Swire Coca-Cola HK names new director and general manager

Swire Coca-Cola HK (SCCHK) has appointed Richard Gould (pictured) as its new director and general manager, effective from 1 June 2024.

This comes as part of the company’s continuous efforts to strengthen its commitment to customer-focused products and solutions for Hong Kong market.

Within his new role, Gould reports directly to Hunter Jin, CEO Swire Coca-Cola, South East Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan region (SEAHKT).

Gould is responsible for leading the Hong Kong Market, overseeing a team of approximately 1,300 staff and managing the operations of the Shatin plant, from supply chain to sales and marketing. Richard works closely with the company's business partner and various business units to ensure the smooth functioning of the business.

As a global business leader, Gould has held several leadership roles across Swire Coca-Cola’s head office and Chinese Mainland operations.

Gould started his tenure with Swire Group at Swire Pacific Offshore, where he was deeply involved in operational and commercial roles that honed his expertise in operations management and commercial development across a variety of international settings including Singapore, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Following this, he joined Steamships Trading Company in Papua New Guinea, focusing on group investments and divestments.

He then joined Swire Coca-Cola as general manager for strategy, and then grew his experience in the bottling business at the Hainan bottler, prioritising staff, and community well-being as they charted their course through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gould recently held the position of general manager of digital and IT for Swire Coca-Cola’s global office, based in Hong Kong. He has led Swire Coca-Cola’s global digital & IT team to deliver transformative systems and capabilities, enhancing the company’s reputation for innovation and digital leadership in the bottling industry, according to the release.

Meanwhile, Gould’s predecessor, Connie Yeung was appointed a regional role as general manager, commercial planning for the South East Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan region.

“Hong Kong is an important growth market for us, our legacy for this industry was built from here. There are many opportunities to continue to innovate our delivery and reach our customers. We are happy to welcome Gould to this role and believe his experience and track record will be invaluable to build on our solid growth path”, said Hunter Jin, CEO Swire Coca-Cola, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan region.

“We not only have a responsibility to deliver the everyday business, but we must also lead our team and our company into the future. I believe that the best way to do this - to build a platform for sustainable growth - is by winning with our customers every day.” said Gould.

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