Former Coke UK chief to take on Japan and China

Julia Goldin, Coca-Cola Great Britain’s former marketing director, is understood to have landed a senior marketing role at the soft drink giant’s operations in Japan and China.

Coke declined to comment and would not reveal whether she would be replaced. But it is thought that Goldin, who is the company’s director of new product development for North West Europe, will take up the role early next year.

This will be an important period for Coca-Cola’s operations in China as it is a leading sponsor of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Goldin, who is Russian-born, was appointed as Coca-Cola’s UK marketing director in 2003 before moving to her current role in Europe two years later.

Her career with Coca-Cola started in 1997 as global brand manager for Diet Coke and Coca-Cola. Two years later she moved to Diet Coke as flavours marketing manager for Coca-Cola Great Britain.

Goldin was then appointed consumer brand director for Coca-Cola GB before taking on the GB marketing director role. Before joining Coca-Cola, she was a brand manager for Quaker Oats in Chicago.

Goldin oversaw the debut of Coke Zero in the UK last year, which she reportedly had to turn around quickly after the launch was brought forward. She also handled the addition of flavours to the Diet Coke range and the roll-out of flavoured Schweppes tonic water.

Coca-Cola is investing heavily in China, which it sees as a key growth area. In the company’s third quarter results, the company says its brands reached 120,000 new outlets.