Worldfund Dinner Remarks
Muhtar Kent
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
The Coca-Cola Company
New York
June 9, 2009

Thank you, Don, and good evening, everyone.

It's great to see so many great friends and partners here tonight and it's truly an honor to receive this wonderful recognition from Worldfund.

Steve (Shindler) ... Luanne (Zurlo) ... Claudio (Gonzalez Guajardo) -- what you and the Worldfund team have accomplished in such short order is truly remarkable.

 

In less than 10 years, you have not only put Worldfund on the international education map, but more importantly you have helped improve the quality of education and the quality of life for thousands of children throughout Latin America.

That's a fantastic achievement and we at Coca-Cola are proud to call you friends and partners.

Speaking of friends and partners, I would be remiss if I didn't recognize the significance of having Don Keough present this award tonight.

Don, as you know, has dedicated much of his life to advancing the education and development of young people around the world.

From his early support of education programs at The Coca-Cola Company, including his driving support of The Coca-Cola Scholars Program ... to the work he's done over the years with Notre Dame ... to supporting a number of organizations like CASA, Boys and Girls Clubs and Worldfund - we have with us tonight a true giant - not only in business and leadership, but also in education advocacy.

Don, Thank you for all you do ... and continue to do.

My heartfelt appreciation also goes out to my good friend, partner and co-honoree tonight, Jose Antonio Fernandez, who tonight is also accompanied by Eva Fernandez. Both Defne, my wife who also is here tonight, and I, are proud to call Jose Antonio and Eva true friends.

At Coca-Cola, we are so very fortunate to have partners in Jose Antonio and FEMSA who represent the very best of Latin American business, culture and society.

Every day, they are winning and excelling with their creativity and passion where it matters most -- in the market and in the hearts and minds of consumers throughout Latin America.

I like to think our partnership - one that is based on trust and deep respect and great friendship - is truly a metaphor of a much broader partnership between Coca-Cola and Latin America that has been flourishing for nearly a century now.

In preparing for tonight, I came across an interesting news article from one of the markets we serve in Latin America.  I'd like to read to you a short passage.

Quote ...

"While we are hearing from many doubters about the future of our nation, at least one company is showing its faith, not only in our future, but is doing more than its share right now to put more life into business here.  That company is Coca-Cola."  End Quote.

That could have been written last week.  But it actually appeared in the Panama Morning Journal in 1918.

To me, this speaks to the very heart of the relationship that has endured between Coca-Cola and so many nations across Latin America.

Today, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and so many other Latin American markets are among the most successful in the entire international Coca-Cola system.

We have seen, first hand, the relationship between strong healthy communities and strong healthy businesses.

Education is at the very center of this relationship and it's why we support programs like Near Future in Argentina which provides scholarships and support to high schools students across the country. 

And it's why we have donated over 70 science laboratories that reach 600,000 students in Chile. 

It's why we work with Coca-Cola FEMSA in Mexico and Brazil to provide support and mentoring.  And it's why, of course, we are so enthusiastic about the work of Worldfund and other organizations that are empowering Latin American communities through education.

Never has the work of Worldfund been more critical. 

In the next 10 years, a billion people around the world will enter the middle class for the first time.

That's right, a billion new entrants into the middle class, including many tens of millions across Latin America.  Most of these newly empowered citizens will live and work in our urban centers.

In fact, by 2020, Latin America's urban population will rival that of the U.S.'s.

This presents a host of fascinating economic, social and cultural shifts that I believe bode well for both the United States and our great neighbors in Latin America.

In this environment where power and influence will radiate from many corners of the world, it's imperative that our children and our children's children be equipped with the finest education possible.

Worldfund certainly understands this - as do all of you this evening.

We look forward to continuing this wonderful partnership and thank you again for this terrific honor, which I proudly accept on behalf of the 100,000 employees of The Coca-Cola Company.

Thank you.