Atlanta, January 09, 2006 - The Coca-Cola Company today named Tom Mattia director of Worldwide Public Affairs and Communications, effective February 1. Mr. Mattia will report directly to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Neville Isdell, who will be recommending to the Board of Directors that Mr. Mattia be elected senior vice president at the February Board meeting.
A 35-year veteran of public affairs and communications, Mr. Mattia will join the Company's Executive Committee. He succeeds Clyde Tuggle, who was previously named president, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus Division.
In his new role, Mr. Mattia will be responsible for leading the Company's global public affairs and communications, which include the corporate communications, public policy, employee communications and archives functions. The Company's corporate responsibility function will report to Mr. Mattia, and he also will assume leadership of the Company's Public Policy and Corporate Responsibility Council and the Bottler Public Affairs Advisory Board.
Mr. Mattia joins the Company from technology services leader EDS, where he served as vice president of Global Communications since 2000. Managing EDS' public positioning with media, analysts and clients during one of the company's most turbulent periods, Mr. Mattia helped EDS transition through a shift in executive management that led to the company's recent return to industry leadership. Mr. Mattia was responsible for a wide range of activities from brand management and media relations to advertising and online marketing and communications.
"Effectively communicating about who we are as a company and what we stand for is essential to our ability to connect with the many audiences who care about The Coca-Cola Company," said Neville Isdell. "Tom brings a wealth of international public affairs and communications expertise to our organization, and we will benefit greatly from his media, agency and corporate experience. He will be a great addition to our senior leadership team."
Mr. Mattia joined EDS from Ford Motor Company, where he held a variety of executive positions over five years. As the head of International Public Affairs, he spearheaded Ford's expansion into India, China and Russia, contributing to the establishment of joint venture operations in all three countries. In addition, Mr. Mattia re-established the Ford brand and government relationships in Brazil, Argentina and South Africa. He also served as vice president of Lincoln Mercury and director of North American Public Affairs.
Prior to Ford, Mr. Mattia held executive positions with GCI Jennings, Hill and Knowlton and IBM. He served as the first president and chief operating officer of GCI Jennings, a market entry and communications firm, and spent four years as executive vice president of Hill and Knowlton, an international public relations agency. At Hill and Knowlton, Mr. Mattia oversaw Asian operations from Hong Kong, launching STAR TV, Asia's first satellite television service, and supporting the opening of China's first McDonald's. He expanded the company's business operations in China, India and Vietnam.
During a 10-year career at IBM, Mr. Mattia held various managerial and executive positions. He wrote the press materials for the original IBM PC, created the company's first integrated marketing communications organization and represented the company in critical areas ranging from divestiture in South Africa to environmental issues in the U.S. and Europe. Prior to IBM, Mr. Mattia managed Jimmy Carter's U.S. presidential campaign in Vermont and worked as a reporter for four U.S. newspapers, beginning his career at The Trenton Times in New Jersey.
Mr. Mattia serves on the committee of the PR Seminar and the board of trustees of the Dallas Theater Center. He is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society, the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). He holds a bachelor's degree in Journalism from Rutgers University.