New Delhi: PepsiCo India has announced the elevation of Saakshi Verma Menon as the new Chief Marketing Officer – Foods, marking a significant move in the company’s leadership for its growing foods portfolio. In her new role, Saakshi will lead marketing strategy, brand building, innovation, and consumer engagement across some of the most iconic brands under PepsiCo’s umbrella including Lay’s, Kurkure, Uncle Chipps, Quaker, Cheetos, and Doritos.
Sharing the news on LinkedIn, Saakshi expressed her excitement: “I am thrilled to share that I will now be stepping into a new role within the PepsiCo family and leading the marketing mandate for India Foods as the Chief Marketing Officer. Super pumped to work on some of the most iconic and beloved brands from the house of PepsiCo… excited to shape the next chapter of their journey.”
She also acknowledged her previous role, saying, “I’m super grateful for the last two years at PepsiCo. Thanks to the amazing AMESA team & the International Beverages team for the partnership and making PepsiCo feel like home so quickly.”
Prior to this elevation, Saakshi was serving as Senior Marketing Director, Africa, Middle East & South Asia (AMESA) at PepsiCo India, a role she took on in January 2024. In that capacity, she led marketing efforts across diverse international markets, helping drive PepsiCo’s global beverage strategy with a regional understanding.
Before joining PepsiCo, she was the Marketing Director at Kimberly-Clark India starting June 2021, where she was instrumental in building consumer-centric campaigns for hygiene and wellness brands.
Her earlier stints include leadership roles at Nicobar Design as Head of Marketing & Digital Business, and Uber India, where she served as Head of Brand, Strategy & Campaigns. Saakshi spent a significant part of her career at The Coca-Cola Company, where she was responsible for end-to-end creative and content development, spanning advertising, digital, and shopper marketing across the Coca-Cola portfolio.
She began her marketing journey with Colgate-Palmolive, where she gained rich cross-functional experience over a decade-long tenure.
Saakshi’s elevation comes at a time when PepsiCo India is doubling down on innovation and purpose-driven brand building within its Foods division. With her diverse experience across consumer brands, digital strategy, and global marketing, she is well-positioned to lead the next wave of growth and consumer engagement.
