WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Beverage Association (ABA) announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors.  The new members are: Zein Abdalla, president of PepsiCo, and Tim Brown, president and chief executive officer of Nestlé Waters North America, Inc.

“I am pleased to welcome these exceptional industry leaders to ABA’s Board of Directors,” said Claude Nielsen, chair of ABA’s Board of Directors and president and chief executive officer of Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc.  “Our new board members are sure to bring valuable perspectives as we work together as an industry to advance meaningful solutions to complex societal challenges.”

Abdalla assumed his current role with PepsiCo last September and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s global category groups (beverages, snacks and nutrition) as well as operations, marketing services and corporate strategy.  He joined PepsiCo in 1995 and has served in a number of senior leadership positions, most recently chief executive officer of PepsiCo Europe, where he was responsible for overseeing the food and beverage business in Continental Europe, the United Kingdom and sub-Sahara Africa.

Brown was named president and chief executive officer of Nestlé Waters North America, Inc. (NWNA) on February 1.  Prior to his recent appointment, Brown served as president and chief executive officer of Nestlé Canada since 2010 where he oversaw global Nestlé food brands and the introduction of successful new products.  Before joining Nestlé Canada, Brown spent 22 years with NWNA in a variety of roles, including executive vice president and general manager of retail operations.

“The ABA Board of Directors provides critical guidance and decision-making which are vital to the success of our association and our industry,” said Susan K. Neely, ABA president and chief executive officer. “We are privileged to have such a committed group of industry leaders at the helm of our organization, and honored to have Zein and Tim come onboard.”

Abdalla was appointed to replace Tom Bené, the former chair of the ABA Board of Directors, who retired from PepsiCo this month.  Brown was appointed to the Board to fill the seat of member Kim Jeffery, who retired from NWNA.  They will stand for election to a full term at the next ABA annual meeting.

Members of ABA’s Board of Directors serve a four-year term and participate in semi-annual meetings that help shape association policy and initiatives.  With the addition of these members, there are now 28 members on ABA’s Board of Directors.

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The American Beverage Association is the trade association representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in the United States.  For more information on ABA, please visit the association’s Web site at http://www.ameribev.orgor call the ABA communications team at (202) 463-6770.

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