James Quincey’s nine-year run as chief executive of The Coca-Cola Company is coming to an end.
The beverage giant revealed this morning that Quincey is stepping down as CEO effective March 31, 2026, when he’ll be succeeded by in the role by chief operating officer Henrique Braun.
Braun, 57, will be nominated by the company board as a director at its 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareowners. Quincy, meanwhile, will continue at Coca-Cola as executive chairman.
Since his appointment as CEO in 2017, Quincey has advocated for Coca-Cola’s evolution from soft drink maker to “total beverage company,” and backed that mission with aggressive innovation and M&A activity. Under his leadership, the company made headlines with big-ticket acquisitions like BodyArmor and Costa Coffee, while also swerving into beverage alcohol through partnerships with Molson Coors (Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, Simply Spiked), Constellation Brands (Fresca Mixed) and Brown-Forman (Jack & Coke).
“I’m stepping down as CEO after a 30-year career with the company, and I have an appreciation of what a privilege it has been to serve this great and enduring business,” Quincey said. “Henrique is a trusted and highly experienced business partner, and he’s the right leader to steer the company and the Coca-Cola system for future growth and success.”
In a statement, David Weinberg, Coca-Cola’s lead independent director, called Quincey “a transformative leader.”
“On behalf of the board, I thank James for his outstanding leadership,” Weinberg said. “James has done what a strong CEO should do – he has focused on the future and developing and empowering the next set of leaders who will take Coke forward. Henrique has shown that he is the right leader for the future of Coca-Cola.”
In Braun, Coca-Cola have once again identified its top boss from within the company. The 57-year-old has been with the company for three decades, serving as president of individual divisions in Latin American, Brazil, China and South Korea before overseeing all operating units as EVP and COO since January 1.
“I’m honored to take on this new role and have tremendous appreciation for everything James has done to lead the company,” Braun said. “I will focus on continuing the momentum we’ve built with our system. We’ll work to unlock future growth in partnership with our bottlers. I’m excited about the future of our business and see huge opportunities in a fast-changing global market.”