The Wall Street Journal reports this morning that Gillette Co. chairman/CEO James Kilts has taken himself out of the running for the CEO job at Coca-Cola, which is becoming vacant with the retirement of Douglas Daft.
Kilts had been widely touted as both the best man and the most likely person to get the job. He appears to be the third person not to want to Coke job; both Carlos Gutierrez, Kellogg’s chairman and CEO, and Mattel chairman/CEO Robert Eckert reportedly have declined consideration.
In the case of Eckert, however, the WSJ reports that Coke’s board continues to pursue him.
Kilts had been widely touted as both the best man and the most likely person to get the job. He appears to be the third person not to want to Coke job; both Carlos Gutierrez, Kellogg’s chairman and CEO, and Mattel chairman/CEO Robert Eckert reportedly have declined consideration.
In the case of Eckert, however, the WSJ reports that Coke’s board continues to pursue him.
- KC's View:
- It’s interesting how public this whole Coke CEO search has gotten. The person who eventually gets the job is going to have a tough time convincing himself/herself and investors that he/she was the best person for the job – because he/she will almost certainly not be anyone’s first choice.
