Atlanta-based Coca-Cola announced this week a new leader of its North American operations, the beverage giant’s largest division, and the first woman in that role, the company said.
Jennifer Mann will start her new role in January, succeeding Alfredo Rivera, the company said in a news release. Mann, 49, is currently Coke’s senior vice president and president of Global Ventures.
Coke reported $11.3 billion in revenue in its most recent quarter, with more than $4 billion — or more than one-third — generated from North America.
In her current post, Mann leads a team tasked with scaling its brands and new acquisitions, such as Costa Coffee and Coke’s investment in energy drink maker Monster, the release said. A successor for Mann in the global ventures role will be named later, Coke said.
“Jennifer has emerged as a strong business leader during her 25-year career with the company,” Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO James Quincey said in the release. “Her background in operations across the United States and globally makes her a great fit to lead the company’s largest operating unit.”
Mann, a Georgia State University graduate, is a former chief of staff for Quincey, the company said.
Coke has a history of appointing the top officers of its operating units to the highest rungs in its corporate leadership. Quincey, for instance, is a former head of the company’s European business.
Rivera, 61, took over as North American leader two years ago after leading Latin American and Caribbean operations. He will remain in that role until the end of this year and remain with Coke as an adviser through March.
“Alfredo has been a highly valued business partner for me and countless others across our system for nearly four decades,” Quincey said in the release.
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