PepsiCo Announces Senior Leadership Appointments
PepsiCo recently announced that Roberto Azevêdo, currently director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), has been appointed executive vice president and chief corporate affairs officer, effective September 1, 2020.
In this newly created role that brings PepsiCo’s Public Policy, Government Affairs, and Communications activities under one umbrella, Azevêdo will focus on solidifying PepsiCo’s external engagement efforts with national and international governments, regulators, international organizations and non-governmental stakeholders. He will also help advance PepsiCo’s Winning with Purpose strategy by strengthening the company’s ESG value proposition and increasing engagement at local and community levels.
“We are thrilled to welcome Roberto Azevêdo, who brings valuable political skills and technical knowledge of the complex social, political, and regulatory environments impacting multinational corporations like PepsiCo,” said PepsiCo Chairman and CEO, Ramon Laguarta. “Over the course of his career, Roberto has built an extensive, diverse network across the globe and is widely recognized by world players in both developed and developing economies. His geopolitical insights will be invaluable to our discussions and decision-making in an ever-changing world, and we are proud to have him lead our engagement with key global stakeholders.”
Azevêdo currently serves as the sixth director-general of the WTO, a position he has held since September 2013.
“I am delighted to join PepsiCo at a time when strengthening relationships between business, government and society has become essential to generating sustainable and inclusive long-term growth,” said Azevêdo. “PepsiCo is a global leader in driving meaningful collaborations and investments focused on the betterment of our society and planet. Together with the leadership team, I look forward to helping PepsiCo continue to create positive and impactful change as we integrate and advance our global business strategy.”
PepsiCo also announced that it has appointed Jim Andrew as chief sustainability officer, in addition to his current role as executive vice president, Beyond the Bottle, effective September 1, 2020. Andrew replaces Simon Lowden who has retired from PepsiCo after 24 years.
In this role, Andrew will be responsible for leading PepsiCo’s Sustainability Office, including the Global Sustainable Plastics team and Global Sustainable Operations team. He will focus on accelerating PepsiCo’s global Sustainability Agenda while further integrating sustainability into the company’s business strategy and brands. Andrew will also continue to oversee PepsiCo’s SodaStream business and Beyond the Bottle strategy as the company looks for ways to deliver beverages free from single-use plastic.
“I want to express my deep gratitude to Simon for all he has done to advance PepsiCo’s mission and vision throughout his career, and for standing up our Sustainability Office for the next decade of progress,” said Laguarta. “With him at the helm, we will continue to raise our ambitions to become planet positive, taking bold steps to catalyze positive change and build a stronger, more sustainable future for us all.”