The Coca-Cola Company announced that Alfredo Rivera will become president of Coca-Cola North America, effective immediately. Rivera, a native of Honduras, has 23 years of experience with the company and most recently served as president of the Latin America group.
Rivera replaces James L. “Jim” Dinkins, who has led Coca-Cola North America since 2018. Dinkins is retiring after 32 years with the company. Dinkins joined Coca-Cola in 1988 and went on to serve in a series of roles of increased responsibility, the company said in a statement.
“Alfredo has had a remarkable career in Latin America, which is made up of a large number of highly complex and diverse markets,” said James Quincey, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “Alfredo has built a networked organization that is positioning our business to emerge stronger from the current pandemic. He is a strong successor for the top role in our flagship North America market, where he will build on the great progress we’ve seen under Jim’s leadership. I thank Jim for his many years of service to the company and countless contributions to our business.”
Rivera will report to President and Chief Operating Officer Brian Smith, said the company.
The Successful Career of Alfredo Rivera
Alfredo Rivera, 59, has most recently overseen the company’s Latin America group, which includes 40 countries. He was named to this role in 2016.
He joined the company in 1997 in the Central America and Caribbean Division as a district manager for Guatemala and El Salvador. He went on to serve in roles of greater responsibility in Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico before being named president of the Latin Center business unit.
Prior to joining the company, Rivera worked for two independent Coca-Cola bottlers in Honduras and El Salvador.
Alfredo Rivera is a native of Honduras who holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. He also completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
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Meanwhile, Dinkins, 58, will serve as a senior advisor until his retirement on February 28, 2021, the company said. He worked as Senior Vice President of The Coca-Cola Company and President, Coca-Cola North America, since 2018. Previously, he was president of the company’s Minute Maid Business Unit and Chief Retail Sales Officer for CCNA.
He joined the company in 1988. His experience includes working in a variety of areas: sales, marketing, operations, strategic planning, sports marketing, franchise leadership and general management.
Dinkins holds an MBA from Emory University and a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Georgia. He is a member of the board of directors of bottler Coca-Cola FEMSA.