Thomas R.

Kereszti

transforming consumer product companies

San Francisco CA 94080 Tel 1 415 793 4509 Email:Tomk@cafe-razzi.com

www.linkedin.com/in/ThomasKereszti

Results oriented C level executive and leader with diverse experience in multinational consumer goods
companies. Proven track record of business success through mergers and acquisitions, startups,
product development and restructuring in different geographies of competitive and high growth markets.
Change agent by improving peoples lives through innovative products, values in work culture and
giving back to local communities.
KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Leadership and strategy. Created company vision and values to establish a profitable growth strategy.
Executed strategy by new market entries, mergers & acquisitions, global alliances and non-strategic business
divestments. Attained market leadership in emerging and mature markets with sales ranging from $12M to
$250M+.
Sales growth & market development. Achieved exponential sales growth through sales & marketing
initiatives. Through product innovation, new product introductions, improved sales practices & alignment of
sales structure with customers needs, attained compounded annual sales growth CAGR ranging from 18% to
28%.
Change management & turnaround specialist. Restructured unprofitable businesses by focusing on high
margin categories, new product introductions and niche business development. Reshaped P&L and balance
sheet eliminating unproductive expenses and divesting non working assets freeing up cash flow for investment
priorities. Eliminated operating losses ranging from ($100K) to ($1M).
Mentoring & people development. Built winning local & corporate executive teams by mentoring, training
and empowering for success. Integrated global and local mergers with business & human processes preserving
company culture and clear communication to customers. Implemented organization excellence through
succession planning and value driven incentive systems from 65 to 2000+ employees.

EXPERTISE THAT DRIVES PROFITABLE GROWTH:

Established global alliances, market & business development.

Negotiated, acquired, merged companies. Formed joint ventures.
Created Brands through market research, consumer insight and product development.
Restructured stagnating non-profitable companies to lucrative status.
Led successful startup of new companies.
Mentored people development, training, and team building.
Achieved consumer & trade product preference through sales & marketing.
Managed relationships among board, investors and stake holders.
Planned, budgeted, and controlled regional & country business activities.
Demonstrated P&L responsibility in competitive and high growth market environments.
Adopted business technology and acted as an internal company consultant.
Led successful global corporate initiatives.

CAREER HISTORY:

Thomas R. Kereszti - page 2

CAFE-RAZZI 2004 Present

Caf Razzi is the premier Italian Espresso & coffee distributor for offices, hotels, restaurants show rooms & salons.

Founder & CEO

2004 present

Created a vision and developed a long-term strategic business plan including securing distribution rights.
Formed alliances necessary to support business growth. With powerful, globally recognized brands Lavazza,
Segafredo, Chock Full O'Nuts, Mighty Leaf, & Ghirardelli and complete range of espresso, coffee, tea, and cocoa
more than 1000 customers enjoy our products each day.
Implemented sales & marketing initiatives and attained compounded annual sales growth rate of 28% through first 8
years.

STRAUSS-ELITE 2001 2004

Based in Israel, this $1B FMCG foods company controlled by the Strauss family has JVs with Danone, Unilever & Pepsi.

CEO Elite International Netherlands International HQ

2001 2004

Elite International is a leading branded coffee & coffee related products and services company primarily in the emerging
markets of Central & Eastern Europe and Latin America. With net sales in excess of $250M and commercial &
manufacturing operations in 12+ countries, Elite International employs 2000 employees.
Reported to the CEO of Strauss and headed all international operations of the StraussElite group. Achieved sales
growth CAGR 20% through new product introductions and M&A in new & existing markets.
Eliminated -$1M operating losses by restructuring unprofitable subsidiaries and divested non strategic businesses.
Created a vision and developed strategic business plan, balancing local strengths and focusing on regional
expansion.
Implemented a category business unit approach focusing on the traditional Retail channel and the rapidly
expanding Out Of Home consumption channel.
Restructured the company and established an international management team for best FMCG and BtoB practices.
Created an alliance with Lavazza the leading global Italian coffee brand.

RECKITTBENCKISER

1996 2001

ReckittBenckiser is Fortune 500 and the worlds largest household cleaning company operating in 100+ countries.

Director Global Business Improvements United Kingdom Corporate HQ

1999 2001

Reported to the CEO & EVP of Information Systems and managed the $5+B global merger process of
ReckittBenckiser. Consulted with and enabled independent professional teams to establish new business processes in
commercial, operational & back office competencies.
Identified technologies to track merger synergies, merger costs and growth opportunities.
Established processes to capture new business models aligned with the merged companys needs.
Benchmarked global business processes to world class standards & integrated improvements.
Piloted new technology to support new business processes.
Identified internal process needs to meet B2B & B2C e-business opportunities.

General Manager - Mexico

1998 1999

Reported to the V.P. of Americas and led Benckisers first Latin American and first new market entry as a public company.
Developed a 5 year strategic business plan with revenues of over $100M.
Established the best selling premium cleaner in Mexico through leading share of voice in TV media.
Identified acquisition candidate & led initial due diligence for board approval.
Developed world wide fabric softener strategies as a key member of the Global Marketing Team.

General Manager - Czech & Slovak Republics

1996 - 1998

Reported to the V.P. of Eastern Europe and turned around Benckisers stagnating and non-profitable local subsidiary
to lucrative status.
Generated compounded annual sales growth of 18% to over $40m and profit growth of +200% while reducing net
working capital by 4% and minimized exposure of multiple currencies.
Reversed declining market shares in mature market segments and achieved market dominance in specialty high
profit product categories.
Developed the local team of 100+, eventually promoting 5 managers to international positions.
2

 Defined regional strategies as member of the Eastern European Management Team.

Thomas R. Kereszti - page 3

PHILIPS ELECTRONICS COMPANY 1994 - 1996

Royal Philips Electronics is eighth on Fortune's list of global top 30 electronics corporations. Philips is active in about 60
businesses, varying from consumer electronics to domestic appliances, and from security systems to semiconductors.

General Manager - Consumer Products - Hungary

1994-1996

Reported to the CEO of Philips Hungary and restructured and aligned with the local market, the consumer electronics
& domestic appliances division of Philips Electronics Hungarian subsidiary. Attained market leadership in numerous
market segments resulting in year on year net sales growth of 161%.

COLGATE PALMOLIVE COMPANY 1980 - 1994

Colgate-Palmolive is a Fortune 500 consumer products powerhouse, operates in over 200 world markets and is leader in
Oral Care, Personal Care, Household Surface Care, Fabric Care and Pet Nutrition categories.

Deputy General Manager - Hungary

1991 - 1994

Led successful startup of a new company in Hungary, Colgate Palmolive's lead country in the Eastern European Division. In
three years, attained leadership shares in selected segments of the oral, body and surface cleaning categories and achieve sales
growth from a zero base to $12+M. Identified and acquired the local Fabulon company, to position Colgate Palmolive as the
number 2 body care company in Hungary.

Corporate & Subsidiary Management Positions USA

1980 - 1991

Held various managerial positions of increasing responsibility in all critical commercial and operational competencies
with strategic and tactical implications. Located in New York corporate headquarters & different geographies.
EDUCATION

Polytechnic Institute Of New York B.S.Mech.Eng. Computer Science Minor. 1980

Pace University Lubin School of Business M.B.A.
Wharton School of Business Fellows member

ACADEMIC AWARDS:
Who's Who Among Students In American Universities.
Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.

BUSINESS AWARDS:
Colgate Palmolive Chairman's You Can Make a
Difference 1990.

AFFILIATIONS:
Wharton Fellows Executive member
Branded Products Association - board member.
Supervisory board member - several private companies.
American International School board member.

DATE OF BIRTH: August 29, 1956

MARITAL STATUS: Married, 3 children
NATIONALITY: American
LANGUAGES: English, Hungarian, Limited Spanish

HOBIES: Sports, Tennis, Travel, Antiques.