Behind every strong brand there is a strong vision. Rohan Oza is a globally renowned marketing expert with an impeccable record of identifying key trends and building some of the world’s most recognized brands. His fame exploded with Coca-Cola Company when he cemented the mass appeal for such products as Vitaminwater and Smartwater before transferring his skills to Glacéau.
In his role as chief marketing officer and partner at Glacéau, he used his innovative marketing approach to recruit major celebrity endorsements such as 50 Cent, Jennifer Aniston, Madonna, Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady and LeBron James. Coming full circle, Glacéau was purchased by Coca-Cola Company in 2007 for $4.1 billion US. It seems where Oza goes, tremendous success follows. Other notable companies in Oza’s portfolio include Vita Coco and Pop Chips.
Rohan Oza/The Huffington Post
I look for ‘need to have’ products vs. ‘nice to have’ products, combine that with creative marketing and a little bit of magic and you’ve got yourself an iconic brand.
Oza remained with Glacéau until 2016 when he left his successful career to begin a venture career which led to co-founding Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited Venture Partners. CAVU quickly became one of the fastest growing venture funds in the consumer packaged goods space, raising over $156 million US in four months for their first fund, and another $210 million US in under a month for their second fund.
Dubbed “Hollywood’s Brandfather” by the Hollywood Reporter, Oza appeared in season 9 of ABC’s Shark Tank and is currently a guest shark on the 10th season. His reputation for giving honest and savvy feedback to those pitching products made him a fan favourite. His list of accomplishments include making Crain’s New York Business 40 Under 40 list in 2007, being recognized by Sports Business Journal on their 40 Under 40 list in 2008 and 2009 for his savvy partnerships with sports celebrities, and being given the Marketing 50 award by Ad Age in 2009.
Rohan Oza/ The Los Angeles Times
You can be a fantastic businessman and still have humility. That’s something that I strive to do. I may not succeed all the time, but I try, because I remember that [my father] was an admired businessman because of that.
Oza remains dedicated to making a positive impact in the world beyond his marketing genius. One of the philanthropic endeavours closest to this Zambia native’s heart is Children Matter NGO, a partnership between the Starkey Hearing Foundation and Matter Organization, focusing on providing hearing implants, food and medical equipment to underprivileged children in Africa. Whatever the future holds for this ambitious South Asian, it is clear that his branding impact on popular culture is everlasting.
Rohan Oza received an ANOKHI Sexy & Successful Award in 2010 and an ANOKHI PRESTIGE Award in 2013.
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