USA | The Coca‑Cola Company has announced leadership transitions for its Customer Commercial team and The McDonald’s Division.
Beginning in November, Roberto Mercadé, who currently serves as president of The McDonald’s Division, will become Chief Customer & Commercial Officer, reporting to Global Chief Marketing and Customer Commercial Officer Manolo Arroyo.
Mercadé has led the McDonald’s Division since 2023. Before that, he served as Mexico zone president.
He joined Coca‑Cola in 1992 as a production services manager in Puerto Rico and held several roles before being named general manager of the Venezuela & Caribbean franchise unit in 2006.
In 2011, he became general manager in South Africa. In 2014, Mercadé moved to Australia to lead the South Pacific business unit. He returned to Latin America in 2018 as president of the Latin Centre business unit.
He also serves on the board of Coca-Cola Andina as well as the Georgia Tech Advisory Board and Ronald McDonald House of Atlanta.
Mercadé will succeed Jorge Garduño, who stepped down from the role on the 31st of Auguat after a 34-year career with the company.
He will be succeeded as president of The McDonald’s Division by Pamela Stewart, who currently serves as Chief Customer Officer, Retail for Coca‑Cola’s North America operating unit.
Stewart will report to CEO Henrique Braun and will begin her new role in November.
Stewart has served as Chief Customer Officer, Retail for the North America operating unit since 2023, leading a 110-customer organisation, including 25 global customers.
During her tenure, company brands have maintained category leadership and delivered more than twice the growth of the leading competitor. Previously, Stewart was president of West Zone Franchise Operations – NAOU.
Stewart joined Coca‑Cola in 2000. Her career experience includes foodservice, on-premise and retail customer leadership, franchise operations, finance, and general management. She has held roles at Coca‑Cola, its bottling system and in the telecommunications industry.
She is a director of Utz Brands and serves on the boards of the Retail Industry Leaders Association, FMI, Girls Inc. and Oglethorpe University.
Her successor will be named later.
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