Coca-Cola executive Shane Grant will join Danone May 11 as an Executive Vice President and CEO of Danone North America, at the same time the company’s Essential Dairy and Plant-based business in North America is being given some autonomy from its French parent company.

Grant leaves Coca-Cola Co. after almost 20 years, most recently as President of the Still beverages business unit (water, sports, tea and coffee) for Coca-Cola North America. He earlier was senior vice president of Glacéau and President of Coca-Cola Canada. He will report to Danone SA Chairman and CEO Emmanuel Faber.

Three years ago, Danone SA acquired WhiteWave, which, with its Silk brands, brought the French dairy into alternative milks and yogurts. The integration of that business with Danone’s leading North American traditional yogurt business came to be called the Essential Dairy and Plant-based (EDP) business.

It also is Danone’s largest business unit and the world’s largest B Corp, a public benefit corporation. With Grant’s arrival, EDP will begin operating separately in North America.

He’s a native of New Zealand but has resided in North America since 2005.