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PepsiCo has unveiled a series of senior leadership and organisational changes aimed at strengthening its global commercial capabilities, accelerating integration across its North America businesses and advancing its long-term growth strategy.

The changes follow a year of transformation for the company, during which PepsiCo unified its North America operations, invested in advanced technology and artificial intelligence, modernised manufacturing, and expanded warehouse and distribution capabilities.

According to the company, the latest moves are designed to build on that progress and position PepsiCo as a more agile, future-ready organisation.

Effective 28 December 2025, Steven Williams, currently CEO of PepsiCo North America, will assume the role of executive vice president and vice chairman, global chief commercial officer and corporate affairs. In the newly created position, Williams will focus on building a unified global selling organisation, accelerating growth in PepsiCo’s away-from-home business, and strengthening engagement with stakeholders in the US and international markets.

Williams’ transition opens the door for Ram Krishnan, who will become CEO of PepsiCo North America on the same date. Under Krishnan’s leadership, PepsiCo North America will continue to emphasise end-to-end, consumer-first execution across categories and channels.

His organisation will include Rachel Ferdinando, who remains CEO of the US Foods category; Mike Del Pozzo, who will be promoted to president of the US Beverages category and join the PepsiCo Executive Committee; and Gregg Roden, who will continue to lead the North America Supply Chain organisation.

Additional functions reporting to Krishnan will include Foods and Beverages Field Sales, Strategic Partnerships and Franchise, PepsiCo Canada, Global Foodservice and the Texoma region, where PepsiCo is piloting a combined Foods and Beverages operating model.

The company also announced changes in its Latin America Foods leadership. Athina Kanioura has been appointed CEO of Latin America Foods, in addition to her current role as chief strategy and transformation officer, effective 28 December 2025. She succeeds Paula Santilli, who will retire after a 35-year career with PepsiCo. Santilli will remain with the company through July to support the leadership transition.

During Santilli’s tenure, PepsiCo’s Latin America Foods business delivered significant growth while strengthening talent development and inclusion initiatives. Kanioura brings deep experience in enterprise transformation, technology and AI, and is expected to continue driving digital-first innovation and new culinary initiatives across the region.

PepsiCo said the organisational changes are intended to sharpen execution, enhance leadership focus and enable the company to capture new growth opportunities across geographies and channels. With an increasingly integrated structure and expanded commercial capabilities, the company aims to deliver sustained value for customers, consumers and shareholders in a rapidly evolving food and beverage landscape.