From the green to the boardroom

5 May 2004 By Rob Cox Follow @rob1cox

By pulling its former executive E. Neville Isdell out of retirement, Coke has joined other companies in opting for a safe pair of hands. But as at McDonald’s, Boeing and elsewhere, this hints at the timidity of directors. And it’s not a riskfree strategy either.

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Coca Cola named E. Neville Isdell, 60, a former senior executive, as its new chief executive, replacing Douglas Daft next month. Isdell led Coke's efforts to crack open a handful of new markets, particularly in the developing world, prior to becoming head of one of its biggest bottling subsidiaries, then retiring.

Isdell, an Irish citizen, was chosen after a handful of other outsiders turned down the job, including Gillette boss James Kilts. Isdell was chosen over an internal candidate, chief operating officer Steven Heyer.

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From the green to the boardroom

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