Coca-Cola Co said chief executive officer James Quincey is stepping down and will be replaced at the end of March by Henrique Braun, the company\u2019s chief operating officer.
Quincey, who is 60 and has been CEO for nine years, will transition to executive chairman, according to the company. He is currently chairman of the company\u2019s board.<\/p>\n
Coca-Cola shares were little changed in extended trading in New York following the announcement.<\/p>\n
Quincey assumed the CEO role on 1 May 2017, and helped to pull the company out of a multiyear sales slump. Under his management, Coca-Cola shares rose more than 60%, while the S&P 500 Index gained nearly 190% over the same period.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.moneyweb.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/445771372-555x325.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n
CONTINUE READING BELOW<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
His efforts have included diversifying Coca-Cola\u2019s offerings beyond soda and into beverages aimed at more health-conscious consumers, including coffee, sports drinks and Fairlife protein-boosted milk. Under his tenure, Coca-Cola also paid $5.1 billion for Costa Coffee, which it is now considering selling.<\/p>\n
Braun may need to further expand to new areas, according to John Sicher, a beverage industry consultant.<\/p>\n
\u201cCoke did very well financially under Quincey, but the company needs to make some fundamental diversification moves to expand beyond carbonated soft drinks,\u201d he said in an interview.<\/p>\n
Braun, 57, rose through Coca-Cola\u2019s ranks in a similar path to Quincey, who also served as chief operating officer, among other roles, prior to being named to the top post. Both joined the company in 1996.<\/p>\n
\u201cHenrique is a trusted and highly experienced business partner, and he\u2019s the right leader to steer the company,\u201d Quincey said in a statement.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.moneyweb.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/445771524-555x370.jpg\")
<\/p>\nJames Quincey. Image: Stefan Wermuth\/Bloomberg<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
ADVERTISEMENT:<\/p>\n
CONTINUE READING BELOW<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Braun spent years working in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia, the company said. He served as president of Coca-Cola\u2019s international development before becoming chief operating officer, where he oversaw all of the company\u2019s operating units worldwide, at the start of this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will focus on continuing the momentum we\u2019ve built with our system,\u201d Braun said in a statement. \u201cWe\u2019ll work to unlock future growth in partnership with our bottlers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Braun is a US citizen who was born in California and raised in Brazil, according to the company.<\/p>\n
\u00a9 2025 Bloomberg<\/p>\n
Follow Moneyweb\u2019s in-depth finance and business news on WhatsApp here.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n