Coca-Cola appoints Luis Felipe Avellar as President of Africa operating unit

AFRICA – The Coca-Cola Company has announced the appointment of Luis Felipe Avellar as President of its Africa operating unit, effective September 1, 2025.

Avellar, currently serving as President of the company’s Mexico operations within the Latin America unit, will succeed Luisa Ortega, who is set to become president of Coca-Cola’s Europe operating unit.

Avellar will be based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and will report directly to Coca-Cola Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Henrique Braun.

“Luis has had an outstanding career that has included extensive leadership roles in our Latin America operations,” Braun said.

“He 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’s appointment comes at a time when Coca-Cola is expanding its footprint across Africa, focusing on local manufacturing, sustainable packaging, and product innovation to meet diverse consumer needs.

The Africa operating unit covers more than 50 markets and is a key growth region for the beverage giant, driven by its young population and rising middle class.

A seasoned Coca-Cola leader, Avellar, 49, began his career with the company in 2002 as a finance specialist in Brazil.

He held a series of progressively senior roles in his home country before being named general manager of the Brazil South Region in 2016.

In 2019, he relocated to Johannesburg to serve as vice president and general manager for Southern Africa, overseeing markets such as South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Lesotho.

In 2021, Avellar returned to Latin America to take the role of president of Brazil and South Cone operations, later moving to lead Mexico in 2023.

Before joining Coca-Cola, he worked in finance at SC Johnson in Brazil from 1998 to 2002.

Avellar holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and an executive MBA in finance from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, as well as a certificate from the Advanced Management Program at IESE Business School in Spain.

As Coca-Cola faces evolving consumer preferences and sustainability challenges, Avellar is expected to focus on strengthening partnerships with African bottlers, investing in local communities, and accelerating the shift toward recyclable and returnable packaging across the continent.

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