Coca-Cola as we know it is a soft drink or soda that has been around since the 19th century, when John Pemberton was looking for an alternative to morphine; a drug he became addicted to after being injured in the civil war. Since then, the company has enjoyed many decades of active leadership, fulfilling the company's mission to "refresh the world, inspire moments of optimism and happiness, create value and make a difference." » Today, the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company is Muhtar Kent, an American of Turkish origin, aged sixty-one. He was born in 1952 in New York where his Turkish father was consul general. After completing his secondary education in 1971, he continued his studies at the University of Hull in England, United Kingdom, where he successfully completed a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Master of Science in Administrative Science from the Cass Business School, City University of London. He was first promoted to general manager in 1985 and then in 1995 when he became general manager of Coca-Cola Amatil-Europe. He then left the company in 1999 and became Chairman and CEO of the Efes Beverage Group which has Coca-Cola and beer businesses in various countries. His calculated total compensation for fiscal year 2012 was $30,460,186 and he is connected to 349 board members from nine different organizations in eight different industries, with approximately 150,900 employees within the company. Throughout his professional career, he held numerous positions within and outside of The Coca-Cola Company, which he joined in 1978 through a newspaper advertisement. This improved managerial performance, given the fact that he had a choice between the paper and the customer. He used diversification tactics and revisited current consumer demands to reposition the company, rising to 4th place in the "World's Most Admired Companies 2012". One of Mr. Kent's notable traits is his business forecasting ability, described in an article. He goes on to say that Mr. Kent can predict market directions and dynamics, which supports his keen interest in customer satisfaction. This was proven by the successful expansion of Coca-Cola, through the establishment of factories in numerous territories, which resulted in annual revenue growth from $31,944 million in 2008 to $46,542 million in 2011. Diversification and customer and employee satisfaction are the most influential factors. for the success of Coco-Cola today, not forgetting Mr. Kent's great intelligence, exceptional character and superior leadership ability.