Greece-registered Coca-Cola Hellenic, the second largest packager and distributor of Coca-Cola products in the world and the largest company in Greece, will move its headquarters to Switzerland. This is stated in the official press release of Coca-Cola Hellenic itself.

In addition, the company intends to delist its shares from the Athens Stock Exchange and obtain a premium listing in London. The company offered all minority holders of Coca-Cola Hellenic securities similar stakes in the new Swiss company.

The Greek company assures that the Greek economy will only be partially affected by the move of its headquarters to Switzerland - Coca-Cola Hellenic does not intend to close Greek factories or reduce its presence in the country. There will be no changes in the management of Coca-Cola Hellenic.

The largest company in Greece explained that delisting in Athens and premium placement in London will more reflect the international nature of Coca-Cola Hellenic - it does business in more than 20 countries (including Russia), Greece accounts for only five percent of its business. American Coca-Cola, as noted by The Globe and Mail, owns only 23 percent of the shares.

The departure of Coca-Cola Hellenic from Greece occurred against the background of the deepest economic crisis in the country. Unemployment in Greece is already 25 percent and rising, and the country's GDP has already fallen by more than 20 percent, in its sixth year of recession. Despite all the efforts of the IMF and the eurozone countries, the threat of Greece defaulting and leaving the eurozone remains.

Greece's largest company will leave the country