Coca-Cola announced Thursday that Kathy Waller has been elected executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective immediately, by the beverage company’s board of directors.
Waller, who most recently served vice president of finance and controller, will replace CFO Gary Fayard, whose retirement was announced in February. Fayard retired after 20 years with the company.
Waller, 55, is an Atlanta native who joined the company in 1987 as a senior accountant in the Accounting Research Department. She later served as principal accountant for the Northeast Europe/Africa Group, marketing controller for the McDonald’s Group, and vice president, chief of internal audit.
Waller also leads the company’s Women’s Leadership Council, which develops ways to prepare women for general management positions. She joined the company after working in public accounting for Deloitte, following bachelor’s and MBA degrees from the University of Rochester in New York.
Fayard joined Coke in 1994 as vice president and controller. He was named senior vice president and CFO in 1999 and was promoted in 2003 to the position he held until retirement.
