Ram Krishnan named CEO of PepsiCo North America

MUMBAI: PepsiCo has tapped long-serving executive Ram Krishnan as chief executive officer of PepsiCo North America, handing him the keys to its most influential market as the company fine-tunes its organisation for the next phase of growth.

Effective December 28, 2025, Krishnan will oversee PepsiCo’s North America operations, with a clear brief to bring the company’s Foods and Beverages businesses closer together. The goal is simple in theory and ambitious in practice: sharper integration, faster decisions and a closer match between what consumers want and what customers need.

For PepsiCo, the appointment is as much about continuity as it is about change. Krishnan has spent nearly two decades inside the company, rising through the ranks with a career that reads like a tour of PepsiCo’s global engine room. Most recently, he served as CEO of PepsiCo Beverages U.S., following senior leadership roles that included CEO of International Beverages and chief commercial officer.

His experience stretches across continents and functions. As CEO for Asia Pacific, based in Shanghai, he helped steer the company through fast-growing and highly competitive markets. Earlier, he shaped global commercial strategy as PepsiCo’s global chief commercial officer, blending marketing, sales and customer insight at scale.

Before that, Krishnan built a reputation at Frito-Lay North America, where he held senior marketing and customer leadership roles, combining data-driven thinking with brand storytelling. Prior to joining PepsiCo, he cut his teeth at General Motors and Cadillac, gaining experience across consulting, product development and marketing.

Beyond PepsiCo, Krishnan also brings boardroom perspective. He serves on the board of directors of Tractor Supply Company, where he currently sits on the Compensation Committee and previously contributed as an Audit Committee member.

With North America remaining PepsiCo’s largest and most strategically critical region, the company is betting that a seasoned insider with global vision and local muscle can keep the snacks and sips giant firmly in step with changing tastes. For Krishnan, it is a homecoming of sorts, and for PepsiCo, a signal that the next chapter will be written by someone who already knows the plot inside out.