Douglas N. Daft

CHAIRMAN & CEO, The Coca-Cola Company

Riding the Second Wave of Globalization

Douglas N. Daft, the new CEO of The Coca-Cola Company discussed his plans to "turn around" the soft-drink company in a speech before an overflow audience at the Chief Executives' Club of Boston luncheon on May 3. Daft, a native of Sydney, Australia said he wants to decentralize operations and revamp Coca-Cola's culture as the company seeks to regain the revenue and earnings growth that had made it a Wall Street darling. The changes should allow Coca-Cola, one of the first big international business success stories "to ride the second wave of globalization as succesfully as we did the first," Daft said. Since taking charge in December, Daft has pushed decision making power away from Atlanta, giving more authority and responsibility back to managers worldwide.

Story ran in the Boston Globe on May 4, 2000.