PepsiCo’s leadership appointments help address the rise of digitally connected consumers

Hugh Johnston, executive vice president and CFO, is named vice chairman. He will continue as CFO and oversee Quaker Foods North America and PepsiCo’s global e-commerce organisation. He will now also head up the global business and information solutions function, which is responsible for the company’s information technology systems and solutions. PepsiCo says Johnston has been given this role to address the rise of the digitally connected consumer, and emergence of e-commerce as a distribution channel. “Putting information technology and e-commerce organizations under the oversight of a vice chairman will accelerate new solutions and further strengthen the company’s digital technology capabilities,” said PepsiCo in a statement. Johnston has been with PepsiCo for more than 25 years, having held positions including president of Pepsi-Cola North America. Earlier this year Mehmood Khan, executive vice president and chief scientific officer, was appointed as vice chairman. His role is to lead global sustainability efforts. Other appointments Strategic acuity, a global mindset, and operational know-how are all attributes the appointments bring to the business, said CEO Indra Nooyi. Johnston, Khan and the following appointments will report to her. Eugene Willemsen, who is currently president of PepsiCo Lipton, is appointed executive vice president, Global Categories & Franchise Management. He will oversee global beverage, global snacks and global nutrition groups. Brian Newman, who currently holds the position of senior vice president and general manager of Global E-Commerce, will become executive vice president, Global Operations. This covers global security, risk management, supply chain and global procurement. PepsiCo’s food and beverage businesses in Latin America will be combined. Laxman Narasimhan, currently CEO of Latin America Foods, will become CEO, Latin America. He will lead the region’s integrated food and beverage business, with the aim of maximising the scale of PepsiCo’s complementary portfolio and encouraging synergies. PepsiCo is also realigning other segments of its business, starting in the third quarter of 2015. PepsiCo Americas Beverages will become North America Beverages, with CEO Al Carey at the helm. The Sub-Saharan African business, currently part of Asia, Middle East and Africa, will become part of the Europe Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA) segment. Asia, Middle East and Africa will be renamed Asia, Middle East and North Africa (AMENA).

PepsiCo’s leadership appointments help address the rise of digitally connected consumers

PepsiCo has announced a series of appointments, including one to address the importance of digitally connected consumers and e-commerce distribution channel.

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