Coca-Cola selects Unilever executive as head of innovation

Coca-Cola selects Unilever executive as head of innovation

Coca-Cola selects Unilever executive as head of innovation

Coca-Cola has appointed a former Unilever marketer, Chad Scales, to the new role of vice-president of brand marketing innovation. He takes over the role this week.

Scales’ appointment aims to build on Coke’s new product development in non-core categories as it looks to move away from carbonated drinks. He will be responsible for developing the company into areas such as teas, coffees
as well as looking at new packaging.

Scales, who was previously vice-president of food division at Unilever North America, will report to Mark Mathieu, senior vice president of brand marketing. Mathieu reports into Coke’s chief marketing and commercial officer Joseph Tripodi, who was appointed last month. He replaced Mary Minnick, who left to join private equity company Lion Capital.

Scales will head a team including Gopal Krishnan, who works in production innovation, Mike Shepherd, who works across packaging and equipment innovation, and David Fielding, who heads the teas and coffees categories.

Coca-Cola, in recent years, has attempted to diversify away from carbonated drinks. It has undertaken a joint venture with NestlÈ called Beverage Partners Worldwide (BPW), which focuses on black and green tea.
The pair are understood to be working on a range of functional drinks, including a tea-based ready-to-drink product called Lumae (MW March 15, 2007).