A version of this article appeared in the October 2011 issue of Harvard Business Review.
Shaking Things Up at Coca-Cola
Listen to an excerpt of the interview.Download this podcast Since Muhtar Kent took the helm of Coca-Cola, in July 2008, he has set a course for ambitious, long-term growth—even in a supposedly mature U.S. market—with the goal of doubling revenue by 2020. Kent has tried to rejuvenate an inward-looking, “arrogant” corporate culture and has reinvested […]
Summary.
Reprint: R1110F
When Muhtar Kent took the helm at Coke, in 2008, he had two top priorities: to establish a long-term vision and to restore growth in North America. The vision called for doubling Coke’s business in 10 years—something “not for the fainthearted,” Kent says, “but clearly doable.” In this edited interview he talks about the role of social media (Coke has 33 million Facebook fans), which today get 20% of the company’s total media spend; the importance of creating sustainable communities to preserve the future of the business; and Coke’s commitment to water neutrality by 2020—which means giving back a liter of water for every one the company uses. As the CEO of a company with 140,000 employees, Kent says, “you can only influence.” He takes a low-key approach, treasures the team, and loves to visit supermarkets and observe customers.