Coca-Cola board elects new financial chief, bolsters leadership team

As announced in February, The Coca-Cola Company’s board has today elected Kathy N. Waller as EVP and CFO. Waller is replacing Gary Fayard who is retiring after 20 years with the company.



Waller most recently served as VP, finance and controller. She joined the company in 1987 as a senior accountant in the accounting research department and assumed roles of increasing responsibility including principal accountant for the Northeast Europe/Africa Group, marketing controller for the McDonald's Group, VP, chief of internal audit and VP, controller.



Waller also leads the Coca-Cola Company’s Women’s Leadership Council and helped develop its highly successful Women in Leadership global program. She serves on the advisory board of Catalyst, the leading nonprofit organization with a mission to expand opportunities for women and business.



Prior to joining The Coca-Cola Company, Waller worked for the firm now called Deloitte. She received her bachelor's and MBA degrees from the University of Rochester in New York and is a Certified Public Accountant.



The board today also elected Larry M. Mark, Mark Randazza, Dr. Wamwari Waichungo, Ronald J. Lewis and Jos Wellekens as VPs of the company, effective immediately.



Mark was named as VP, controller, and replaces Waller in the role. He joined the company in 1991 in the corporate audit department and has since served in roles of increasing responsibility including director of investor relations, VP of finance, North America Foodservice Division; CFO, Europe Group; CFO, Coca-Cola North America Group and most recently as deputy controller for the company.



Randazza was named as VP, assistant controller. Randazza also serves as the chief accounting officer of the company and is responsible for regulatory compliance of global accounting standards and internal and external reporting. He began his career with the company in 1992 as a senior accountant and has since held roles of increasing responsibility. Throughout his career, he has served as supervisor of treasury accounting, finance manager, director of accounting research and financial reporting and assistant controller.



Dr. Waichungo serves as VP, scientific and regulatory affairs (SRA). In this role, she leads company efforts to develop and implement a globally aligned scientific strategy that promotes the safety and benefits of Coca-Cola products, packages and ingredients; oversees regulatory compliance; and supports scientific advocacy. She joined the company in 2000 and has held various positions including director, strategy and business planning director for the North and West Africa Business Unit, and director, strategy, planning and insights for the South Africa Business Unit. Prior to joining the company, Dr. Waichungo held product and consumer research roles at Campbell Soup Company and ConAgra.



Ronald J. Lewis currently holds the position of VP, procurement and chief procurement officer of and is responsible for managing external spending across the Coca-Cola system. Prior to his current role, Lewis held the position of SVP for Coca-Cola Refreshments, VP, supply chain for Coca-Cola Enterprises, VP and chief procurement officer for Coca-Cola Enterprises, and president and CEO of Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Sales and Services Company LLC. Before starting his career with the Coca-Cola system, he was employed by Mars and Cargill in various supply chain, procurement, trading and risk management roles.



Jos Wellekens serves as VP, chief quality, safety and sustainable operations officer. In his role, Wellekens develops policy and governance for the quality, safety and environment spaces. Prior to his current role, he served as director of quality assurance, scientific and regulatory affairs and technical services for the Europe Group. He joined the company in 1992, and has held roles of increasing responsibility in quality, SRA, supply chain operations and technical leadership across the system. In 2007, he was named director of quality assurance and technical operations for the European Union Group, and later added scientific and regulatory affairs to his role.