Coca-Cola announces post-merger leadership team

Coca-Cola Co. unveiled the leadership structure for its pending takeover of North American bottling operations, with 23 of the top executives involved from Coke and six from bottler Coca-Cola Enterprises.

As planned, Sandy Douglas will be president of Coca-Cola North America, a division that will handle marketing, research and development and related functions.

Steve Cahillane, who now runs CCE’s North American division, will run Coca-Cola Refreshments USA, which will incorporate CCE’s old operations and will handle bottling, soda fountains and the supply chain, among other functions. Cahillane’s appointment was announced earlier this year.

Executives from CCE are slated to take responsibility for pricing, displays, in-store marketing, “region sales,” Canada, some human resources, and non-carbonated beverages such as water, juice, tea and coffee.

One executive on the 30-member management roster, Mel Landis, comes from Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, a bottler based in Charlotte, N.C. He will handle national retail sales.

Tuesday’s announcement does not involve the top executives at either Coke or CCE, who remain in place.

How Coke’s two big divisions in North America will work together is the subject of intense planning at Coca-Cola. The deal with CCE is expected to close in the last three months of the year.

A number of executives, such as Katie Bayne (leader of the “sparkling” or soft drink division in North America) and Bea Perez (chief marketing officer in North America) will keep similar functions after the deal closes. But Coca-Cola said the scope of various executives’ work may change as details are arranged.

By taking over bottling operations -- which it had avoided for most of its history -- Coca-Cola hopes to streamline a tangled North American operation and become a more effective competitor to PepsiCo, which took over its two main bottlers earlier this year. As retailers consolidate and become more powerful, Coca-Cola wants to deal more smoothly with its big customers.

About the Author

Jeremiah Mcwilliams

Atlanta’s famed Cheetah Lounge could make way for new tower

For decades, developers have waved cash at Midtown Atlanta’s Cheetah Lounge, hoping to build bigger on a valuable piece of land in the middle of Tech Square.

2h ago

OPINION

How to find car deals in times of tariffs

It’s still possible to get a good deal on a new car. Those conditions may not last forever.

DATA SURGE

Data centers need a lot more juice. Georgia consumers fear being squeezed.

Data centers, utilities and regulators in Georgia have pledged that facilities will pay their fair share of the infrastructure costs they incur. Not everyone is so sure.

The Latest