"Sandy" Douglas To Lead Coca-Cola North America

(RTTNews) - The Coca-Cola Co. (KO) on Thursday announced management and organizational changes related to Coca-Cola Americas with a purpose to accelerate growth. Effective January 1, 2014, the company said the integrated North America business will be segmented into a traditional company and bottler operating model that will better suit the unique needs of the North America market. It will consist of two operating units: Coca-Cola North America and Coca-Cola Refreshments.

J. A. M. "Sandy" Douglas will lead Coca-Cola North America as Group President, reporting to Chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent. Douglas will also continue his role as Global Chief Customer Officer. Coca-Cola Refreshments, the bottling operations of North America, will be led by Paul Mulligan, as President, Coca-Cola Refreshments. Coca-Cola Refreshments will become part of the Bottling Investments Group and Mulligan will report to Irial Finan, President of BIG. Mulligan is currently head of Commercial for BIG, and Region Director responsible for Japan and Latin America BIG operations.

Steve Cahillane, President of Coca-Cola Americas, has decided to leave the company to pursue other opportunities.

The Coca-Cola Americas operating structure will cease to exist. The Latin America Group, led by Group President Brian Smith, will become part of Coca-Cola International. Smith will report to Ahmet Bozer, President of Coca-Cola International.