PepsiCo is going through a huge leadership shuffle as the beverage giant has created a new position and appointed a new department chief. The changes are said to be part of the company's efforts in discovering growth opportunities.
Food Business News reported that the drinks mammoth is looking at becoming a global leader in food and beverages that focus on providing convenient experiences to consumers. To achieve this, the company needs to go through a leadership shakeup.
Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said, "We believe these changes will enable us to capture growth opportunities by getting closer to our consumers and deploying our global capabilities in a way that allows us to win locally in each of our markets."
As part of its leadership shuffle, PepsiCo has established a new Global Chief Commercial Officer position in Laxman Narasimhan and it appointed a new Chief Science Officer, Rene Lammers.
Narasimhan has extensive experience in senior leadership roles as he has held senior positions in various branches under the company. He led PepsiCo Americas Foods and PepsiCo Latin America previously. He also spent almost 20 years with McKinsey &Co, a global consulting firm.
Laguarta believes that Narasimhan's experience and "successful track record" will help the firm unlock new opportunities for growth. The company chief said Narasimhan will be a critical part of PepsiCo's plans to achieve further sustainability in the market.
Fortune reported that Narasimhan will be responsible for overseeing some of the company's key operations. He will be largely involved in strategy and e-commerce projects and will also oversee marketing and research operations. His appointment to the new post comes with challenges as the drink and snack giant battles with the new generation's changing taste preferences.
Lammers, on the other hand, has been with the company since 2010. Previously, he held various leadership roles at Unilever Plc. Laguarta referred to Lammers as "a proven leader" whose oversight of the firm's R&D function will play a major role in innovations that will support growth in the company.
Meanwhile, former PepsiCo Chief Scientific Officer Mehmood Khan said that he will join Life Biosciences as the startup's CEO. Khan will also be a member of the company's board of directors.
According to Fast Company News, before announcing his move to Life Biosciences, Khan was among the veterans who worked to boost PepsiCo's R&D studies and projects. He is now set to help the startup develop anti-aging products that should help increase man's lifespan.
