Coca-Cola hires former insurance executive as new marketing chief

ATLANTA: The Coca-Cola. Co., the world's largest beverage marker, said Friday it has tapped a former insurance company executive as its new chief marketing officer.

Joseph V. Tripodi, who most recently had been the senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Allstate Insurance Co., will lead a new function at Coca-Cola combining the company's global marketing and commercial organizations.

The company's top marketing post had been vacant since Mary Minnick announced in January that she was resigning to pursue other opportunities.

Some observers believed Minnick may have left because she was passed over for Coke's No. 2 job, which went to Muhtar Kent, who is now chief operating officer.

Minnick was head of marketing, strategy and innovation. The strategy and innovation roles are now being handled by separate officials, spokesman Kelly Brooks said.
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Tripodi will report to Kent.

Before joining Allstate in 2003, Tripodi was chief marketing officer for The Bank of New York.

He previously served as chief marketing officer for Seagram Spirits & Wine Group, and he also previously held an executive role at MasterCard International. He also spent seven years at Mobil Oil Corp., now part of Exxon Mobil Corp.

Minnick had been with Coca-Cola for 23 years.