New chief executive has been named

NEWLY formed Coca-Cola Beverages Africa on Friday named Hüseyin Akin as chief executive designate. In late November, Coca-Cola, SABMiller and Gutsche Family Investments agreed to combine the bottling operations of their non-alcoholic beverages businesses in southern and east Africa. Akin currently serves as deputy chief executive of the Beverage Group, comprising beer and soft drinks operations, of Anadolu Efes and is the chairman of Coca-Cola Içecek’s subsidiary boards. From March 1, he will lead the new bottler that will have operations in 12 countries in southern and east Africa and account for about 40 percent of all Coca-Cola beverage volumes in Africa. However, he will only take up his role as Coca-Cola Beverages Africa boss after the venture’s establishment, subject to requisite regulatory approvals. Akin is an electrical engineering and computer science graduate of Princeton University. – Staff Reporter