Which CEO of PepsiCo succeeded Indra Nooyi in 2018?

Ramón Laguarta succeeded Indra Nooyi as PepsiCo's CEO in 2018. PepsiCo announced the leadership change on August 6, and Laguarta formally took over on October 3 of that year.

Laguarta was a longtime PepsiCo executive rather than an outside recruit. He joined the company in 1996 after working at Spanish confectionery company Chupa Chups, held senior roles across Europe, and became president of PepsiCo in 2017. His international experience made him a natural successor to Nooyi.

As CEO, Laguarta inherited a company balancing its famous soda and snack brands with changing consumer demand. PepsiCo continued emphasizing convenient foods and beverages while also pursuing packaging, sustainability, and portfolio initiatives, including its ownership of SodaStream.

Hugh Johnston was PepsiCo's chief financial officer and vice chairman, not the successor. Steven Reinemund was an earlier PepsiCo CEO who preceded Nooyi, while John Scannell was not the 2018 successor. Laguarta became chairman of PepsiCo's board in February 2019.