Every week, as part of my Inspiring Leadership with Jonathan Bowman-Perks podcast series, I speak with a different guest who offers their insightful wisdom about all things leadership. This series is aimed at inspiring leaders, whatever level you are at. Whether you are starting out in your career, whether you are in a middle-ranking role, or whether you are a CEO or Chairman of a board – there is always something you can learn. This series provides you with the skills, stories, tips and techniques which you can pass on to those you lead, and your teams.
This week’s guest is Leendert Den Hollander. Leendert is the Vice President & General Manager of Northern Europe at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) since September 2020 and is a member of the Company’s Executive team. Between 2014 and 2020, he was Vice President & General manager of Great Britain at CCEP. He joined CCEP from Young’s Seafood Ltd, where he was Chief Executive Officer. Prior to that, Leendert was the UK Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer of its parent company, Findus Group. Earlier in his career, Leendert spent 15 years at Procter & Gamble in senior (marketing) positions, including leading their Global Household Cleaners business. Leendert is a former President of the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) and of the British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA). A native of the Netherlands, Leendert was educated at Erasmus University in Rotterdam. He is married with 3 children. “I have been in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry for more than 25 years, mostly in Branded businesses but also Private Label, in positions at country, regional and global level, in both public and private companies. I continue to be fascinated by how businesses & brands can influence decisions that consumers make every day in terms of what they buy, where they buy and how they buy. My passion is for those businesses and brands that have the capacity to truly engage with their customers & consumers, have a long-term view on society & sustainability and really believe in the power of collaboration within and across industries”. About CCEP: Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) is the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler and one of the world’s leading consumer goods companies. CCEP makes, sells and distributes a portfolio of drinks across 29 countries.
His top Leadership Tips involves his 4Cs:
1. Curiosity – ask “why?”
2. Challenge the status quo and stereotypes. Focus on inclusion then diversity.
3. Control your own destiny (life throws many challenges at us all).
4. Confident yet humble in your leadership approach
Click here to listen to the full episode
Love vs. Purpose according to Rene Yoakum
