced today that Fernando Mercé has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of the company, effective May 1, 2017. 

Mr. Mercé, formerly Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Purina Latin America & Caribbean, will oversee all Nestlé Waters North America’s operations in both the United States and Canada.  Mr. Mercé will also serve as a member of the global Nestlé Waters board of directors. 

“I am delighted that Fernando will be leading Nestlé Waters North America as it begins an exciting new chapter,” said Maurizio Patarnello, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nestlé Waters. “His proven leadership, passion for innovation and deep commitment to creating a learning culture will enrich our strong NWNA teams and ensure that we build on our growth legacy to retain our leadership position in the category.” 

At Nestlé Purina Latin America & Caribbean, Mercé presided over a sustained period of strong results, including double digit increases in organic growth, profitability and market share, all while introducing key innovations to the PetCare category. 

“Today, we are at an inflection point in the North American consumer beverage category, and I’m looking forward to becoming a part of it,” said Mr. Mercé. “Following a shift over many years, bottled water is now America’s number one beverage choice, displacing carbonated soft drinks. As this migration continues, we are well-positioned to expand in the United States and Canada with leading brands that are poised for strong growth.” 

Mercé began his career with Nestlé in 1992 as an Industrial Engineer with the Operations Improvement Team, before joining marketing and steadily increasing his responsibilities. His roles have included E-Business development, Director of Marketing for the Friskies™ Brand, Global Marketing Director in the PetCare Global Strategic Business Unit. Mr. Mercé also served as Vice President and Deputy of Nestlé’s Americas Zone before moving to Nestlé Purina. 

Mr. Mercé holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. Carlos Romano, Business Executive Officer, Food & Beverages, Argentina, will be joining Nestlé Purina as President, Nestlé Purina Latin America & Caribbean.