Coca-Cola COO Henrique Braun will take over as CEO in March 2026, the company said, as it works to sustain its momentum amid lukewarm demand for soft drinks.
Braun has been COO and executive vice president since January 2025. Current CEO James Quincey, who has held the role for nine years, will become Coca-Cola’s executive chairman.
“James will continue to be very active in the business through his role as Executive Chairman. We are confident that Henrique Braun will build on the company’s existing strengths to unlock more growth opportunities and increase the power of the incredible Coca-Cola system,” said Coca-Cola’s lead independent director David Weinberg.
“I will focus on continuing the momentum we’ve built with our system. We’ll work to unlock future growth in partnership with our bottlers. I’m excited about the future of our business and see huge opportunities in a fast-changing global market,” said Braun.
Braun was previously the company’s president of international development and president of its Latin America unit.
Both Braun and Quincey joined Coca-Cola in 1996. Quincey was also COO and president of the company’s Europe group before becoming CEO.
The board will nominate Braun to stand for election as a director at its annual shareholder meeting, the company said.
Coca-Cola’s net revenue was up 5% and comparable earnings per share rose by 6% last quarter. Unit case volume was flat in North America and Latin America and declined by 1% in Asia, however.
The company said at the time that low-income U.S. consumers have been buying fewer of its products amid cost-of-living pressures.
The city of San Francisco also filed suit this month against companies, including Coca-Cola, Kraft Heinz, and Nestle US, arguing they had knowingly sold harmful ultra-processed foods.
Coca-Cola’s (NYSE: KO) share price closed at $70.21, up from its previous close at $70.09. Its market capitalisation is $302.02 billion.
Related content
