Coca-Cola Pacific Group restructures, appoints president for Asia

The three markets, according a company spokesperson, will play “an unparalleled role” in achieving the brand's 2020 vision growth targets.

Under the new structure, the group will have three operating units:

• Asia, which comprises three business units: Greater China and Korea (GC&K), India & Southwest Asia (INSWA) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
• Japan
• South Pacific.

Until this change, the beverage giant has had four operating units: ASEAN, Japan, China and South Pacific. 

Atul Singh (pictured), currently deputy group president, Pacific, will be appointed group president for the Asia operating unit to provide oversight for GC&K, ASEAN and INSWA business units. He will continue to report to Ahmet Bozer, president of Coca-Cola International.

Venkatesh Kini, currently deputy group president for INSWA, will be made the president for the same business unit. The appointments will see both Kini and Manuel Arroyo, president for ASEAN, reporting to Singh.

The Coca-Cola Company earlier relocated veteran Shakir Moin to Shanghai to take up the role of VP and chief marketing officer for the China operations. He also reports to Singh.

The company is not changing the leadership of the Japan and South Pacific operating units. They will continue to report to Bozer, who is providing oversight to Pacific Group.

Glenn Jordan, former president of The Coca-Cola Company’s Pacific Group, moved to a new role within the company early this year to be with the strategic initiatives department for Pacific Group office of the president, and Coca-Cola has yet to name a replacement for this group-level position. Earlier, in an interview with China Daily, Jordan said the beverage giant would maintain its investment in China.

The group president’s portfolio includes China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, other Southeast Asian nations and the Pacific islands.