Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. announced several management changes last week following the news that Chief Operating Officer G. David Van Houten Jr. will retire by the end of the year

Food & Drink Weekly, May 2, 2005

Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. announced several management changes last week following the news that Chief Operating Officer G. David Van Houten Jr. will retire by the end of the year. The company appointed William W. Douglas chief financial officer. Douglas previously served as CFO of Coca-Cola HBC, one of the world's largest Coca-Cola bottlers, as well as in a number of other European senior management positions.

He joined the company in 1985 and was most recently the company's controller and principal accounting officer. Charles Lischer will succeed Douglas. Lischer comes to the company from Deloitte & Touche, where he was most recently appointed a national office partner in the firm's accounting and standards group. The company appointed Shaun B. Higgins as president of the European Group to succeed Dominique Reiniche, who was named president of Coca-Cola Co.'s European Union group in March. Higgins formerly served as group president of Coca-Cola Enterprises Europe, and as president and COO of Coca-Cola Beverages Canada Ltd. Vice President of Investor Relations Scott Anthony will take on added responsibilities for the corporate planning process. Anthony has been with Coca-Cola Enterprises since 1990, arrived at investor relations in 2000, and was appointed vice president in 2003. The company named Mark Schortman an officer and vice president of North American sales to assume leadership of the customer management group led by Daniel Marr, who is set to retire at the end of the year. Coca-Cola Enterprises also elected 22-year veteran Hal Kravitz an officer and appointed him vice president of business development and as chief revenue officer. Additionally, the company hired William Hartman as vice president of information technology to succeed Margaret Carton, who is leaving the company. Coca Cola Enterprises also announced the planned retirements of Guy Thomas and Bob Gray by the end of the year. Thomas, who joined the company in 1986, is vice president of U.S. sales operations, and Gray, who joined the company in 1992, is senior vice president of operations and capital planning.