PepsiCo : hires WTO chief Azevedo as trade body's leadership void drags on
August 19, 2020 at 11:40 am EDT
Share
Departing World Trade Organization Director General Roberto Azevedo will join PepsiCo Inc as chief corporate affairs officer, the soft drink and snack foods giant said on Wednesday as the WTO remains far from deciding on a successor.
PepsiCo said in a statement that Azevedo will oversee its public policy, government affairs and communications efforts in a newly created role that works with governments, international organizations and other stakeholders. He will also join PepsiCo's executive committee.
"We are thrilled to welcome Roberto, who brings valuable political skills and technical knowledge of the complex social, political, and regulatory environments impacting multinational corporations like PepsiCo," PepsiCo Chairman Ramon Laguarta said in a statement, adding that Azevedo's "geopolitical insights will be invaluable to our discussions and decision-making in an ever-changing world."
Azevedo, a Brazilian former trade negotiator and diplomat, has headed the WTO since 2013. He is due to leave the organization at the end of August, but the eight candidates vying to succeed him have been given until Sept. 7 to campaign for the job and the selection process is expected to drag into November.
The deeply divided organization failed at the end of July to appoint an interim chief among four deputies.
The next WTO chief would broker international trade talks amid worsening economic tensions between the United States and China, increased protectionism sparked by the coronavirus pandemic and pressure to reform global trading rules..
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has effectively shut down the WTO's Appellate Body, which issues final settlements for trade disputes, by blocking judicial appointments.
Azevedo said in a statement he was "delighted" to join PepsiCo, calling the maker of Pepsi and Doritos "a global leader in driving meaningful collaborations and investments focused on the betterment of our society and planet."
PepsiCo, Inc. is one of the worldwide leaders in producing non-alcoholic beverages and snacks. Net sales break down by area of activity as follows:
- North America (60.8%): sale of beverages (49.7% of net sales; sodas, concentrated juices, water, tea and coffee-based beverages; Aquafina, Diet Mountain Dew, Diet Pepsi, Gatorade, Gatorade Zero, Mountain Dew, Pepsi, Propel brands, etc.), snacks (44.7%; chips, tortillas and pretzels; Lay's, Doritos, Tostitos, Cheetos, Fritos, Ruffles, etc.), and cereals (5.6%; ready-to-eat cereals, rice, wheat, etc.);
- Europe (14.5%): sale of snacks (Cheetos, Chipita, Doritos, Lay's, Ruffles and Walkers brands) and beverages (7UP, Diet Pepsi, Lubimy Sad, Mirinda, Pepsi and Pepsi Max);
- Latin America (12.7%): sales of snacks (Cheetos, Doritos, Emperador, Lay's, Mabel, Marias Gamesa, Ruffles, Sabritas, Saladitas and Tostitos brands) and beverages (7UP, Gatorade, H2oh!, Manzanita Sol, Mirinda, Pepsi, Pepsi Black, San Carlos and Toddy)
- Asia/Pacific/Australia/New Zealand (6.7%): sale of snacks (BaiCaoWei, Cheetos, Doritos, Lay's and Smith's brands), beverages and syrups (7UP, Aquafina, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, Pepsi and Sting);
- Africa/Middle East/South Asia (5.3%): sale of snacks (Chipsy, Doritos, Kurkure, Lay's, Sasko, Spekko and White Star brands) and beverages (7UP, Aquafina, Mirinda, Mountain Dew and Pepsi).
Net sales are distributed geographically as follows: the United States (57%), Mexico (7.7%), Canada (4.1%), Russia (3.9%), China (3%), the United Kingdom (2.1%), Brazil (1.9%), South Africa (1.9%) and other (18.4%).
PEPSICO, INC. 
