New Managing Director at Coca-Cola HBC Hungary

László Békefi

László Békefi, General Manager of Coca-Cola HBC Hungary, will continue his professional career within the Coca-Cola HBC Group starting December 1, 2024. In his new role as Group Coffee Division Director, he will be responsible for developing the parent company’s coffee portfolio and the strategic management of two premium coffee brands available in Hungary – Costa Coffee and Caffè Vergnano.

László Békefi joined Coca-Cola HBC Hungary in 2003 as a management trainee and deepened his commercial knowledge over the years, becoming not only an experienced leader but also a respected professional in the industry. In 2019, he returned from Poland, where he worked as a sales director, to take over the leadership of the Hungarian organization. During his nearly six-year tenure, the Hungarian subsidiary achieved record revenues, sales volumes, and profit results. Under his leadership, Coca-Cola HBC Hungary’s flagship brands achieved record market shares, and the company’s products are now found in more than two-thirds of Hungarian households.

“I owe a debt of gratitude to Coca-Cola HBC Hungary, which has played a key role in my professional journey. I started my career in Dunaharaszti 21 years ago, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to lead the company that gave me a chance as a beginner. I look back with pride on the years I spent here, the results we achieved together, and the incredible growth we accomplished. I believe this company continues to hold great potential, and Ágnes has everything she needs to succeed: a popular and beloved full-range beverage portfolio, a dedicated and talented expert team, and an innovative mindset that permeates the company’s operations.”

– said László Békefi.

Ágnes Kovács

The leadership of Coca-Cola HBC Hungary will be taken over by Ágnes Kovács starting December 1, 2024. With more than 25 years of experience, she has acquired extensive knowledge in strategic business management, sales, and marketing at several leading FMCG companies. An experienced senior executive, she has held leading international positions at major corporations such as Mondelēz International, Johnson&Johnson, Unilever, and Mars. She is also familiar with the beverage market: between 2017 and 2021, she served as the CEO of Eckes Granini Hungary, where she implemented significant transformations, strengthened the company’s position, and elevated its key brands to market leadership. Thanks to her achievements, she was promoted to Marketing and Innovation Leader and became a member of the Eckes Granini Group Board, responsible for group-wide branding and innovation. She joins Coca-Cola HBC Hungary from Zooplus SE, a leading pet food platform in Europe, where as Vice President of Exclusive Brands, she managed a €650 million portfolio, overseeing 30 brands and more than 2,000 products.

“It is an honor to accept the invitation to lead the largest beverage company in the country, whose activities are of significant importance not only in Hungary but also in Central Europe. Despite the complexity of its portfolio, this company has achieved balanced growth in recent years and has developed incredible resilience through rational decisions, forward-looking technological investments, and projects supporting a circular economy in the face of the turbulent economic and geopolitical environment. I am proud to join a committed team, and with the experience I have gained during my career.