Coca-Cola Appoints Tapaswee Chandele as Global Chief People Officer

The Coca-Cola Company has appointed Tapaswee Chandele as its Global Chief People Officer, effective May 1, 2026, marking a significant leadership transition as the company continues to strengthen its global talent strategy. She succeeds Lisa Chang, who will step down after a seven-year tenure and remain with the company as a senior advisor through the end of the year to support a smooth transition.

Chandele will report to CEO Henrique Braun and take on responsibility for leading Coca-Cola’s global people agenda, including talent strategy, leadership development, and organisational effectiveness. Her appointment reflects the company’s continued focus on building a future-ready workforce aligned with evolving business priorities.

A long-time Coca-Cola leader, Chandele has been with the organisation since 2001, building a global career across multiple geographies including India, Türkiye, South Africa, and the United States. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff to the President and CFO. Prior to that, she was Senior Vice President of Global Talent, Development and HR Systems Partnerships, where she played a key role in shaping the company’s worldwide talent management strategy.

Her deep experience in talent development and global HR leadership positions her well to lead Coca-Cola’s people function at a time when organisations are navigating rapid changes in workforce expectations and the future of work. She also serves on the board of Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages and is a member of the Board of Directors at Agnes Scott College.

Lisa Chang, who has served as Executive Vice President and Global Chief People Officer since 2019, played a pivotal role in shaping Coca-Cola’s enterprise-wide HR strategy and fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture. Her leadership helped align the company’s people agenda with its broader purpose and long-term growth objectives.

This leadership transition highlights Coca-Cola’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its people-first approach, ensuring that talent strategy remains central to business performance and global expansion.