Up the ranks: Tapaswee Chandele named Global CPO at The Coca-Cola Company, succeeding Lisa Chang

Chandele will report to CEO Henrique Braun effective 1 May 2026, while Chang will remain with the company as a senior advisor through the end of the year.

The Coca-Cola Company has appointed Tapaswee Chandele (pictured above, left) as its new Global Chief People Officer, effective 1 May 2026. She succeeds Lisa Chang (pictured above, right), who will step down after seven years in the role.

Chandele currently serves as Senior Vice President and Executive Assistant to President and Chief Financial Officer John Murphy, a position she has held since May 2025. Prior to that, she was Senior Vice President of Global Talent, Development and HR System Partnerships from 2019 to 2025, a role in which she led the company’s worldwide talent management strategy and was part of Chang’s leadership team.

A Coca-Cola veteran, Chandele joined the business in 2001 in India and has since held a range of HR and talent development roles across markets including Türkiye and South Africa, before relocating to the United States in 2017.

She currently sits on the board of Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages in India and also serves on the board of Agnes Scott College.

In her new role, Chandele will report to CEO Henrique Braun.

In a LinkedIn post announcing her departure, Chang described the role as "one of the great privileges of my career", adding that shaping the company's talent, culture, and human experience globally was a responsibility she "never took lightly".

Endorsing her successor, Chang said Chandele – whom she described as an "exceptional leader"– was "ready for this moment", noting that developing strong successors is a key responsibility of leadership.

Chang will remain with the company through the end of 2026 as a senior advisor and will continue her board involvement with The Coca-Cola Foundation.

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Image of Lisa: The Coca-Cola Company
Image of Tapaswee: LinkedIn/David Reimer