COCA-COLA TO RESHUFFLE AFRICAN AND LATIN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP IN 2023

The Coca-Cola Company is making changes at the top of its African business unit from next year when Luisa Ortega (pictured above) becomes president, overseeing markets across the continent. Ortega is currently president of the soft drinks giant’s central zone in Latin America, which includes Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Central America and the Caribbean.

Ortega will replaces Bruno Pietracci, who has been named president of Coca-Cola’s Latin America division, a region from which he hails. Both appointments take effect from 1 February 2023 when Ortega will relocate to Johannesburg, South Africa.

The two executives will report to Henrique Braun, who becomes president of international development from 1 January, having served as president of Coca-Cola’s Latin America operating unit since 2020.

Strong multinational talent

Ortega, a native of Spain, joined Coca-Cola in 2019 as vice president and general manager of the South Latin business unit. She was later named deputy president and then president of South Latin. In 2021, she became president of the newly created central zone of Latin America. She also serves as chair of the company’s Global Women’s Leadership Council.

Prior to Coca-Cola, Ortega worked at SC Johnson for more than 14 years in various roles in Europe, the United States, and the Asia Pacific region. She also worked at Endesa, a large utility that serves mainly Spain and Portugal.

Pietracci joined Coca-Cola in Brazil in 2008 as vice president of strategic planning and research. In 2010, he moved into operations to lead the Southern Brazil region. He was later named general manager of the Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador markets.

In 2016, Pietracci became vice president of operations for EMEA and later became president of the company’s South and East Africa business unit, before serving as president of the Africa and Middle East division.

Pietracci has only been in his current role as president of the Africa unit since 2021. Earlier this year he was appointed to the US President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA). Prior to Coca-Cola, Pietracci was with McKinsey & Co. in Brazil and Lisbon.

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