Muhtar Kent is Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Coca-Cola Company. From 2009-2017, he served as the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Previously, he was President and Chief Executive Officer and earlier, President and Chief Operating Officer.
Mr. Kent joined The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta in 1978, holding a variety of marketing and operations leadership positions over the course of his career. In 1985, he became General Manager of Coca-Cola Turkey and Central Asia. Beginning in 1989, 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.
In 1995, Mr. Kent was named Managing Director of Coca-Cola Amatil-Europe, covering bottling operations in 12 countries. In 1999, he became President and CEO of the Efes Beverage Group, a diversified beverage company with Coca-Cola and beer operations across Southeast Europe, Turkey and Central Asia.
Mr. Kent returned to The Coca-Cola Company in 2005 as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company's North Asia, Eurasia and Middle East Group, an organization serving a broad and diverse region that included China, Japan and Russia. Less than a year later, he became President of Coca-Cola International, leading all of the Company's operations outside North America. In 2006, he was named President and Chief Operating Officer, and he became CEO in 2008.
Mr. Kent holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Hull in England and a Master of Science degree in Administrative Sciences from Cass Business School, City University London.
Active in the global business community, Mr. Kent isthe past Chairman of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum and a member of its Chairman’s Community, a member of the Concordia Leadership Council, a past Chairman of the U.S.-China Business Council, a past board member of the National Committee on US-China Relations, and Chairman Emeritus of the U.S. ASEAN Business Council. He serves on the boards of 3M, Special Olympics International, Catalyst, Cambridge China Development Trust and Emory University.