Coca Cola India rings in top level changes
Beverages major Coca-Cola India on Friday announced key changes in organisational structure as part of plans to emerge among the top five markets globally for its parent firm.
As part of the reshuffle, Sumanta Datta, currently vice president customer and commercial leadership, will take over as vice president of company bottling operations, while Bhupendra Suri, currently director of franchise operations, is being elevated as vice president of franchise bottling operations.
On the other hand, Vikas Chawla, vice president-operations, is moving to Athens taking over as the franchise operations head in South East Europe.
"Building our talent pipeline and developing people capability is one of our key pillars for success. The new senior level management changes being announced today is a step in that direction," Venkatesh Kini, Coca Cola's deputy business unit president-India and South West Asia, said in a statement.
The entire team will work closely with the company's bottling partners to achieve Vision 2020 goals in India, he added.
The changes are effective October 1, 2013 and all the senior leaders of the company will report to Kini, the company said.
"These (changes) are aligned to the company's long term plans of becoming one of The Coca-Cola Company's top five markets (in volume terms) by 2020," the company said.
"Andriy Avramenko, currently VP - Juice, will take over as Vice President Strategy and Still Beverages," the company said.
Besides, Debabrata Mukherjee will take on the role of vice president- marketing and commercial. Anupama Ahluwalia, currently VP marketing, will take up a short term leadership assignment with Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages.
"Upon completion of the assignment, Anupama will then return to Coca-Cola India," the company said.
Earlier this year, the company had promoted India and West Asia CEO and president, Atul Singh, as deputy president of the company's Pacific Group with effect from July 1.
Besides, the company had elevated Kini as Deputy Business Unit President, India and South West Asia (INSWA) Business Unit.
The company had said on Thursday that it was not slowing down its $5 billion investments by 2020 in India despite the economic downturn in the country.
