The Talent Studios Has Placed Chris Gallant as CEO of ZICO Coconut Water
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Talent Studios has placed Chris Gallant as the Chief Executive Officer of iconic coconut water and hydration brand, ZICO Rising. Gallant was CEO of the much-hyped celebrity coffee brand, Chamberlain Coffee, growing it from a small startup to a brand found in over 12,000 retailers across the US and Canada. Gallant had formerly built an impressive body of work within the beverage vertical at The Bronx Brewery, Heineken & Red Bull, and spent his early career as a management consultant at Bain & Company. Jeremy Cohen and Serena Smith led the assignment for The Talent Studios.
“I am excited to be a part of ZICO, a brand that has been a leader in the coconut water category for years,” said Gallant. “ZICO’s dedication to quality, sustainability, and offering refreshing, healthy beverages truly resonates with me. I look forward to collaborating with Mark and the talented team at ZICO to strengthen its foundation and elevate the brand to even greater heights.”
ZICO is a hydration category pioneer, and coconut water has become the fastest growing beverage product category in the United States. Founded in 2004, ZICO helped create the coconut water category and scaled to cultural prominence, ultimately to be acquired by Coca-Cola in 2013. In 2020, Mark Rampolla, the original ZICO Founder and currently the Managing Partner of GroundForce Partners, immediately reacquired the ZICO brand, built a luminary Board and world-class executive team. Beloved by health-minded consumers and athletes, including investor and brand ambassador Naomi Osaka, ZICO stands out as the ultimate natural hydration drink.
Gallant will be tasked with taking the brand to the next level, introducing it to new audiences, platforms, and product categories.
The Talent Studios is the leading business-to-consumer focused retained executive search firm, working across consumer technology, digital commerce, four-wall commerce & service businesses, iconic brands, entertainment, media & content, and consumer services. Its vertical focus: fashion & apparel, food & beverage, beauty & personal care, lifestyle brands, action sports, fitness/wellness, creator economy, media & content, digital and physical consumer services (Healthcare, FinTech, Education, two-sided Marketplaces). Its clients include Apollo Management, Advent International, Andreessen Horowitz, Bain Capital, L Catterton, Red Bull, Mattel, Disney, Burton Snowboards, Restoration Hardware, The Princeton Review, Spring Education Group, Homes.com, Pure Barre, TOMS Shoes, Boardriders, Aston Martin, Fanatics, Health-Ade Kombucha, SmartyPants Vitamins, Lulus.com, Edmunds.com, Philz Coffee and Public Goods.
Mr. Cohen co-founded The Talent Studios in 2011 following early search experience at global executive search firm, DHR International, where he served as a Principal in the firms Retail/Consumer and Private Equity practices. He has led pivotal leadership searches that propelled privately held clients through growth to exit as well as large scale transformation and performance enhancement at large public companies and brands. In addition to search, Cohen assists clients with performance management and assessment strategy and holds an M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University in the City of New York.
Ms. Smith is entering her third year at The Talent Studios, where she supports search execution on senior leadership searches. She joined The Talent Studios following graduation from Bucknell University.
