Coca-Cola announced Bradley Gayton has been elected senior vice president and general counsel and will join the company Sept. 1.

Gayton comes to Coca-Cola after nearly 30 years at Ford Motor Company, where he most recently served as group vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel. He was named to that position in 2016 and leaves a legacy at Ford that includes a culture of innovation and a strong commitment to pro bono work. Gayton will stay on at Ford until Aug. 31 to assist with transition, as Ford concurrently announced John Mellen will take over as general counsel effective Aug. 1.

Mellen, a longtime associate general counsel at Ford, will assume responsibility for global legal matters and oversee the company’s legal team. In his most recent role, Mellen managed Ford’s global litigation practice and provided counsel in areas including safety and environmental regulatory compliance, labor and employment, occupational health and safety, and insurance.

Gayton had been with Ford since 1991. At Coca-Cola he replaces Bernhard Goepelt, who retired in February as senior vice president and general counsel. Goepelt had been with Coca-Cola since 1992.

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