Coke Convinces Top Black Exec to Stay

Coca-Cola Co. headed off an embarrassing loss of its top-ranking black executive, naming Senior Vice President Carl H. Ware to a new post reporting directly to Coke’s incoming chief executive, Douglas N. Daft. Ware, 56, president of Coke’s Africa division, will lead a new worldwide division called Global Public Affairs and Administration, Coke said, and will join the company’s executive committee. The move undoes Ware’s resignation, which he announced in November after former Chairman Douglas Ivester reorganized management, in effect demoting Ware. In early December, Ivester himself said he would resign. The company has been beleaguered by misfortunes that include Asia’s downturn, product recalls in Europe, battles with European regulators and a racial discrimination suit by current and former Coke employees. Ivester will leave in April, and Ware had planned to depart later in the year. Ware said he is excited about a position that is in operations and “goes beyond the traditional corporate affairs” role. Coke stock closed up 6 cents at $56.44 on the NYSE.