The Coca-Cola Company announced that Senior Vice President and General Counsel Geoffrey Kelly will retire in February 2012 after more than 42 years of service with the company.

Kelly joined The Coca-Cola Company in February 1970 and has held roles of increasing responsibility within the Legal Division, culminating in his appointment as a senior vice president and general counsel in 2005. During his four-decade career with The Coca-Cola Company, Kelly has served as senior counsel for the Pacific Group, Middle and Far East Group and International Operations. Kelly was elected a senior vice president in 2004, and the following year he assumed the role of general counsel and chief legal counsel.

The Coca-Cola Company board of directors elected Bernhard Goepelt to succeed Kelly in the role of senior vice president, general counsel and chief legal counsel. Kelly will remain senior vice president during a transition period through February 2012.

Goepelt joined the company in March 1992 as legal counsel for the German Division and has taken on a number of progressive roles of increasing responsibility, including legal counsel, Middle and Far East Group; Division Counsel, Southeast and West Asia Division, Thailand; Group Counsel, Central Europe, Eurasia and Middle East and Pacific Groups. His most recent roles have included dual responsibilities for global marketing, commercial leadership and strategy, as well as Pacific group counsel, based in Atlanta.

Goepelt will report to Coca-Cola's Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Alex Cummings.