Dive Brief:

• Coca-Cola has appointed Shakir Moin as head of marketing for its North America unit, effective Jan. 1, according to an internal announcement reviewed by Marketing Dive. Ad Age previously reported on the news. 
• A company veteran, Moin takes the reins after serving as interim chief of the marketer’s Costa Coffee brand. The executive replaces Melanie Boulden, who is parting ways with Coke after three years.    
• Moin’s move is one of several leadership changes meant to herald a “new chapter” for Coke’s North American operations, per an official statement. The strategy is intended to reduce complexity and improve speed. 

Dive Insight:

Coke plans to kick off the new year with several executive transitions, including naming a new top marketer for North America. Moin is tasked with developing consumer-first storytelling that increases brand recognition and growth. 

Moin’s history with the beverage giant dates back to the ‘90s. He has previously held roles focused on regions like China. The internal announcement praised his “wealth of marketing and general management experience from around the world.” An ingrained relationship with the company differs from Boulden, who joined Coke from Reebok in 2019.

Moin’s pivot from the Costa Coffee brand is just one of several changes taking effect in January. Coke is also naming Sean Lee as lead for a new team centered on customer care, including oversight of the company’s Freestyle fountain machines, while placing Dagmar Boggs at the head of Foodservice and On-Premise across North America, per the internal announcement. Additionally, Coke is creating a dedicated Nutrition unit to support its dairy and juice offerings. 

“The new leadership appointments, effective January 1, 2023, ensure we continue to operate from a position of strength and are our first step into making new investments where we’ve prioritized capabilities,” an official statement reads. “Our North America Operating Unit will continue to evolve as we make changes in other areas.”

Coke has other experiments in the works for 2023 as it faces a tough macroeconomic environment. Executives have indicated that the marketer will direct more of its innovation agenda toward packaging as consumers fret over costs. That follows several experimental, limited-run flavors released this year as part of a Creations platform.

While inflation and supply chain disruption have dogged the food and beverage industry, many players have continued to invest in marketing to retain loyalty. Some consumers have also yet to trade down on packaged goods despite the pressure on their wallets. Coke beat analyst expectations in the third quarter, with organic revenue up 16%, and raised its full-year outlook. 

“We are investing in consumer-facing marketing to get a fast start for next year,” Coke finance chief John Murphy said on a call discussing the earnings late last month.