Coca-Cola Co. Coke, Coke counsel, Geoffrey J. Kelly, Bernhard Goepelt
ATLANTA -- The Coca-Cola Co. announced that senior vice-president and general counsel Geoffrey J. Kelly will retire in February after more than 42 years with the company. Bernhard Goepelt will succeed him in the role of senior vice president, general counsel and chief legal counsel.
During his four-decades at Coke, Kelly has served as senior counsel for the Pacific Group, Middle and Far East Group, and international operations. He was elected a senior vice-president in 2004, and assumed the role of general counsel for the company the following year.
A native of Germany, Goepelt is a global leader of the company's legal division. He joined Coke in March 1992 as legal counsel for the German division and has served as counsel for about a dozen international groups in the beverage giant's sphere of influence.
