Gorilla Energy has appointed Ahmed Elafifi to be its new chief executive officer, according to a release shared by the company. Elafifi brings more than 30 years of experience to Gorilla to lead its next phase of bold expansion and brand evolution.
Gorilla, which is headquartered in Los Angeles and Dubai, has operations spanning 29 countries and a No. 1 market position in three key energy drink markets in Asia, the release noted — and a sales trajectory approaching 1 billion cans. With Elafifi at the helm, the company expects to “double down” on its market presence in North America, Asia and the Middle East, innovate new products and push boundaries with culturally driven marketing.
Elafifi has led market breakthroughs at Coca-Cola, launching Monster and Burn brands regionally, and he oversaw Red Bull’s entry into more than 50 countries. He turned around Coca-Cola HBC Egypt, and he also founded TranQuini, a relaxation beverage brand, which launched in more than 40 countries. During his time at Red Bull, he also strengthened the brand’s extreme sports partnerships and cultural marketing.
About the Author
Andy Hanacek
Senior Editor
Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.