Calin Dragan has been promoted to president of Bottling Investments Group (BIG) at The Coca-Cola Co., effective Jan. 1, 2018. Mr. Dragan currently is regional director for BIG’s Southeast ASEAN (Southeast Asia) and Middle East bottlers.

In his new role, Mr. Dragan will oversee global operations for BIG, which is now largely concentrated in the Asia Pacific region, Coca-Cola said. The company has been working toward refranchising Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, which is part of BIG.

Mr. Dragan began his career with Coca-Cola in 1993 in Timisoara, Romania, and has held a variety of bottling leadership roles in Asia Pacific and Europe. He was chief executive officer and general administrator of Coca-Cola HB’s business in Romania and the Republic of Moldova from 2005 to 2011, and executive vice-president and representative director of Coca-Cola West Bottling Co. in Japan from 2011 to 2012. Prior to his current role, he was representative director and acting chairman, president and c.e.o. of Coca-Cola East Japan.

“Calin brings a great breadth of system experience and proven leadership abilities,” said John Murphy, president of Coca-Cola’s Asia Pacific Group. “He is the right person to lead BIG, including a strong focus on execution and people development, as the business continues to be reshaped for the future.”

Mr. Dragan will succeed Irial Finan, who plans to retire from Coca-Cola on March 31, 2018. He will step down from his current role as executive vice-president and president of BIG on Dec. 31 and will remain with the company as executive adviser until his retirement.

A 36-year veteran of the Coca-Cola system, Mr. Finan started his career with the company in multiple finance and operational roles across Europe. In 1995, he was promoted to managing director of Molino Beverages, and from 2011 to 2003, he was c.e.o. of bottler Coca-Cola HBC. In 2004, Mr. Finan became president of bottling investments and supply chain and executive vice-president of The Coca-Cola Co.

“I want to thank Irial for his leadership and dedicated service to our global Coca-Cola system over the last 36 years,” said James Quincey, president and c.e.o. of The Coca-Cola Co. “All of us at Coca-Cola join in wishing Irial, his wife, Deirdre, and his daughters, Ciara and Röisïn, great success in their future plans.”