Rakesh Rajbally appointed MD at Coca-Cola Beverages SA

Rakesh Rajbally. Image supplied

Rajbally officially took up the position on 1 February, replacing Velaphi Ratshefola who formally retired at the end of January after seven years with the company.

With 26 years of diverse experience spanning general management, sales, marketing, logistics, and finance within the Coca-Cola bottling system, Rajbally brings invaluable insights and leadership to the team.

His track record of driving revenue growth and route-to-market strategies in both modern and emerging markets makes him a sought-after industry thought leader.

As a key architect of CCBSA's strategic and operational customer management, Rajbally achieved a remarkable number-one ranking across FMCG companies in the Advantage survey for two consecutive years.

His journey within the Coca-Cola business, starting as a temporary filing clerk at ABI in 1997, is an inspirational testament to the company’s commitment to self-development and rewarding a strong work ethic, self-empowerment, and a growth mindset.

CCBSA’s Commercial Department has also been restructured to enhance efficiency and responsiveness to market dynamics. This reinforces CCBSA's commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences and sustainable growth.

Strategic appointments

Hannes Prinsloo has been appointed as country sales director. With over three decades of experience within the bottling system, Prinsloo brings expertise in sales operations, revenue growth, route-to-market strategies, category management, and channel development.

Prinsloo’s leadership has been instrumental in driving CCBSA's ambitious top-line growth while maintaining world-class customer service standards.

In his previous role as commercial general manager, Prinsloo successfully led revenue growth initiatives, optimised route-to-market strategies, and enhanced category management practices.

His proven track record and deep understanding of the industry makes him well-suited to lead the Country Sales team towards achieving CCBSA's strategic objectives.

Janett Forbes has joined CCBSA as the commercial excellence director, bringing a rich background in finance, logistics, and commercial management.

Forbes’ extensive experience, gained from her tenure in the logistics industry and previous roles within the Coca-Cola system, equips her to drive excellence in sales processes, performance, and strategies.

Her strategic vision and operational expertise are pivotal in elevating CCBSA's commercial capabilities and maintaining its competitive edge in the market.

The company has also appointed Moses Lubisi, formerly group head of supply chain excellence at Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA), as manufacturing at technical director for CCBSA.

With over 20 years of extensive experience spanning various industries such as Sugar, Food and Beverages, and Mineral processing, including 15 years within the Coca-Cola system, Lubisi brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this role.

Prinsloo, Forbes and Lubisi join current directors, Mkuseli Dlikilili (Human Resources); Nozicelo Ngcobo (Public Affairs Communications and Sustainability) and Desilan Pillay (Logistics) as part of CCBSA’s EXCOM team.