Coca-Cola General Counsel to Retire in Early 2020

The Coca-Cola Co. will soon have a new general counsel after a longtime in-house lawyer steps down from the position.

Bernhard Goepelt, who became Coca-Cola’s general counsel in 2011, will remain with the world’s largest beverage company through February before retiring from the role, it announced Dec. 16. Goepelt is leaving to focus on “family obligations in his native Germany,” Coca-Cola said in a statement.

“We thank Bernhard for his years of service to the company and wish him well,” said Coca-Cola president and CEO James Quincey.

The company said in its statement that a successor to Goepelt, 57, will ...