Atlanta, Ga., USA - December 13, 2013, Atlanta, Ga., USA - The Coca-Cola Company announced management and organizational changes related to Coca-Cola Americas.
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Effective January 1, 2014, 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.
As a result, the following leadership changes will take place:
Coca-Cola North America (CCNA) will be led by J. A. M. Douglas, as Group President. Mr. Douglas will also continue his role as Global Chief Customer Officer.
Prior to Mr. Douglas’s appointment as Senior Vice President and Global Chief Customer Officer of The Coca-Cola Company, he was President of Coca-Cola North America. He joined The Coca-Cola Company in January 1988 as a District Sales Manager for the Foodservice Division of Coca-Cola USA. He also held a variety of positions with increasing responsibility in Coca-Cola USA. He was named Vice President of Coca-Cola USA in 1994, assuming leadership of the CCE Sales & Marketing Group.
In 1998, his responsibilities were increased to include the entire North American Field Sales & Marketing Groups. He was appointed President of the North America Retail Division in 2000. Mr. Douglas began his career at The Procter & Gamble Company working in a variety of sales and sales management positions.
Coca-Cola Refreshments (CCR), the bottling operations of North America, will be led by Paul Mulligan, as President, CCR. CCR will become part of the Bottling Investments Group (BIG).
Mr. Mulligan is currently head of Commercial for BIG, and Region Director responsible for Japan and Latin America BIG operations. Prior to the Coca-Cola system, Mr. Mulligan practiced as a CPA with KPMG in Ireland & USA.
He joined Coca-Cola Hellenic Romania Field Sales prior to assuming the role of General Manager of Coca-Cola Bottling Company North West Romania. He subsequently was appointed Commercial Director, Romania. Mr. Mulligan next served as Country Manager of Bulgaria (Coca-Cola Hellenic) where he was Founding Member & Chairman of Bulgaria's first licensed Waste Packaging Recovery Organization.
Mr. Mulligan then served as Country General Manager of Switzerland before joining The Coca-Cola Company as Group Commercial Director for the Bottling Investments Group, with commercial strategy responsibility spanning 20 franchises and operational responsibility for the Company's investments in Japan (Tokyo & Tone Bottling Companies) and the Bottling Franchise for Coca-Cola Philadelphia, USA.
Steve Cahillane, President of Coca-Cola Americas, has decided to leave the Company.
Before assuming his current role, Mr. Cahillane served as President and CEO of Coca-Cola Refreshments (CCR). Prior to leading CCR, he was President of Coca-Cola Enterprise’s (CCE) North American business following his time as President of CCE’s Europe Group.
Mr. Cahillane has spent his entire career in the beverage industry in both North America and Europe. He began as a sales representative for E&J Gallo Winery, serving in several sales positions before becoming General Manager. In 1995, he founded State Street Brewing Company in Chicago, which he owned until 1997, when he sold the business and joined Coors Distribution Company as Vice President and General Manager. He joined InBev in 1999, serving as Vice President of U.S. Sales until 2001, when he was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of Labatt USA.
From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Cahillane resided in London and served as Chief Executive of Interbrew UK and Ireland. He was then located in Brussels, serving as Chief Commercial Officer for InBev, where he led the company's global commercial strategy, marketing and sponsorships, innovation, research and insights. In 2007, he was appointed as President of the Europe Group for CCE; and in 2008, he was named President of CCE’s North American Business Unit.
Mr. Cahillane holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Political Science from Northwestern University and received a Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard University.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, the American Beverage Association (ABA), Food Marketing Institute (FMI), the Purpose Built Communities Foundation, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC). He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Northwestern University and is Vice Chair of the Brazil-U.S. Business Council.
The Coca-Cola Americas operating structure will cease to exist. ■
