PepsiCo appoints UK beverages chief as international food head

PepsiCo International Foods has appointed Peter Gutierrez, the head of PepsiCo drinks in the UK and Ireland, to the new role of chief marketing officer.

The move follows a restructure of PepsiCo International and the creation of a new North American operation late last week. Gutierrez, who is franchise vice-president of the UK and Ireland, will be based in New York and is expected to take over his new role imminently.

The changes at the food and drink giant follow the promotion of chief financial officer Indra Nooyi to chief executive at the beginning of September. She is the first woman to be appointed to the role.

Last week, it appointed John Compton, president and chief executive of its Quaker Tropicana Gatorade division, to the new role of chief executive for North American operations, as revealed on marketingweek.co.uk.

Gutierrez has been with PepsiCo since 1991 when he joined the Walkers Snacks business as marketing manager. He become new products director in 1994 and managed the UK launch of  the Doritos brand. He was made marketing director of the French division before being promoted to marketing vice-president of East Europe, Africa and the Middle East market. He returned to the UK in 2004 from Thailand, where he had been general manager.

A spokesman for PepsiCo says: “Peter’s diversified experiences in developing and developed markets and his track record in delivering successful innovation make him uniquely qualified for this role.”