WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
Daniela Kaiser: Digital & Technology Platform Director Austria with Coca-Cola HBC.
Tenure with Coca-Cola HBC: 19 years+
Previous experience: Consulting with Booz Allen Hamilton & local consultant companies
CEMSie? Yes! Graduate of WU.
WHY COCA-COLA HBC?
Coca-Cola HBC is one of the largest beverage partners in the Coca-Cola system. Across our markets, we are driving a digital transformation to better serve both our customers and our employees. In Austria, where our national entity is headquartered in Vienna, I play a role in strengthening how we connect and collaborate - acting as a bridge between employees, our Group digital teams, and senior leadership. Being part of such a world-renowned brand means the work is incredibly dynamic – no two days are ever the same.
So, what brought me here in the first place? I’d built up academic expertise in consultancy and started my career in that field. While consulting is fantastic, it often involves a kind of rotation - every few months, you’re onto something new or different. Working for Coca-Cola HBC offered the chance to work for a well-known brand where transformation is key, but so are connection and networking. And that opens up far greater opportunities to truly drive meaningful change and make a real impact.
YOU’VE BEEN WITH COCA-COLA HBC FOR 19 YEARS. WHAT IS THAT HAS KEPT YOU HERE?
We are a people-centric company. The people and the culture are what keep me here. There’s a strong sense of community and shared purpose in everything we do – whether it’s customer centricity, collaboration, sustainability, simplification or communication – those are the pillars that form our cultural manifesto.
Working here has exposed me to a wide range of opportunities - from business transformation and sustainability to, most recently, AI and automation, all aimed at improving life for our employees and customers. There’s real passion in everything we do – especially in the sustainability space. Our teams are working tirelessly to reduce plastic usage and deploy initiatives like returnable glass bottles and deposit return systems.
Personally, what keeps me connected to this company is the continuous progression and rotation I’ve experienced. I’ve typically spent around three years in each role, gaining new insights, facing fresh challenges and collaborating with new teams - all while deepening my understanding. I’ve never once felt like I was doing something repetitive or uninspiring in these past 19 years.
WHO HAS DRIVEN YOUR PROGRESSION – YOU OR THE COMPANY?
Both. You need to bring passion and ambition, along with the drive to excel in your work. That needs to come from within, from your own inner motivation. But of course, the company plays a vital role too. Coca-Cola HBC is incredibly supportive, offering leadership development programmes that accelerate your growth from domain expertise to broader leadership. You are challenged to evolve from leading a team to leading multiple teams. At every key transition point, and whenever you step into a new senior role, there are tailored programmes to support you.
Personally, I’ve always felt empowered to speak up openly about my career progression and development with my line managers. There have never been any obstacles to getting their fullest support. Over time I’ve built a strong network within the company and benefited from coaching and mentorship from senior decision-makers – including one who is now our GM. And it’s a real pleasure for me to be able to work with her again. And our collaboration continues to be incredibly rewarding.
IS THAT HOW YOU SEE LEADERSHIP? SUPPORTING OTHERS?
Yes, and I believe this naturally evolves as your role expands. There’s a shift from leading operations to shaping strategy - and from there, to learning how to help your team grow. The key to empowering others is to listen. And that means not always having the answers but rather asking the right questions – discovering what people need to feel supported and helping them to find their own solutions.
In a company like ours – fast-paced and constantly growing – leadership is also about creating clarity, setting context, and accelerating decision-making. It’s about acting as both a connector and a filter: helping my team to cut through the noise and focus on why we do what we do. Personally, I see myself as a coach. I help to remove obstacles and encourage a mindset of continuous improvement; and foster to be solution-oriented thinking – always with the customer at the centre.
YOU ARE A CEMSIE. HOW DID CEMS EMPOWER YOU TO LAUNCH YOUR CAREER?
My career has been incredibly diverse and far from linear. CEMS gave me a strong foundation in business and a rigorous academic background, which allowed me to explore different aspects of business and leadership. As a CEMSie you are challenged to be brave: to step out of your comfort zone, explore new cultures, meet new people and build lasting relationships and networks. The combination of hard and soft skills training – especially in areas like social competences and conflict management – has been hugely valuable throughout my career. The internship programmes were also helpful, offering first-hand insights into company culture and helping bridge the gap between theory and practice. So CEMS truly gave me a powerful toolkit to apply in my professional journey.
I was promoted early in my career at Coca-Cola HBC, and CEMS really gave me the confidence to succeed. But I was also open to the learning that comes with leadership – growing through mistakes and recognizing the critical importance of building trust with the people you work with. Trust is something I first discovered as a CEMSie: trusting in the experience, the people I met – and the international network I built – which remains active and meaningful to this day. It’s a delight to reconnect with fellow leaders who went through the programme and reflect on who we were 20 years ago.
REFLECTING ON WHO YOU WERE 20 YEARS AGO, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU SHARE WITH TODAY’S YOUNGER GENERATION?
Look, I have kids of my own. My sense is that young people really need to do what they love and not feel pressured into jobs or organisations they don’t feel passionate about. My advice to young people is: Do what your heart tells you to do. After all, you might be doing it for the next 50 years. And remember: life doesn’t end with university or graduation. It’s constantly evolving, and you need to keep learning and growing - otherwise you won’t progress. So, build a growth mindset and actively seek out opportunities to learn both for yourself and for your company.
Two more things I’d add. First, build your networks because it will be one of your most valuable assets. Second, build your resilience. Young people, in my experience, tend to give up too quickly. Pace yourself. Take time to process setbacks or challenges and talk your experiences through with people you trust. Learn to adapt when things change, even if those changes aren’t welcome. Take a moment. Reflect. Then move forward.