The Coca‑Cola Company Announces New President for ASEAN & South Pacific Operating Unit and New Chief of Staff for Chairman and CEO

The Coca‑Cola Company today announced that Selman Careaga, who currently serves as president of the global Coca‑Cola Trademark business, will become president of the ASEAN & South Pacific operating unit effective June 1. Careaga will succeed Claudia Lorenzo, who will become chief of staff to James Quincey, the company’s chairman and CEO.

In his new role, Careaga will report to Henrique Braun, president of International Development. Careaga will be based in Singapore and will lead a diverse team that covers a variety of developed and developing countries across Southeast Asia and the South Pacific.

Lorenzo, who has led ASEAN & South Pacific since 2020, will relocate to Atlanta and report to Quincey. As chief of staff, she will work with Quincey and the company’s executive leadership team to prioritize, align and make progress on critical initiatives.

Lorenzo succeeds Lovella Adams, who is taking a new role as senior vice president, Technical, Innovation and Supply Chain, for the North America operating unit, reporting to Marcelo Boffi. Adams succeeds Chris Vallette, who is retiring after a 21-year career with the company.

Careaga has led Coca‑Cola Trademark globally since 2020. In this role – which is one of five global category presidents in the marketing organization – Careaga has led the global strategy, innovation pipeline, and marketing/digital platforms for the company’s flagship brand, while managing its multi-billion-dollar P&L. Under Selman’s leadership, the Coca‑Cola Trademark brand achieved a record-high value share and returned to the top 10 of Kantar’s world’s most valuable brands, through the support of the nine operating units’ network teams. 

Careaga began his career at the company in 2004 in Mexico in marketing. In 2009, he led global marketing for Sprite and Fanta. He relocated to Mexico in 2014 as vice president of marketing, where he led strategic marketing for the group’s total beverage portfolio. Careaga was later appointed general manager of sparkling and hydration.

In 2018, Careaga became vice president of marketing for Coca‑Cola Brazil, where he led strategic marketing, innovation pipeline and consumer platforms across the sparkling and stills portfolios. After this role, Careaga was president of the sparkling business unit for Coca‑Cola North America before being appointed as global category president for Coca‑Cola Trademark.

Careaga holds an engineering degree from Tecnologico de Monterrey and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Careaga’s successor as president of Coca‑Cola Trademark will be announced at a later date.

As president of ASEAN & South Pacific, Lorenzo has played a leading role in the region on topics such as innovation, digital transformation and sustainability.

Previously, Lorenzo served as president of the former ASEAN business unit from 2019 to 2020. She also served as vice president of still beverages for the company’s Brazil business unit. 

Lorenzo joined Coca‑Cola in Brazil in 1994 and went on to hold a variety of roles across several functions, including key account management; shopper marketing; planning; franchise leadership; and public affairs, communications and sustainability. 

Prior to Coca‑Cola, Lorenzo worked for Globo TV in Brazil for four years. 

Lorenzo holds a degree in journalism from Helio Alonso University, or FACHA, and an executive MBA with a focus in retail management from IBMEC, both in Brazil.

Adams has served as Quincey’s chief of staff since late 2022. She joined the company in 2006.

Prior to her position in Quincey’s office, Adams was vice president, Technical, Innovation and Supply Chain, for the Greater China & Mongolia operating unit. She has also worked for the Coca‑Cola system in Thailand and the Philippines. Prior to Coke, Adams spent six years with General Motors.

Adams holds degrees from Spelman College, the Georgia Institute of Technology and Kettering University.