After 12 years of the stint as Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi is stepping down. She will be replaced by Ramon Laguarta (54), who has been serving as President of PepsiCo since September 2017. Laguarta will be the sixth CEO in PepsiCo’s 53-year history. All of them came from within the organisation. Laguarta has held a number of executive and general management roles in his 22 years at PepsiCo.
In a statement company said that its Board of Directors has unanimously elected Ramon Laguarta, 54, to succeed Indra K. Nooyi, 62. Nooyi will step down on October 3, after 24 years with the company, the last 12 as CEO. She will remain Chairman until early 2019 to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.
Under Nooyi’s leadership, PepsiCo has delivered strong results. Its net revenue grew from $35 billion in 2006 to $63.5 billion in 2017, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.5%.
“Growing up in India, I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to lead such an extraordinary company. Guided by our philosophy of Performance with Purpose—delivering sustained performance while making more nutritious products, limiting our environmental footprint and lifting up all the communities we serve—we’ve made a more meaningful impact in people’s lives than I ever dreamed possible. PepsiCo today is in a strong position for continued growth with its brightest days still ahead,” said Nooyi.
On her successor, she said: “Ramon Laguarta is exactly the right person to build on our success. He is a terrific executive with a long and proven track record of growing businesses. He has a deep understanding of the changing preferences of consumers and other critical trends unfolding around the world, and he has demonstrated that he knows how to navigate them successfully. Ramon has been a critical partner in running the company, and I’m confident he will take PepsiCo to new and greater heights in the years to come.”
Speaking on behalf of PepsiCo’s Board of Directors, presiding director Ian Cook said: “As Chairman and CEO, Indra has provided outstanding leadership over the past 12 years, serving as a model both within our industry and beyond for responsible corporate stewardship in the 21st century.”
“She has delivered strong and consistent financial performance, managing with an eye toward not only the short-run but the long-run as well. As CEO, she grew revenue more than 80%, outperforming our peers and adding a new billion-dollar brand almost every other year. And shareholders have benefited: $1,000 invested in PepsiCo in 2006 is worth more than two-and-a-half times that amount today,” said Cook.
“Thanks to her leadership, PepsiCo is well positioned for ongoing success as Ramon assumes this new role. He is a seasoned leader with deep experience in international markets, and the board is confident that he is the right person to usher in this next chapter of growth for PepsiCo,” added Cook.
Commenting on his appointment, Laguarta said, “I’m incredibly humbled and privileged to be appointed the next CEO of PepsiCo, and I want to thank the Board of Directors for the confidence they have placed in me with their decision,” said Laguarta. “I also want to thank Indra for her overwhelming support. She has transformed the company with her bold vision and outstanding leadership, and I feel fortunate to have her as a mentor and a friend. And of course, I want to thank all of my colleagues, as well as the customers, bottlers, partners, and investors who are part of the PepsiCo family. I look forward to working more closely with all of you in the months and years ahead, and to continue growing this special company long into the future.”
Laguarta will become the sixth CEO in PepsiCo’s 53-year history. Laguarta has held a number of executive and general management roles in his 22 years at PepsiCo. Since September 2017, Laguarta has served as President of PepsiCo, overseeing global operations, corporate strategy, public policy and government affairs. Previously, Laguarta served as Chief Executive Officer, Europe Sub-Saharan Africa, one of PepsiCo’s most complex businesses with operations spanning three continents and comprised of developed, developing and emerging markets. Prior to that, he served as President, PepsiCo Eastern Europe region and served in a variety of sales, marketing and other commercial roles across Europe.
Prior to PepsiCo, Laguarta worked for Chupa Chups, S.A., a leading confectionery company based in Spain, where he held a number of international roles in Europe and the U.S. Laguarta hold an MBA from ESADE Business School in Spain and a Master’s in International Management (M&M) from Thunderbird School of Global Management in the U.S. A Barcelona native, he speaks multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, German and Greek.
According to PepsiCo, with Nooyi’s departure, the rest of the company’s senior leadership team will remain unchanged. Laguarta’s direct reports will be: Hugh F. Johnston, Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer; Dr. Mehmood Khan, Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer, Global Research and Development; Albert P. Carey, Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo North America; Vivek Sankaran, President and Chief Operating Officer, Frito-Lay North America; Kirk Tanner, President and Chief Operating Officer, North America Beverages; Laxman Narasimhan, Chief Executive Officer, Latin America and Europe Sub-Saharan Africa; Silviu Popovici, President, Europe Sub-Saharan Africa; Mike Spanos, Chief Executive Officer, Asia, Middle East and North Africa; Dave Yawman, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary; Jon Banner, Executive Vice President, Global Communications and President, PepsiCo Foundation; and Ruth Fattori, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer.
Continuing to report to Laguarta will be Jim Andrew, Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer; Grace Puma, Executive Vice President, Global Operations; and Eugene Willemsen, Executive Vice President, Global Categories & Franchise Management.
