When we speak to Paul Beelen via a video connection from his home office in Utrecht, it is immediately clear: here is a man who not only works remotely, but also really makes an impact remotely. Three weeks a month, he virtually leads his team of 150 IT professionals. In the fourth week, he travels to the head office in Switzerland or one of the 29 countries for which his team manages the IT infrastructure. “I do sometimes miss the coffee machine conversation,” Paul laughs, “but the content of my work is so fascinating that I am happy to put up with that.”
As Head of IT & Technology PMO at Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, Paul is one of the few colleagues who operates from the Netherlands. Yet, thanks to technology, he is constantly in touch with his team, which is spread across the three IT hubs in Bulgaria, Greece and Egypt.
Using IT to Create Business Value
Paul joined Coca-Cola HBC more than three years ago, after being approached via LinkedIn. “The rest is history,” he says soberly, although his track record — with previous positions at FrieslandCampina, Liberty Global and Tata Steel — betrays that he does work with a mission. “What appeals to me so much here? The scale, the diversity of the work and the challenge of strategically deploying IT to create real business value.”
With a turnover of 11 billion euros, Coca-Cola HBC is the third largest bottler worldwide and mainly serves markets in Eastern and Southern Europe. But it’s no longer just about soft drinks. “We also supply water, energy drinks, coffee and even spirits. This makes our distribution more efficient – if we are already visiting the cafes, we can supply more than just Coke.”
Paul’s role consists of three important pillars: guiding the transformation from traditional waterfall methodology to agile working, managing an international team of scrum masters, agile coaches and quality managers, and monitoring the progress of the IT portfolio. “We build a variety of solutions,” he explains. “From supply chain optimization to cybersecurity, and from HR tools to commercial applications. Our platforms are the digital backbone of 29 countries.”
AI in Action: Coolers with a Brain, the Red and White Metaverse and Digital Assistance
One of the most innovative applications Paul is working on is in something seemingly simple: the red and white Coca-Cola coolers. With more than a million coolers under management, this is a crucial touchpoint for the brand. These coolers are now smart. “We track how often a door opens, and combine that data with photos taken by our field analysts. AI analyzes the usage and makes personalized product recommendations. For the customer, that means a more relevant offer, for us it means better placement and more turnover.”
IT is also being used smartly in other areas. Sales staff are now being trained in a virtual metaverse environment, developed in collaboration with Microsoft. There, they practice how they can “brand” cafes and restaurants into real Coca-Cola locations. Which cooler fits where? What is a successful way of upselling? It is precisely these details that become tangible and measurable in a virtual learning environment.
But despite all the technology, the human factor remains essential. “We have a group of internal experts, the brAIntrust, who meet every two weeks to assess the ethics, strategy and impact of our AI applications. Technology should strengthen us, not replace us,” Paul emphasizes.
An example of a successful integration of technology is the digital assistant that is used internally. “We have uploaded 40,000 user stories. Now employees receive automatic suggestions for promotional emails or chatbot answers. This saves time, increases quality and is a quick win that creates a lot of support for AI in the organization.”
From Fear to Adaptation: Technology is People’s Work
Yet Paul acknowledges that the biggest challenge is not technological, but human. “AI is drastically changing traditional jobs. Drones now do inventory checks that used to cost three people five hours. Chatbots are taking over more and more customer contact. That raises questions.” That is why the company also has a social mission. “We actively retrain people so that they can move with the future. It’s not a choice between people or technology – it’s about synergy.”
What drives Paul is clear: IT and data are not a goal in themselves, but a powerful means to accelerate business processes, improve sustainability and deepen customer relationships. “As long as we continue to put people first and use technology smartly, we can continue to grow. And that makes my work not only complex and challenging – but above all meaningful.”
Exclusive Vision Dinner with Paul Beelen
On June 12, Paul Beelen will speak at a Flevum Vision Dinner about how Coca-Cola HBC uses AI, real-time data analysis and digital technologies to improve decision-making and operational efficiency. If you are responsible for data, IT or technology within your organization and would like to participate, please register via this link.
