Outgoing GrainCorp chief executive Alison Watkins is set to become boss of beverages supplier Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA).

Ms Watkins is expected to join CCA as group managing director on March 3, 2014.

GrainCorp on Monday announced Ms Watkins’ resignation, after the federal government last week blocked a proposed $3.4 billion foreign takeover of the grains handler.

Ms Watkins said she had intended to leave GrainCorp once the proposed takeover by US food giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) was complete.

But after Treasurer Joe Hockey’s decision to block the proposed takeover, Ms Watkins had decided that now was an appropriate time to announce her resignation and allow GrainCorp to find new leadership.

Ms Watkins will leave GrainCorp in mid-January.

“Alison has a highly successful operations and management background across many industries, having delivered impressive results across the food and beverages, retail and finance sectors and has significant experience in developing and managing businesses and people,” CCA chairman David Gonski said.

Ms Watkins will take over from Terry Davis.

She said GrainCorp had not expected ADM’s proposed takeover would be rejected.

“The rejection of the transaction … has put me in a situation of needing to consider my future over the weekend and make this difficult decision to resign,” Ms Watkins said.

GrainCorp chairman Don Taylor will assume a temporary role as executive chairman immediately and will be acting chief executive from mid-January 2014.

Mr Taylor on Monday said that over the past three years, Ms Watkins had been an outstanding leader and had set up GrainCorp remarkably well.

As a result of her appointment to CCA, Ms Watkins will resign from her non-executive directorship of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) in April 2014.

Ms Watkins said she had decided to quit the ANZ board because of her increased workload and responsibility in coming to grips with a company the size of CCA.