James Quincey: Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO

James Quincey has dedicated nearly three decades to The Coca-Cola Company, steadily rising through the ranks to become its CEO and Chairman. His experience spans diverse roles and global markets, giving him a deep understanding of the company he now leads. This is the story of his career and his rise to the top of one of the world's most iconic brands.

• Consulting background: Quincey started his career in consulting, first at Bain & Company, before joining the newly formed Kalchas Group.

• Coca-Cola climb: He joined The Coca-Cola Company in 1996, and has held diverse leadership roles across multiple global markets.

• CEO and Chairman: Quincey has served as Coca-Cola's CEO since 2017 and Chairman since 2019.

James Quincey was born in London on January 8, 1965. His early childhood was spent in the United States, where his father worked as a biochemistry lecturer at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. After a few years in the U.S., Quincey's family moved back to the United Kingdom, settling in Birmingham.

For his university education, he attended the University of Liverpool, where he earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1986. Following his studies, he began his career in consulting, joining Bain & Company. This took him overseas where he helped establish Bain's office in Hong Kong in 1988.

In 1989, Quincey transitioned to a newly formed consulting firm, Kalchas Group. Drawing on his experience setting up an office in Asia, he now got the opportunity to lead the firm’s expansion abroad. But this time in the West, establishing the company’s presence in the U.S., first in Chicago and later in New York.

After several successful years in the consulting industry, Quincey was ready to move into the corporate world. This next step in his career would take him to one of the most recognizable and influential brands in the world.

In 1996, James Quincey joined The Coca-Cola Company. Initially, he relocated to the company's headquarters in Atlanta, working within its Latin American group. He began as Director of Learning Strategy but would soon transition across several other roles, gaining operational experience in many parts of the company.

In 1999, he left Atlanta for Mexico City, where he served as an assistant to the President of the Mexican market. About a year later, he advanced further within the organization, moving to Argentina to take on the role of Country Manager.

Quincey continued to rise quickly, and in 2003, he was promoted to President of the South Latin division. Two years later, in 2005, he was appointed President of Coca-Cola's Mexican division. During his tenure in Mexico, he played a key role in the acquisition of the juice company Jugos del Valle, strengthening Coca-Cola's portfolio in the region.

In 2008, Quincey took on a new challenge, this time leading Coca-Cola's operations in Northwest Europe and the Nordics as President. During this period, he helped diversify Coca-Cola's presence in the British market by overseeing the acquisition of the healthy beverage company Innocent.

From 2013 to 2015, he served as President of Coca-Cola's European operations before being promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer of the company.

In these executive roles, Quincey played a key role in forming Coca-Cola European Partners (now Coca-Cola Europacific Partners) by merging the company's three main bottling operations in the region. This move streamlined Coca-Cola's European business and strengthened its distribution network.

In 2017, James Quincey was promoted to CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. His appointment was met with strong support from major shareholders, including Warren Buffett, whose Berkshire Hathaway is Coca-Cola's largest shareholder.

As CEO, Quincey continued on the pursuit to redefine Coca-Cola's identity, shifting it from being seen primarily as a soda company to a more expansive beverage company. Changing consumer preferences – particularly the decline in sugary drink consumption – had accelerated Coca-Cola's diversification strategy, broadening its product portfolio to meet the evolving market demands.

His first major move towards this came in 2018 when Coca-Cola acquired UK-based Costa Coffee for $5.1 billion. This move marked the company's expansion beyond ready-to-drink beverages into the broader coffee and hot drinks sector – and was the largest acquisition the company had ever made. Quincey explained the strategy behind the acquisition:

Beyond expansion, Quincey has also focused on streamlining operations. Under his leadership, Coca-Cola has eliminated underperforming brands to concentrate resources on its more profitable products. This was most evident in 2020 when the company reduced its brand portfolio from 400 to 200.

Further reading: Ramon Laguarta: PepsiCo's Veteran Chairman and CEO

In addition to leading The Coca-Cola Company as CEO, James Quincey took on the role of Chairman of the Board in 2019, further solidifying his influence over the company's long-term strategy.

Beyond Coca-Cola, Quincey holds several positions in the corporate world. Since 2020, he has served as a member of the Board of Directors at Pfizer, contributing his expertise in global business strategy. He is also a board member of The Consumer Goods Forum, an organization that brings together leaders from major companies to drive positive change in the consumer goods industry.

Additionally, Quincey is a founding member of the New York Stock Exchange Board Advisory Council, which focuses on promoting diversity in corporate governance by connecting underrepresented candidates with board opportunities.

James Quincey has built a great career at one of the world's most iconic companies. Over nearly three decades, he has gained extensive experience across Coca-Cola's global operations, becoming a true veteran of the company. As CEO and Chairman, he leads a company with over 200 brands, working to ensure Coca-Cola stays ahead in the never-ending thirst for success.