Coca-Cola elevates India chief Sanket Ray to oversee key Asian markets

Coca-Cola has elevated its India and Southwest Asia president Sanket Ray to an expanded role, which includes overseeing several other key Asian markets, the US-headquartered beverage maker announced on Wednesday.

Ray’s new role, effective March 31, will include overseeing Greater China and Mongolia, Japan and South Korea, as emerging large markets lead, the maker of Coke and Thums Up drinks and Minute Maid juices said. He will continue to lead India. Ray is also part of Coca-Cola Company’s global executive leadership team, a prominent post held by very few Indian executives.

The senior executive’s elevation is part of multiple leadership changes at the world’s largest beverage maker. Coca-Cola announced Henrique Braun as its new global chief executive officer, with effect from March 31, succeeding current chief James Quicey, who will continue as executive chairman of board. Braun is currently the company’s executive vice-president and chief operating officer.


Coca-Cola said it is creating “two new market groupings” reporting into Braun, to sharpen focus on Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

“These changes are intended to help equip our organisation to handle dynamic conditions we are seeing in markets around the world,” Braun said in a statement. He cited Ray’s “deep regional experience and established leadership” as critical to tap into the growth potential across these markets.

Ray, who first joined Coca-Cola in 2004, was elevated as India and Southwest Asia chief in 2020. Prior to that, he was the company’s chief operating officer for Mainland China.

Coca-Cola leads the Rs 60,000-crore soft drinks market in India. In December 2024, it sold 40% stake in its bottling company Hindustan Coca-Cola Holdings Pvt Ltd, the parent entity of Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, to Jubilant Bhartia Group for close to Rs 12,500-crore.