Coke sends new bottling chief

INDIANS FALL OUT OF FAVOUR AT MNCS

Coca-Cola is on the verge of announcing changes in its India operations. Indications are that it will release a statement tonight in Atlanta splitting its marketing and bottling operations in the country.

John Eustace, head of one of Coke's largest bottlers in the world, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling company, is tipped to become the head of the bottling operations in India.

That will leave Sanjiv Gupta, currently Coca-Cola India president, with the concentrate business, relationship with bottlers and marketing.

Thus far, India is one of the few markets where Coca-Cola has one person, Gupta, presiding over bottling as well as the marketing functions. That seems to be changing now.

However, the announcement in Atlanta is unlikely to mention anything about Gupta's future, who is believed to have made up his mind to quit. Officially, he has not resigned and therefore remains in charge. Gupta, 44, had joined the company in 1997 as its marketing head.