Coca-Cola veteran Shakir Moin takes up China VP and CMO role

Moin (pictured), a 17-year veteran of Coca Cola, has worked in multiple markets in the region since 1996 with his most previous job being marketing director of Coca Cola ASEAN in Bangkok since 2011. His post in Bangkok has been taken up by Cristina Bondolowlski, who was the VP, global brands of Coca-Cola.

In his new job, Moin replaces Robert Foye who has been promoted to head of customer and commercials for Coca-Cola in Asia. Foye will continue to be based in Shanghai. 

Moin's responsibilities will include all marketing functions, marketing strategies, innovation, integrated marketing communications and building marketing capabilities in China. He will report to deputy group president Atul Singh, who came on board last June and is based in India.

Moin told Campaign Asia-Pacific on Monday (12 August) that he has never lived in China but has engaged with Chinese customers in a regional role.

“The ready-to-drink business in China is still very small, as the China market has only opened up quite recently compared to other markets in the region." However, the mainland is Coca-Cola’s third largest market after USA and Mexico "with a huge consumer demand, a healthy economy, a growing middle-class with vibrant business potentials.”

Moin added that his role in driving growth for the brand in China will be largely based on creating excitement and broadening innovation. 

With the potential in China, Moin said that the mainland should have the best marketing in the world and it's important to import the best ideas from the around the world into China. He cited the recent “share a Coke” campaign initiated in Australia, which showed how great ideas could travel over multiple markets with consumers having similar needs in different countries.

Moin started his career in Pakistan as a brand manager, first with Gillette, and then with Coca Cola where he climbed up the career ladder steadily in numerous markets in the region, including Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, Thailand and Hong Kong.