Sergio Zyman

Sergio Zyman, a former Coca-Cola marketer and the founder of Zyman Group, was named one of the top three marketing pitchmen of the 20th century by Time magazine. Notably, he held the first Chief Marketing Officer position ever created at The Coca-Cola Company, where he led the company to significant growth, boosting worldwide annual sales from nine to 15 billion cases.

Born in Mexico City, Zyman began his career with management roles in Japan, Brazil, Guatemala, and New York before moving to Atlanta for his first tenure with The Coca-Cola Company. This period was marked by the launch of innovative products including Diet Coke and Cherry Coke. Although New Coke was initially not well received, it is now considered an idea ahead of its time. After leaving The Coca-Cola Company in 1988, Zyman founded Core Strategy Group, serving clients like 7-11 and Miller Brewing Company. He played a pivotal role in the election strategy of former Mexican President Vicente Fox.

Returning to Coca-Cola in 1993 at the behest of then-Chairman Roberto Goizueta, Zyman re-envisioned the company's marketing strategy, a move that triggered the most explosive growth in Coca-Cola's history. After leaving Coca-Cola following Goizueta's death, Zyman authored four books, including two international best-sellers. In 1999, he established Zyman Group, an international marketing consultancy recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest-growing consulting firms in the U.S. He sold majority ownership of Zyman Group to MDC Partners in 2005.

An energetic and engaging speaker, Zyman addresses topics such as non-traditional growth strategies and the impact of current and social events on consumer behavior. He holds an Executive MBA from Harvard University and has studied at graduate schools in London, Paris, and Jerusalem. In 2008, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Asociacion Nacional de la Publicidad. Currently, Zyman is working on his fifth book and continues to teach businesses how to enhance their value proposition by understanding and addressing the needs of their customers and end-users.