Coca-Cola has announced the appointment of Andrew Buckingham as the Vice President and General Manager for Coca-Cola Middle East region.
Bringing more than 23 years of international experience working within Coca-Cola to his new role, Buckingham will continue the company’s goal of strengthening and growing its Middle East business which comprises 13 markets. By driving the next chapter in its growth agenda, Buckingham will leverage the company’s multifunctional network working in close partnership with its bottling partners across the region.
Speaking on the appointment, Sedef Salingan Sahin, President Eurasia and Middle East Operating Unit, Coca-Cola said, “Andrew brings a wealth of global industry experience and excellent strategic and leadership skills, and I am delighted that he will be leading our Middle East operations through its strategic growth phase.”
Buckingham commented, “I am keen to build on the solid foundation that the team has achieved over the past few years. This year, we have ambitious plans keeping our consumers at the heart of all we do. We will continue to drive innovation, bring unparalleled experiences, and focus on our sustainability agenda. I look forward to working alongside our partners, bottlers, and my team to continue to refresh the region and make a difference.”
Buckingham joined the company in 1999 as the Marketing Manager of Ecuador. He then worked in a series of Marketing and Commercial leadership roles across Latin America, Europe, and Asia.
In 2015, Buckingham moved to North America as Vice President, Customer and Commercial Leadership, and in 2017 was appointed as General Manager of the Puerto Rico Region. In his most recent role as General Manager for Russia and Belarus, Buckingham secured double digit revenue growth, attaining record high people engagement results, and managing the operation during some exceptionally challenging times.