Staples Inc., parent company of Top 40 distributor Staples Promotional Products (asi/120601), has hired J. Alexander (Sandy) Douglas as its new CEO, effective April 2. Douglas will succeed Shira Goodman, who became president and CEO in September 2016.

Framingham, MA-based Staples also announced that John Lederer, executive chairman of Staples Inc. and its separate United States and Canadian retail divisions, will lead day-to-day company operations during the transition.

“I am honored to be joining Staples Inc. as CEO,” said Douglas in a statement. “Together with the company’s leadership and its associates, we will work to drive the business forward as we continue to deliver exceptional products, service and expertise to Staples’ customers.”

Prior to his appointment at Staples, Douglas spent 30 years with The Coca-Cola Company, most recently as president of Coca-Cola North America, where he was responsible for the $10 billion revenue business that included all consumer and business-to-business operations. Previously, he was the global chief customer officer, and has extensive experience in the company’s sales and marketing divisions.

“The North American Delivery [online] business has a significant opportunity to accelerate long-term growth, and we are pleased to have Sandy join the leadership team at this important time,” said Staples executive chairman Lederer. “Sandy has extensive experience across multiple function areas, including sales, marketing, merchandising and operations. This well-rounded experience makes him an ideal leader for Staples.”

The announcement comes just four months after private equity firm Sycamore Partners finalized its $6.9 billion acquisition of the office products supplier. Staples ranks first on Counselor’s list of the largest distributors in the industry, with estimated 2016 North American promotional product revenue of $592.9 million.