The Coca‐Cola Company and Carrefour Chiefs to Head Collaborative Industry Platform

 

Jean‐Marc Saubade, managing director of The Consumer Goods Forum, said: “The election of two very high profile leaders from each of the retail and manufacturing sectors underlines our member companies’ commitment to work together on today’s most important issues. Muhtar and Lars bring a clear vision and very strong leadership as The Forum gets down to work on the issues that consumers have asked the industry to tackle.” 

 

 

The Consumer Goods Forum is an independent global parity‐based consumer goods network. It brings together the CEOs and senior management of over 650 retailers, manufacturers, service providers and other stakeholders across 70 countries. 

 

The Forum was created in June 2009 by the merger of CIES ‐ The Food Business Forum, the Global Commerce Initiative (GCI) and the Global CEO Forum. The Consumer Goods Forum is governed by its Board of Directors, which includes an equal number of manufacturer and retailer CEOs and Chairmen. Forum member companies have combined sales of EUR 2.1 trillion. 

 

The Forum provides a unique global platform for thought leadership, knowledge exchange and networking between retailers, manufacturers and their partners on collaborative, non‐competitive issues. Its strength lies in  the  privileged  access  it  offers  to  the  key  players  in  the  sector  as  well  as  in  the  development and implementation of best practices along the value chain.  

 

It has a mandate from its members to develop common positions on key strategic and practical issues affecting the consumer goods business and to focus on non‐competitive collaborative process improvement. 

 

With its headquarters in Paris and its regional offices in Washington, D.C., Singapore, Tokyo and Shanghai, The Consumer Goods Forum serves its members throughout the world. 

 

Graduated in Business Administration from the University of Lund, Sweden, Lars Olofsson began his  career  in 1976  at Nestlé,  as Product Manager for Findus frozen  products.  From  1981 to  1992,  he  worked  at Nestlé  France, where  he  held  different  commercial  and marketing functions.  In  1992,  he became General  Manager  of  “France Glaces  Findus” (frozen food  and  ice cream).  Then,  he  took  the  presidency  of  Pripps‐Procordia  Sweden. 

 

Afterwards, he took the head of the Diary and Dietetic Products Division of Sopad Nestlé.  In  1995,  he  was  appointed General  Manager  of the Nestlé Nordic Markets. In 1997,  Lars Olofsson became Chief Executive Officer for Nestlé France. In 2001, he was named Executive Vice President of the Nestlé Group,  responsible  for  the  European  Zone.  In  2005,  he  was  appointed Executive Vice President of the Nestlé Group, in charge of Strategic Business Units, Marketing and Sales worldwide.  

 

On  1  January  2009,  Lars  Olofsson  was  appointed  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  the  Carrefour  Group; and  Member  of the  Board  on  28  April  2009.  He  also serves  as  Chairman  of the  Carrefour  International 

Foundation.  

 

The Carrefour Group is the first retailer in Europe, and the second largest worldwide, with more than 15.500 stores under banner in 32 countries and more than 475 000 employees. For 50 years, Carrefour has been a partner in the day–to–day lives of more than twenty million customers in Europe, Asia and Latin America.  

 

The Group combines different store formats ‐ hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount, convenience stores and cash & carry outlets ‐ constantly adapting to its customers’ consumption patterns, and offering the lowest prices on a large range of products and services. With more than 3 billion  cash transactions per year, the Group, through its activities, has an economic, social and environmental responsibility and is committed to helping its customers and consumers enjoy better quality lives every day.  

 

 

Muhtar Kent, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca‐Cola Company, effective April 23, 2009. 

 

Since  July  2008, served  as  President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer,  after holding  the  position  of  President  and  Chief  Operating  Officer  effective December 2006, overseeing all operations of the business. 

 

Previously,  he  held the  position  of  President  of  Coca‐Cola  International starting  in  February  2006,  responsible  for  the  Company’s  operations outside  of  North  America.    Prior  to  this  appointment,  Mr.  Kent  was President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company’s North Asia, Eurasia and  Middle  East  Group  from  2005  until  early  2006,  where  he  was responsible  for  the  Company’s  operations  across  a  broad  and  diverse geographic region that included China, Japan and Russia.  

 

Mr. Kent joined The Coca‐Cola Company in Atlanta in 1978 and has held a variety of marketing and operations roles throughout his career.  In 1985, he was appointed General Manager of Coca‐Cola Turkey and Central Asia. From 1989 to 1995, he served as President of the Company’s East Central Europe Division and Senior Vice President of Coca‐Cola International, with responsibility for 23 countries.  Between 1995 and 1998, Mr. Kent served as Managing Director of Coca‐Cola Amatil‐Europe, covering bottling operations in 12 countries.  From 1999 until his return to The Coca‐Cola Company in May 2005, he served as President and CEO of the Efes Beverage Group, a large international public beverage company with Coca‐Cola and beer operations in South East Europe, Turkey and Central Asia. 

 

Mr. Kent holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from University of Hull, England and a Master of Science degree in Administrative Sciences from CASS business school at City University in London.   He also holds an Honorary Doctorate Law degree from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta and an honorary doctorate degree in Economics from the University of Hull.   

 

He is a fellow of the Foreign Policy Association, a member of the Business Roundtable, and a member of the board  of  the  Special  Olympics,  the  Woodruff  Arts  Center  in  Atlanta  and  the  Center  for  Strategic  and International Studies.  He is also the Chairman of the U.S.‐ASEAN Business Council. 

 

The Coca‐Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Along with Coca‐Cola, recognized as the world’s most valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio includes 12 other billion dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca‐Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia Coffee. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready‐to‐drink teas and coffees. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate of 1.6 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is  focused  on  initiatives  that  protect  the  environment,  conserve  resources  and  enhance  the  economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca‐colacompany.com.   

  

Anne Malbrancq 

The Consumer Goods Forum 

a.malbrancq@theconsumergoodsforum.com