Waterdrop announces former Western Union CEO Hikmet Ersek as special advisor

Waterdrop®, the fast-growing hydration scale-up with a mission to encourage people to drink more water to live a healthier and more sustainable life, is thrilled to welcome Hikmet Ersek. Ersek will serve as special advisor to the CEO and advisory board member, as the hydration brand is building an advisory board to help navigate its fast-paced growth and worldwide expansion. 

Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, waterdrop® has been shaking up the beverage industry since 2016, thanks to its innovative waterdrop® Microdrink and global hydration platform. The company’s goal is to change the fundamentals of an obsolete ecosystem by promoting responsible consumption of tap water and avoiding the outdated idea of bottling and shipping unsustainable and mostly unhealthy beverages.

Hikmet Ersek is a global business leader with over 35 years of experience in the financial and technology industry. He is well-known for his successful tenure as CEO of Western Union, where he led the payments company’s digital transformation and worldwide expansion, positioning the iconic brand as a household name across 200 countries. Ersek, based in Colorado/USA, also serves as a board member and advisor to public and private companies. 

“I am excited to join waterdrop® as a special advisor and as member of the advisory board,” said Hikmet Ersek. “I am impressed by the company’s innovative hydration products and their commitment to creating a healthier and more sustainable environment. I am looking forward to advising the waterdrop® team to accelerate their international development and establish their position as the leading global hydration brand, appreciated by customers worldwide.” 

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The fast growing hydration brand is already operating in Europe, CEE, Singapore and recently entered successfully the US market. The company will be launching in several additional regions in the coming months. With this major move, waterdrop® plans to accelerate its growth in new international markets and will establish its position as a global hydration leader. 

“I am humbled and delighted to receive the support of a business leader like Hikmet Ersek,” said Martin Murray, CEO & founder of waterdrop®. “We share our Austrian roots but also a common goal of creating a healthier and more sustainable environment on a global scale. Hikmets experience and knowledge will be invaluable as we continue to navigate the ever-changing landscape of the beverage industry. We look forward to working with him to achieve our goals and drive the company forward. We want to make waterdrop® the leading global hydration brand and spread our core message “Drink More Water” worldwide.” 

The hydration scale up recently welcomed Novak Djokovic as an investor and long-term global brand ambassador highlighting the importance of committed brand ambassadors as well as transforming

ATP tournaments plastic-bottle free with innovative hydration benches. Increasingly daring and anchored in its Austrian heritage, waterdrop® has been the official hydration partner of the legendary Hahnenkamm races since 2022: one of the most challenging and spectacular Alpine ski races in the world. Many bold moves for such a young company, determined to become an essential actor in the global hydration landscape!