Golden 25 - Coke Chief Kent, Association Leaders #14, 15

14–Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO, Coca-Cola

Muhtar Kent heads the longest running continuous corporate partner of the Olympics.

In 1928, Coca-Cola delivered 1,000 beverage cases to Amsterdam for the Games and the company’s relationship with the Olympics has expanded since then.

This year, the beverage manufacturer announced an inventive marketing scheme for London 2012.

The campaign "Move to the Beat" uses music and sport to get youths interested in the Olympics and Coca-Cola enlisted producer Mark Ronson and singer Katy B to create an anthem that will be released next year.

Coca-Cola’s Olympic partnership runs through 2020, with Sochi the next stop for the 2014 Winter Olympics. In September, the company opened a plant near Sochi in the Rostov region of Russia.

"Our system is part of the fabric of Russia's economic development and we continue to invest in Russia to create jobs and stimulate growth across our supply chain," said Kent about the opening and plans to invest $3 billion in the country.

Kent, 59, was named chairman and CEO in 2008.

Last year's ranking: 20

15–Changes at ASOIF, SportAccord

Changes are afoot at the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations. A council meeting on Jan. 16 is set to decide how the organization look at can best deal with the succession of Denis Oswald, 64, as president. At issue is the seat held by Oswald for ASOIF on the IOC Executive Board.

Campaigning for the position will soon get underway. Among those expected to vie for the ASOIF presidency when elections are held in May 2013 are International Boxing Association chief C.K. Wu and Pat McQuaid, head of the International Cycling Union.

Like Oswald, SportAccord president Hein Verbruggen is preparing for his own succession. The 70-year-old Dutchman has bolstered the global image of the umbrella association of sports federation leaders, whose next annual gathering is in Quebec in May. But Verbruggen has made no secret of his desire to leave the post before his mandate is up in 2014.

In the coming year, he will seek candidates to replace him as he oversees SportAccord's preparations for new multisport events following the successes of the Combat Games and World Mind Games.

The first Artistic Games, combining sport and music, is to be held at the end of 2012. Verbruggen will also devote time to setting in motion plans for the inaugural Beach Games in South America and the second Combat Games in St. Petersburg, both in 2013.

Last year's ranking: Oswald (10); Verburggen (24)

Click here for more about ATR's Golden 25 and here to view the Golden 25 for past years.

Written by Mark Bisson.

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