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Coca-Cola Hands CEO Role To 30-Year Veteran Henrique Braun As James Quincey Steps Aside

Benzinga·12/11/2025 08:03:11
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The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) said Wednesday that Chief Operating Officer Henrique Braun will take over as CEO in March next year, succeeding James Quincey, who will transition to Executive Chairman after nine years of leading the global beverage giant.

Quincey Era Comes To An End

Quincey, 60, has been at the helm of Coca-Cola since 2017. During his tenure, the company broadened its product portfolio beyond sodas into waters, coffees, energy, and dairy products, refranchised Coke's bottling system, and navigated the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company’s stock price has risen over 60% since he took the helm in May 2017.

See also: PepsiCo To Drop 20% Of Products, Embrace Cleaner Ingredients And Aggressive Cost-Cuts In Major Elliott-Driven Revamp

Braun Tapped As Natural Successor

Braun, 57, is a 30-year Coca-Cola veteran, having started with the company in 1996 and climbed through a range of leadership roles across North America, Latin America, Greater China, South Korea, and international development. He was appointed as the company’s operating chief in January this year.

He takes the helm at a time when Coca-Cola is navigating shifts in consumer preferences toward healthier choices and muted demand for its soft drinks.

The Atlanta-headquartered company said Braun will focus on identifying new growth opportunities around the world, better filling consumer needs, and improving the company's technology.

Coca-Cola’s stock is up 13.53% so far this year, having closed marginally up at $70.21 on Wednesday. By contrast, its rival PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) is down 0.34% this year, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

Benzinga’s Edge Rankings show a mixed profile: strong growth and solid momentum are offset by weak value and moderate quality, while price-trend signals remain bullish across short, medium, and long-term horizons.

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