In 2021, Curt joined as a Managing Partner of Ventech China, he leads Ventech China investing in Consumer Markets, focusing on the fast-growing Chinese Consumer Class.
A former 38 year veteran of The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), Curt was President of The Coca-Cola Greater China, Korea & Mongolia Business Unit (TCCC GC & K BU) starting in 2016. This operation covered more than a 1.7 billion population, directly employing more than 51,000 system associates and supporting over 500,000 additional jobs.
After he successfully engineered the refranchising to build an even stronger two bottler franchise system in China, Curt drove the Business Unit to become the fastest growing market for TCCC. Coca-Cola GC&K made it to the finalist of the 2018 and 2019 Woodruff Cup for Best All Around Performance across all the Company’s Business Units.
Since joining Coca-Cola USA in 1983, Curt has served a wide range of executive positions in the USA and a number of ASEAN countries before being appointed Managing Director of The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Egypt in 2000. In late 2003, Curt became Senior Regional Director for the Western Africa Region and was appointed President of the 27 county North and West Africa Division in January 2005. Later Curt’s portfolio expanded to 34 countries to include the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan as President of Middle East and North Africa Business Unit. Curt has been named to the Forbes Top Ten influential leaders list in the Middle East for six consecutive years. In 2012, his MENA Business Unit was awarded The Woodruff Cup, an award recognizing top company performance.
Curt sits on the Board of the Indiana University Foundation and Kelley Business School Dean’s Advisory Council. Curt was recently awarded the Indiana University Distinguished Alumni Service Award recognizing Indiana’s top alumni accomplishment in their field of endeavor.
Curt was the Chairman of Coca-Cola Bottlers China Manufacturing Holdings Limited and he served as Vice-Chairman of The American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. Currently, he is a Senior Corporate Advisor to BAO Steel Packaging and serves as Chairman of Dmall – a Hong Kong listed E-retailer, also he is one of the Bain & Company China Advisory Council’s committee members. Curt has extensive experience as a Board Director for independent Coca-Cola Bottlers, Community and Business-based organizations.
Curt holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Indiana University Kelley School. He is a graduate of the Executive Development Programs at Stanford University and the Wharton School. Currently, he is also on the Global Board of GMAC-Graduate Management Admission Council.
Conference Hall
The total retail sales stood at RMB 34.2 trillion from Q1 to Q3 2023, up by 6.8%. Resilience, recovery, and hope are on the way. However, we must not ignore the fact that only 50% of consumers are pleased with their financial status. The confidence of consumers in different income bands, according to a report by BCG, could further diverge. Affluent consumers are more willing to spend, while the middle class, as the mainstream spenders, is stressed. Against this backdrop, product-ism and cost performance are making a comeback. We are going to discuss:
—What signals are indicated by the macro economy as to consumption trends in the future?
—What are the characteristics of categories for which consumers show a stronger willingness of purchase?
—What more is expected by consumers of brands and products?