Carlos Pagoaga named new president of Coca-Cola Foundation

The Coca-Cola Co. recently announced a change in leadership at the Coca-Cola Foundation, naming Carlos Pagoaga as the new president. Pagoaga, a 34-year veteran of the company, will also become vice president of global community affairs. His new roles begin on June 1.

Pagoaga will succeed Saadia Madsbjerg, who has served as head of the Coca-Cola Foundation for the past three years, is stepping down to pursue other professional opportunities, according to a company press release.

“Carlos has tremendous global experience with the company and will bring a wealth of insights to his expanded role as leader of the Coca-Cola Foundation,” said Bea Perez, executive vice president and global chief communications, sustainability and strategic partnerships officer at the Coca-Cola Company. “Carlos will build on the great progress Saadia has made in shaping the strategic direction of the Foundation for the future. I thank Saadia for her service and congratulate Carlos on his new role.” 

Pagoaga currently serves as the Foundation’s senior director of the circular economy, where he is responsible for directing global recycling initiatives. In his expanded role, Pagoaga will manage all Foundation operations, which includes grant making, handling financial requirements and regulatory compliance for domestic and international philanthropy. 

Pagoaga’s appointment is contingent on a formal election by the foundation board, which is chaired by Perez. 

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to lead the Coca-Cola Foundation and to work with our partners,” Pagoaga said. “I’m deeply proud of the role Coca-Cola plays in the world and of the Foundation’s contributions to so many groups and communities.”

Pagoaga joined Coca-Cola in 1990 in Corporate Latin Affairs, where he managed relationships with Latino organizations and elected officials across the United States. He later moved to the company’s North America unit, where he managed multi-cultural communications. 

Pagoaga joined the Foundation in 2007 and has been responsible for a wide variety of duties. He has directed multiple large grants, such as the Replenish Africa Initiative, Project Last Mile and Atlanta BeltLine. 

In some of his civic roles, Pagoaga serves as board chair of the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals, trustee for the Nature Conservancy in Georgia and Georgia Advisory Board member for the Trust for Public Land. 

Previously Pagoaga has served as chairman of the National Hispanic Corporate Council, the Latin American Association and the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He is past Communications Committee chair for the Piedmont Park Conservancy. He was a member of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute class of 1997 and the Leadership Atlanta class of 2009. 

Pagoaga was born in Havana, Cuba, and raised in Atlanta. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business with a marketing focus and an MBA, both from Georgia State University in Atlanta. Pagoaga will report to Perez.

Since its inception in 1984, the Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded grants of more than $1.6 billion in service of its mandate to strengthen communities across the world.