Ramon Laguarta
Ramon Laguarta | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1963 Spain |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Known for | Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo |
Ramon Laguarta (born 1963) is a Spanish executive currently serving as the chairman and chief executive officer of PepsiCo.[1] He holds the distinction of being the sixth individual to lead PepsiCo as CEO and the first Spaniard to head a major American multinational corporation.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
Education
Laguarta obtained both his bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration from ESADE Business School in 1985. He further advanced his education in 1986 by completing a master's degree in international management at the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Career
Prior to his tenure at PepsiCo, Ramon Laguarta gained experience at Chupa Chups, a well-known Spanish confectionery company specializing in lollipops. He began his career with PepsiCo in January 1996, initially focusing on its European operations. By 2014, he had risen to become CEO of the Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA) division. During this period, he played a key role in orchestrating the $5.4 billion acquisition of Russian dairy and juice producer Wimm-Bill-Dann, marking PepsiCo's second-largest acquisition after the purchase of Quaker Oats Company in 2001.
In September 2017, Laguarta was promoted to president of PepsiCo, where he managed Global Category Groups, Operations, Corporate Strategy, and Public Policy & Government Affairs. This advancement required him to relocate to the United States.
On 6 August 2018, he was unanimously selected as PepsiCo's CEO, succeeding Indra Nooyi. Laguarta officially took over on 3 October 2018 and was named Chairman of the Board on 1 February 2019. His previous leadership roles within PepsiCo include CEO for Europe Sub-Saharan Africa, president for Eastern Europe, commercial vice president for Europe, and general manager for Iberia and Greece Snacks.
As CEO, Laguarta identified three main objectives: accelerating organic revenue growth; fortifying the company’s overall strength; and enhancing corporate responsibility initiatives. These targets encompass cutting absolute greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% across the entire value chain from a 2015 baseline (approximately 30-35 million metric tons), achieving full recyclability, compostability, or biodegradability of packaging by 2025, and ensuring that all plastic packaging contains 25% recycled plastic content. Additionally, he has championed waste reduction through strategic acquisitions such as SodaStream.
In 2023, Laguarta's total earnings amounted to $26.2 million, reflecting an 8% increase compared to the previous year, with a CEO-to-median employee pay ratio of 648-to-1.
Beyond his responsibilities on PepsiCo’s Board of Directors, Laguarta also holds a directorship at Visa Inc. and serves as co-chair for the World Economic Forum’s Board of Stewards overseeing the Food Systems Initiative.
Personal life
Laguarta is proficient in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Catalan, French, German, and Greek. He is married and has three children.
- ↑ He assumed the CEO position on 3 October 2018, following Indra Nooyi.