Jorge Mesquita ’83, Transformational Leader Behind World’s Most Recognizable Brands

Florida Institute of Technology was celebrating its 25th anniversary in 1983 when Jorge Mesquita graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. Mesquita hails from Maputo in Mozambique, once a colony of Portugal, with a coastline stretching over 1500 miles along the Indian Ocean in southern Africa. Maputo is the capital city of Mozambique and is graced with a rich fusion of classical European architectural design and a unique touch of local Mozambique art.  

Jorge’s older siblings were enrolled at Florida Institute of Technology when he came to the states. He landed first at Barry University but transferred to Florida Tech based on the strength of our technology and engineering programs.   

During his junior and senior years, Jorge played soccer and was a member of the American Society of Chemical Engineers. Jorge appreciated the dedication of his professors and their investment in the success of the students.  

After graduation, Jorge was recruited by consumer-packaged goods giant, Procter & Gamble, and moved to Cincinnati. He held various marketing and leadership positions at P&G for 29 years. During his tenure from 1984 to 2013, Jorge’s assignments included Group President Global Fabric Care, and President, Global Home Care, the single largest operating division of P&G.  Under his leadership, leading brands such as Tide, Swiffer, Febreze, Mr. Clean, Downy, Dawn, Cascade, and Iams experienced significant growth and achieved category-leading positions. 

Jorge left Cincinnati in 2014 for the Big Apple and an even larger multinational corporation, Johnson & Johnson (J&J). He served as Executive Vice President, World-wide Chairman, Consumer Division at J&J until 2019. In this role, Jorge served on J&J’s Executive Committee and led the Consumer Group Operating Committee. He was responsible for accelerating the growth of iconic brands such as Listerine, Neutrogena, Aveeno, and Tylenol. 

Jorge assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of Blue Triton Brands in July 2021. From Greek mythology, Triton is a god of the sea, and Jorge upholds the brands’ focus on sustainable resources as the leading provider of fresh water. Blue Triton’s portfolio includes leading brands such as Poland Spring, Deer Park, Ozarka, Ice Mountain, Zephyrhills, Arrowhead, and Pure Life.  

Jorge currently serves on the Board of Directors of Mondelēz International and Humana. As a global citizen and transformational leader behind some of the world’s most recognizable brands, Jorge embodies the ideals of the Jerome P. Keuper Distinguished Alumni Award and a legacy of excellence making him a worthy recipient of this year’s honor.