ESADE Alumni has announced that the winner of the 2019 ESADE Award is James Quincey, CEO and chairman-elect. of The Coca-Cola Company. Mr. Quincey will collect the award in person on 6th May at the ESADE Alumni Annual Conference, which will be held in Barcelona at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya.

Mr. Quincey was selected as the winner of this year’s ESADE Award for his leadership of Coca-Cola’s efforts to diversify its beverage portfolio to provide consumers with a greater choice of products to meet changing trends and lifestyles, as well as its constant innovation to reduce sugar across its portfolio. The ESADE Alumni award committee also took into account Mr. Quincey’s clear commitment – displayed throughout his tenure at the helm of the global beverage giant – to creating a more sustainable company that supports local communities and has a positive impact on society and the environment.

During the ESADE Alumni Annual Conference, the CEO and chairman-elect. of The Coca-Cola Company will share his vision for the company and discuss various global challenges.

Award for an outstanding career

The 2019 ESADE Award recognises James Quincey for his brilliant track record as an executive at the Coca-Cola Company, in particular his leadership style, his ability to motivate people and his extraordinary vision for how to shape the company’s strategy. As Mr. Quincey has said on more than one occasion, “You have to do the right thing, not the easiest thing.” The CEO and chairman-elect. of The Coca-Cola Company is also known for his efforts to shore up the company’s long-term financial performance by integrating sustainability into the business model.

Since joining Coca-Cola in 1996, Mr. Quincey has held various executive posts in various geographical regions. This experience enabled him to develop an in-depth vision of the company and its customers in various markets.

About the ESADE Awards

The ESADE Awards are sponsored by ESADE Alumni as a means of honouring organisations and individuals whose careers, activities or services have demonstrated the values that define the founding spirit of ESADE Business School and set a good example for others.

Previous winners include Pablo Isla, CEO of Inditex, Mikael Ohlsson, CEO of Ikea, Carlos Slim, CEO of Inbursa, Indra K. Nooyi, President and CEO of PepsiCo; Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever; Hiroshi Mikitani, founder, chairman and CEO of Rakuten, Inc.; and Enrique Lores, ‎President of Imaging, Printing and Solutions at HP.