OLIPOP has appointed Christian Patiño Webb as chief executive officer, replacing founder Ben Goodwin, who will become executive chairman and head of innovation. The leadership change keeps Goodwin involved in the company’s long-term vision, innovation, mission and culture while Webb takes responsibility for its next stage of growth.
Key Takeaways
- Christian Patiño Webb has been named OLIPOP’s new CEO.
- Founder Ben Goodwin is transitioning to executive chairman and head of innovation.
- Goodwin will continue working on OLIPOP’s long-term vision, innovation, mission, values and culture.
- Webb previously served as CEO of Electrolit and held roles at Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Red Bull and Unilever.
- OLIPOP raised $50 million in a Series C funding round that valued the company at $1.85 billion last year.
OLIPOP has appointed Christian Patiño Webb as its new CEO as the functional soda company prepares for its next stage of growth. Webb succeeds Ben Goodwin, who founded OLIPOP and has served as its chief executive.
The leadership change separates the company’s day-to-day CEO responsibilities from Goodwin’s continuing work on its long-term direction and innovation. Webb will lead the company as CEO, while Goodwin will move into the roles of executive chairman and head of innovation.
The transition keeps the founder involved in the company rather than ending his executive relationship with OLIPOP. Goodwin will continue to work on long-term vision, innovation, mission, values and culture while partnering with Webb.
A similar founder-to-executive-chairman transition was reported at Natura Resources, where founder Douglass Robison moved from CEO to executive chairman as Jordan Robison became CEO.
The appointment gives OLIPOP a new chief executive with experience in consumer brands. Before joining OLIPOP, Webb served as CEO of Electrolit. His previous career also includes positions at Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Red Bull and Unilever.
The company said the appointment is intended to support its next stage of growth. The change therefore involves both a new CEO and a revised executive role for the founder.
Ben Goodwin Moves Into Executive Chairman Role
Goodwin founded OLIPOP in 2018 and has led the company as CEO. Under the new structure, he will become executive chairman and head of innovation.
His responsibilities will include advancing innovation and shaping the company’s next phase of growth. He will also continue stewarding OLIPOP’s mission, values and culture.
Goodwin will work in partnership with Webb following the leadership transition. The arrangement allows the founder to retain responsibility for areas directly connected to the company’s long-term direction while transferring the CEO position to a new executive.
The distinction between the two roles establishes separate responsibilities within OLIPOP’s senior leadership structure. Webb will serve as CEO, while Goodwin’s new positions will keep him focused on innovation and the company’s longer-term priorities.
A separate executive succession case at Mohawk Industries also involved a departing CEO remaining chairman after a successor assumed the chief executive role.
Goodwin’s Continuing Responsibilities
Goodwin’s transition does not remove him from OLIPOP’s leadership. His new responsibilities include the company’s long-term vision, innovation, mission, values and culture.
His role as head of innovation also keeps him connected to the company’s product and development priorities. The company said he will help advance innovation while shaping its next phase of growth.
Goodwin will also continue working with Webb. That partnership provides a defined role for the founder while the new CEO assumes responsibility for leading the company.
The leadership structure places Goodwin’s founder perspective alongside Webb’s executive experience. Both leaders will have distinct responsibilities as OLIPOP moves into its next growth phase.
Founder Retains Leadership of Innovation and Vision
Goodwin founded OLIPOP with a focus on digestive health. The company has developed a functional soda formulated with plant fiber, prebiotics and botanicals.
His move into the executive chairman and head of innovation roles maintains his connection to those areas of the business. The company said Goodwin will continue shaping its long-term vision and advancing innovation.
The transition also preserves his involvement in OLIPOP’s mission, values and culture. Those responsibilities will remain part of his work as he moves away from the CEO position.
Goodwin’s continuing role means the leadership change does not represent a complete separation between OLIPOP and its founder. Instead, the company has assigned him responsibilities that remain connected to long-term direction and innovation.
The company also stated that Goodwin and Webb will work in partnership. Webb’s responsibilities as CEO will therefore operate alongside Goodwin’s continuing executive chairman and innovation duties.
CEO succession can also involve changes in responsibility as companies scale, including a shift toward more defined leadership structures.
OLIPOP’s Recent Funding and Valuation
OLIPOP has raised capital to support its growth. The company closed a $50 million Series C funding round last year that gave the business a valuation of $1.85 billion.
The company previously raised $30 million through a Series B funding round in 2022. Those funding rounds provide the reported financial context for the leadership transition and the company’s stated focus on its next phase of growth.
The Series C round is the most recent funding milestone included in the leadership announcement. The round established the $1.85 billion valuation referenced by the company.
OLIPOP’s fundraising history also provides context for its progression from a founder-led business to a company with a broader executive structure. The new CEO appointment changes the person responsible for the chief executive role while retaining Goodwin’s involvement in long-term strategy and innovation.
Webb Brings Consumer Brand Leadership Experience
Patiño Webb joins OLIPOP after serving as CEO of Electrolit. His career also includes positions at several major consumer and global brands.
His previous employers include Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Red Bull and Unilever. The range of companies in his professional background includes businesses with established consumer products and international operations.
At OLIPOP, Webb will take over the CEO position from Goodwin as the company prepares for its next growth phase. His appointment places an executive with previous CEO experience at the center of the company’s leadership structure.
Goodwin said the company spent significant time selecting its next CEO and identified Webb as the preferred candidate. He cited Webb’s record of scaling consumer brands, his focus on product quality and his ability to work within a strong founder-led vision.
Goodwin also described Webb’s character and leadership principles as factors in the selection. The comments establish the criteria the founder said were important in choosing a successor.
Webb’s appointment therefore combines previous chief executive experience with a background at several established consumer companies. At OLIPOP, that experience will be applied within a leadership structure that continues to include the founder.
Related coverage of scaling leadership teams examines the role of executive teams as founders build businesses beyond their early stages.
OLIPOP Enters Next Growth Phase With New Leadership
The CEO transition gives OLIPOP a new executive leader while retaining Goodwin in senior positions focused on innovation and long-term direction.
Webb will serve as chief executive, while Goodwin will serve as executive chairman and head of innovation. The two will work together as OLIPOP moves into its next stage of growth.
The company’s leadership structure also keeps responsibility for mission, values and culture with the founder. Goodwin will continue to steward those areas while advancing innovation and contributing to the company’s long-term vision.
The appointment follows OLIPOP’s reported $50 million Series C funding round and $1.85 billion valuation last year. The company had previously raised $30 million in 2022.
OLIPOP’s new structure places a CEO with previous consumer-brand leadership experience in charge of the company while maintaining the founder’s role in innovation and long-term strategy. The company has identified the leadership transition as part of its plans for its next phase of growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new CEO of OLIPOP?
Christian Patiño Webb is the new CEO of OLIPOP. He previously served as CEO of Electrolit and held positions at Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Red Bull and Unilever.
Who founded OLIPOP?
Ben Goodwin founded OLIPOP in 2018. He has served as the company’s founder and CEO and will now become executive chairman and head of innovation.
What role will Ben Goodwin have at OLIPOP?
Goodwin will serve as executive chairman and head of innovation. He will continue working on OLIPOP’s long-term vision, innovation, mission, values and culture and will work in partnership with Webb.
What companies has Christian Patiño Webb previously led?
Patiño Webb most recently served as CEO of Electrolit. His career also includes roles at Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Red Bull and Unilever.
How much funding has OLIPOP raised?
OLIPOP raised $50 million in a Series C funding round last year and previously raised $30 million in a Series B funding round in 2022.
