Alison Watkins

Since Alison Watkins took over Coca-Cola Amatil in March 2014, she’s been on a three-year $100 million cost-cutting campaign, reinvesting the savings in new products like mid-calorie Coke Life and Barista Bros drinks. It’s a good thing: last year, the beverage bottler’s profit dropped 25% amid shrinking sugary soft drinks sales. Now Watkins says the company is primed for a turnaround, based on expansion outside Australia as well as new low-calorie drinks and bottled water. Judging from Amatil’s mid-year earnings release, she’s off to a promising start: beverage volumes in Australia rose 2.8% after years in decline. —Claire Groden