Mukherjee to join as V-P (strategy) at Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola India has found the candidate to replace Sangeeta Pendurkar, the vice-president, strategy, who quit the company in September to join Kellogg's as its managing director.

Debabrata (Debu) Mukherjee will join the Indian unit from Coca-Cola, Korea. Mukherjee, who will be designated as vice-president, strategy and innovations, was marketing director at Coca-Cola Korea, in charge of the beverage major's South Korean business.

According to people familiar with the development, Mukherjee is slated to join the Indian unit by the end of this month. A Coca-Cola spokerperson confirmed the appointment.

For 40-year-old-Mukherjee, an MBA from Calcutta University, who has 16 years of experience in marketing & sales, the appointment marks a homecoming after more than three years in South Korea. He was director, marketing, Coca-Cola India, before moving to South Korea. His association with the Indian unit of the beverage giant began in 1998, when he was appointed sales manager. He moved to become director, marketing, in charge of the non-cola portfolio, among other responsibilities.

Mukherjee's appointment follows a series of other high-level movements at the company in the recent past. Besides Mukherjee, another executive who will join the Indian unit from within the Coca-Cola network is Andriy Avramenko, who moves from the beverage giant's headquarters at Atlanta. He takes over as general manager in charge of the newly-formed juices department at the Indian unit. Avramenko is also slated to join by the end of this month.

Others who have taken up new positions within the company from respective Coca-Cola wings elsewhere include Neeraj Garg and Wasim Basir, both from Coca-Cola China.