Soft drinks giant, Coca-Cola Co., has announced that its chief marketing officer, Stephen Jones, has resigned. The Atlanta-based company said Jones had left to pursue other interests.

Coke has also announced the appointment of Danny Strickland to a newly created position of chief innovation, research and development officer. Strickland takes up his appointment on 1 April and will be responsible for developing new products, technologies and packages.

The company is currently looking for a successor to Jones who had been with Coca-Cola for 16 years and was known to be a protégé of the company’s chairman and CEO, Douglas Daft. The changes are part of an overhaul of senior management at the company instigated by incoming president and chief operating officer, Steven Heyer.