Coca-Cola Co. Promoting Henrique Braun to CEO, Succeeding James Quincey
Coca-Cola Co. today (Dec. 10) announced Henrique Braun, currently executive vice president and chief operating officer, will succeed James Quincey as CEO, effective March 31, 2026. Quincey will become executive chairman after serving as CEO for nine years.
Braun, 57, joined Coca‑Cola in 1996 in Atlanta and progressed through roles of increasing responsibilities in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. From 2023 to 2024, he was a senior vice president and president of international development, overseeing seven of the company’s nine operating units.
The board also plans to nominate Braun as a director at the company’s 2026 annual meeting of shareowners.
Quincey, 60, also joined the company in 1996 and has held leadership roles around the world. He became CEO in 2017 and chairman of the board in 2019. He, too, was COO, from 2015 to 2017 and was president from 2015 to 2018.
Quincey “led the transformation of the business as a total beverage company, driven by a focus on staying closely connected to consumers,” a company statement said. Under his leadership, the company has added more than 10 additional billion-dollar brands.
“James Quincey is a transformative leader,” said David Weinberg, Coca-Cola’s lead independent director. “James set and executed a strategy that has built Coca-Cola’s status as a global leader. James will continue to be very active in the business through his role as executive chairman.”
PHOTO AT TOP: Henrique Braun (left), James Quincey (right)
About the Author
Dave Fusaro
Editor in Chief
Dave Fusaro has served as editor in chief of Food Processing magazine since 2003. Dave has 30 years experience in food & beverage industry journalism and has won several national ASBPE writing awards for his Food Processing stories. Dave has been interviewed on CNN, quoted in national newspapers and he authored a 200-page market research report on the milk industry. Formerly an award-winning newspaper reporter who specialized in business writing, he holds a BA in journalism from Marquette University. Prior to joining Food Processing, Dave was Editor-In-Chief of Dairy Foods and was Managing Editor of Prepared Foods.