United States soft drinks company Cott Corporation has appointed Robert Flaherty as president of its U.S. business unit. He will assume this role on January 3, 2005.

Flaherty's experience includes 18 years at PepsiCo and The Pepsi Bottling Group, where his executive responsibilities ranged across finance, strategic planning, sales and marketing to general management of a number of U.S. business units. Most recently, he ran a consulting company, providing services to corporate clients and private equity firms.

Commenting on the appointment, John Sheppard, Cott's president and chief executive officer, stated, "We are delighted to have Bob lead our U.S. business. His diverse experience in the beverage industry and his demonstrated accomplishments in delivering results will provide strong leadership for our U.S. team."

Flaherty will be located in Tampa, Fla., headquarters of Cott's U.S. business.