The Coca-Cola Company on Wednesday announced a series of leadership changes in the company, effective from March 31, 2026.Henrique Braun, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will become CEO, succeeding James Quincey, who will continue as Executive Chairman of the Board, the firm said.
Strategic Pivot
The company is also creating two new market groupings under Braun. The groupings “are designed to enhance focus on markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East,” a release said. Under this, Sanket Ray, president, India and Southwest Asia operating unit, will now also oversee Greater China and Mongolia, and Japan and South Korea. He will report to Braun.
Meanwhile, the Eurasia and Middle East; ASEAN and South Pacific; and Africa markets will be overseen by Claudia Lorenzo, who will also serve as president of the EME operating unit. She is currently chief of staff to Quincey and the former president of the ASEAN and South Pacific operating unit.
Digital Transformation and Market Headwinds
Further, the company has created a new role of chief digital officer. Sedef Salingan Sahin, who currently serves as president of the company’s Eurasia and Middle East operating unit, will take on this position, reporting to Braun. “We believe our ongoing growth depends on understanding consumers even more deeply,” Braun said.
“We are evolving our operating organisation structure and elevating digital leadership so we can move faster and work smarter across all markets,” he said. The Coca-Cola Company is expected to announce its December-quarter and full-year results on February 10.
In the September quarter, Coca-Cola flagged volume decline concerns due to unseasonal rains. This was the second straight quarter that rains had hurt beverage makers in India. While the June quarter was marked by unseasonal rains, the September quarter saw an extended period of rainfall across the country. In India, the pressure is added because Reliance Consumer has launched affordable beverage products across carbonated to non-carbonated, forcing players such as PepsiCo and Coca-Cola to tweak pricing and increase volumes to counter the impact.