Coca-Cola, ISB sign MoU to set up retail academy

To bring more professionalism in the sunrise retail sector, global beverage retailer and manufacturer Coca-Cola has inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian School of Business (ISB) to establish a retail academy at ISB's Hyderabad campus.

The academy will impart specialised programme to train mid-level professionals in retail management in India even as the sector is expanding at a rapid pace.

"This initiative lays the foundation of a well-rounded retail management training program thereby contributing to quality of future retail managers. This will be an important driving force for the sector and the Indian economy and we are proud to partner with a premier institute like ISB on this important initiative," Coca-Cola's Group President (Eurasia and Africa) Ahmet Bozer, said in a statement here today.

The first session of the 25-day programme, spread over a period of six months, will commence in June 2011 with an initial strength of 50 professionals and will be subsequently scaled up in the next three to four years.

"The current set of people in most retail organisations, have either moved from consumer marketing divisions or have grown into their roles. This academy will train people in general management skills as well as retail specific," ISB's Deputy Dean Deepak Chandra said.