Coca-Cola names new North America division president

Name: Jennifer Mann

New title: President of the company’s North America operating unit

Previous title: Corporate senior vice president and president of Global Ventures at Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola named Mann to take over the role of overseeing the beverage giant’s largest operating segment starting in 2023.

Mann joined Cola-Cola in 1997 and went on to hold a number of roles of increasing responsibility. She is currently senior vice president and president of Global Ventures, and responsible for scaling acquisitions and brands, including Costa Coffee and Coca-Cola’s investment in Monster Beverage.

Before taking the role with Global Ventures, Mann served both as chief people officer and as chief of staff for CEO James Quincey. From 2012 to 2015, she was vice president and general manager of Coca-Cola Freestyle, the Atlanta company’s touch-screen soda fountain, where she accelerated the worldwide expansion of the platform and led its development.

In a statement, Quincey said Mann’s “background in operations across the United States and globally makes her a great fit to lead the company’s largest operating unit.”

Mann will replace Alfredo Rivera who will step down Dec. 31. Rivera, who oversaw a restructuring of the North America operating unit during his tenure, will remain with Coca-Cola as a senior advisor through March 2023, the company said.

While Coca-Cola is best known for its iconic sodas, the company has been overhauling its portfolio to foster growth and position itself to better respond to changing trends and consumer preferences. 

It purchased the rest of better-for-you sports drink BodyArmor for $5.6 billion, the company’s largest-ever purchase, and coffeehouse chain Costa Coffee. It also has made inroads into alcohol by working with partners on drinks that included its Topo Chico, Simply and Coke brands. At the same time, it has sold or discontinued products such as Tab, Zico coconut water and Odwalla that have low market share, declining sales or no longer fit into its operations.