PepsiCo Gains Worldwide C.M.O.

Jill Beraud

PepsiCo said yesterday it has appointed Jill Beraud to the newly created position of chief marketing officer, reporting to chairman and c.e.o. Indra Nooyi. Beraud comes to PepsiCo after 13 years at Limited Brands, where her most recent position was c.m.o. of Victoria's Secret.

In her new role Beraud will develop global marketing strategies for PepsiCo's huge portfolio of brands to drive long-term growth and innovation. Among her duties will be uncovering consumer insights through the most current approaches to give the company's brands an edge when it comes to hot consumer trends; leading the charge to determine the style and functionality of packaging based on consumer needs; further developing the capabilities of the company's marketing organization; coordinating marketing efforts across agencies; and collaborating with functional leads in research and development, finance, sales, operations, and the company's business sectors.

"We have some of the world's strongest brands and some of the world's greatest marketers, but never have we integrated our marketing efforts in a holistic, global, and disciplined fashion across the PepsiCo enterprise," noted Nooyi. "Jill has a proven track record of building brands and delivering profitable sales growth through innovative marketing. Her experience overseeing the entire Limited Brands portfolio, as well as her consumer goods background, will enable us to integrate our brand marketing efforts and stay ahead of macro consumer trends with a deeper level of sophistication."

Before taking the helm of Victoria's Secret, Beraud was e.v.p. and c.o.o. of marketing for Limited Brands' portfolio, which includes Bath & Body Works, C.O. Bigelow, Henri Bendel, Express, Limited Stores, and Victoria's Secret. In that capacity, she put in place an integrated marketing strategy that trebled store performance and reversed earlier traffic declines for Bath & Body Works.

She additionally redefined the Express brand positioning and implemented a fashion launch strategy contributing to 4 percent growth during the holiday season after two consectutive years of declines.

Before joining Limited Brands, Beraud worked in licensed products, advertising, and management and consulting. She also spent five years in brand management at Procter & Gamble early in her career.

Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo employs about 185,000 people worldwide, and its products are sold in approximately 200 countries. Its principal businesses include Frito-Lay snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices and Quaker foods.