The Coca‑Cola Company Names New Leader for Africa Operating Unit

JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 8, 2025 – The Coca‑Cola Company today announced that Luis Felipe Avellar will become president of the Africa operating unit effective Sept. 1.

Avellar currently serves as president of the company’s Mexico operations, which are part of the Latin America operating unit. Avellar will succeed Luisa Ortega, who, as previously announced, is taking a new role as president of the company’s Europe operating unit.

Avellar will report to Coca‑Cola Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Henrique Braun.

“Luis has had an outstanding career that has included extensive leadership roles in our Latin America operations,” Braun said. “Luis also has experience working for our company in Africa, and I’m excited to see him return to Johannesburg to build on the system’s ongoing work to serve the growing African market.”

About Luis Felipe Avellar

Avellar, 49, started his career at Coca‑Cola in 2002 as a finance specialist in Brazil. He went on to serve in a variety of roles of increasing responsibility in Brazil before being named general manager of the Brazil South Region in 2016.

In 2019, he took a new role as vice president and general manager for Southern Africa, based in Johannesburg. Two years later, he returned to Latin America to serve as president of Brazil and South Cone operations. He was named to his current role in Mexico in 2023.

Avellar began his career in 1998 in the finance function with SC Johnson in Brazil.

Avellar earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. He later earned an executive MBA in finance from the same university. Most recently, he completed the Advanced Management Program at IESE Business School in Spain.

About The Coca‑Cola Company

The Coca‑Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca‑Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Fuze Tea, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.