JOHANNESBURG — The Coca-Cola Co. announced Friday that Luis Felipe Avellar will become president of its Africa operating unit, effective Sept. 1.
Avellar, 49, currently serves as president of the company’s Mexico operations. He will succeed Luisa Ortega, who is moving to a new role as president of the company’s Europe operating unit.
In his new role, Avellar will report to Henrique Braun, Coca-Cola’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.
“Luis has had an outstanding career that has included extensive leadership roles in our Latin America operations,” Braun said in a statement. “Luis also has experience working for our company in Africa, and I’m excited to see him return to Johannesburg to build on the system’s ongoing work to serve the growing African market.”
Avellar began his career at Coca-Cola in 2002 as a finance specialist in Brazil. In 2019, he served as vice president and general manager for Southern Africa, based in Johannesburg, before returning to Latin America two years later. He was named to his current role in Mexico in 2023.
Avellar holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and an executive MBA in finance from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. He also completed the Advanced Management Program at IESE Business School in Spain.