Coca-Cola appoints Sanket Ray as president of its India unit and Southwest Asia region

Global beverages major Coca-Cola on Thursday announced the appointment of Sanket Ray as the president of its India and Southwest Asia region operations as part of a global top management rejig.

Ray, who is at the present chief operating officer for Mainland China, will take over from T Krishnakumar, the current president of the India and Southwest Asia business unit, the company said in a statement on its website.

Krishnakumar will become chairman of Coca-Cola India Inc. He will be responsible for building and strengthening critical local partnerships in India, supporting the new operating unit leadership team, it added.

"He will be responsible for building and strengthening critical local partnerships in India, supporting the new operating unit leadership team," The Coca-Cola Company said in a statement.

The Coca-Cola Company's India and Southwest Asia business unit has operations in markets as India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

The Coca-Cola Company said its nine operating units will replace current groups and business units, effective January 1, 2021, subject to consultation where required under local laws.

"These changes will help eliminate duplication of resources and enhance the company's ability to scale new products more quickly," it said.

The company had August 28 announced broader reorganisation of the company.

Among other appointments, former president of the Latin America group Alfredo Rivera would head North America market, while Latin America by Henrique Braun, who is the current president of the Brazil business unit.

Nikos Koumettis would head Europe and Africa by Bruno Pietracci. While Eurasia and Middle East would be led by Evguenia Stoichkova, and Japan and South Korea by Jorge Garduno.

While Greater China would be headed by Vamsi Mohan Thati and ASEAN and South Pacific by Claudia Lorenzo.

"The operational side of the business will sit under four geographical segments, along with Global Ventures and Bottling Investments. All operating leaders will report to President and Chief Operating Officer Brian Smith," it said.

The company also announced the following appointments of operational leaders within its three largest operating units -- Latin America, Europe and North America.

The Coca-Cola Company has announced appointments for a number of senior roles leading the company's new operating units and beverage category teams.

"The selections are part of the company's broader reorganisation, as first announced August 28," it added.

Now Coca-Cola's nine new operating units and five global category teams will be supported by the newly created Platform Services organisation.

It will replace current groups and business units, effectively from January 1, 2021.

"These changes will help eliminate duplication of resources and enhance the company's ability to scale new products more quickly," it added.

On August 28, Coca-Cola said it will create new operating units focused on regional and local execution that will work closely with five marketing category leadership teams that span the globe to rapidly scale ideas.