Cott Completes Senior Leadership Team with Two New Appointments
27 September 2006 - 4:30PM
PR Newswire (US)
Rick Dobry Joins Cott as Chief Manufacturing & Supply Chain
Officer TORONTO, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cott
Corporation (NYSE:COT; TSX:BCB) today announced that it has
completed the formation of its senior leadership team with the
hiring of Rick Dobry to the position of Chief Manufacturing &
Supply Chain Officer. In addition, the Company has promoted Edmund
O'Keeffe to the expanded role of Vice President, Strategy and
Investor Relations. "We are extremely fortunate to have someone of
Rick Dobry's caliber join Cott," commented Brent Willis, CEO of
Cott Corporation. "His depth of world-class experience across all
aspects of supply chain, operations and manufacturing will be a
major force in driving our cost control and improved performance
globally." As Chief Manufacturing & Supply Chain Officer, Dobry
will oversee Cott's global manufacturing, supply chain, logistics,
quality and R&D functions. He joins the Company with a career
history in consumer packaged goods. He was most recently President,
Americas Supply for Diageo. In this position, Dobry was responsible
for all areas of Operations and Technology for Diageo's business in
the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to joining
Diageo, he spent 10 years with Tropicana in senior leadership roles
responsible for supply chain, sales, logistics and purchasing. He
has also held positions with Kraft and Hershey Foods and holds an
MBA in Finance from the University of Akron and Bachelor of Science
in Business Logistics from Penn State University. The promotion of
Edmund O'Keeffe to Vice President, Strategy and Investor Relations,
reflects the Company's commitment to a disciplined approach in
business planning and strategy development. He will play a key role
working with the business units to identify opportunities for
growth and to convert strategy into action plans and measurable
targets. He will also continue to lead Cott's investor relations
function. O'Keeffe joined Cott in 1994 and has held numerous
senior-level positions with responsibility for product and category
management, market analysis, strategic planning and corporate
development. He holds a Masters degree from the Harvard Business
School and a Bachelor of Commerce from University College in
Dublin. "Edmund has extensive knowledge of the beverage industry,
our retail customers and all of our markets. He'll be a valuable
addition to the Cott Management Committee and he'll work closely
with me to drive our strategic agenda forward." "We are very
pleased that our new senior leadership team has come together so
quickly. These two appointments to Cott's Management Committee will
add great depth of experience and will help accelerate the progress
in our three key areas of focus - reducing costs, becoming our
retail customers' best partner and driving innovation," added
Willis. Rick Dobry's appointment is effective October 23, 2006.
Edmund O'Keeffe's promotion is effective immediately. About Cott
Corporation ---------------------- Cott Corporation is one of the
world's largest non-alcoholic beverage companies and the world's
largest retailer brand soft drink provider. The Company
commercializes its business in over 60 countries worldwide, with
its principal markets being the United States, Canada, the United
Kingdom and Mexico. Cott markets or supplies over 200 retailer and
licensed brands, and Company-owned brands including Cott, RC,
Vintage, Vess and So Clear. Its products include carbonated soft
drinks, sparkling and flavored waters, energy drinks, sports
drinks, juices, juice drinks and smoothies, ready-to-drink teas,
and other non-carbonated beverages. The Company's website is
http://www.cott.com/. The brand names referenced in this press
release are trademarks of Cott Corporation, its affiliated
companies, our customers, or other third parties Safe Harbor
Statements ---------------------- This press release contains
forward-looking statements reflecting management's current
expectations regarding future results of operations, economic
performance, financial condition and achievements of the Company.
Forward-looking statements, specifically those concerning future
performance such as those relating to the ability of individuals to
accomplish change and the ability of structural organizational
changes to improve financial performance, are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially.
These risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in the
Company's filings with the appropriate securities commissions, and
include, without limitation, stability of procurement costs for raw
and packaging materials, the Company's ability to restore plant
efficiencies and lower logistics costs, adverse weather conditions,
competitive activities by national, regional and retailer brand
beverage manufacturers, the Company's ability to develop new
products that appeal to consumer tastes, the Company's ability to
identify acquisition candidates, successfully consummate
acquisitions and integrate acquired businesses into its operations,
the ability to retain qualified persons, fluctuations in currency
versus the U.S. dollar, the uncertainties of litigation and
regulatory review, loss of key customers and retailers' continued
commitment to their retailer brand beverage programs. The foregoing
list of factors is not exhaustive. The Company undertakes no
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statements. DATASOURCE: Cott Corporation CONTACT: Media Relations,
Kerry Morgan, Tel: (416) 203-5613; Investor Relations, Edmund
O'Keeffe, Tel: (416) 203-5617
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