Coca-Cola expands leadership training across 12 African countries

Thirty-one leaders from 12 African countries have completed Coca-Cola Beverages Africa’s (CCBA) senior leadership programme, following its expansion to bring together participants from across the Coca-Cola system.

The graduates completed the second edition of the EDGE Senior Leadership Acceleration Programme, according to a company statement issued in Johannesburg on November 4, 2026.

This was the programme’s first pan-African cohort. In 2026, CCBA widened participation to include leaders from Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company. The Coca-Cola Company had participated before.

CCBA developed the programme with Henley Business School Africa to prepare promising leaders for senior roles and help them address business challenges across different markets.

Participants combined classroom lessons with business projects, mentoring and coaching. They studied strategy, business growth, organisational change, commercial decision-making and team leadership.

To graduate, each participant also presented a business project linked to organisational priorities.

CCBA serves more than 840,000 customers across Africa. The company said the programme helps its leaders develop the skills needed to operate across markets with different demands.

“People are at the heart of everything we do, and programmes like EDGE demonstrate our commitment to investing in their growth and future success,” said Natasa Prodanovic, CCBA’s chief people and culture officer.

Prodanovic said the wider intake allowed participants to share experiences and build working relationships across the Coca-Cola system.

“By learning alongside colleagues from The Coca-Cola Company, Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, participants were able to build meaningful connections, share diverse perspectives and strengthen collaboration across our markets.”

The company said EDGE forms part of its wider investment in developing future leaders and supporting business growth across Africa.