Spaniard takes PepsiCo to new levels 

AFTER working for the second largest food company in the world, PepsiCo, for 22 years, Barcelona born Ramón Laguarta was appointed CEO of the largest multinational to have a Spaniard at its helm. 

Since taking up his position, he has radically changed the impetus of the business which had been more reliant on cost cutting than increased business in order to maintain and increase profits. 

His theory of sustainability and continued expansion has seen the stock market value of the company rise by 30 per cent over the last year to a mammoth €171 billion and if the company was a country, it would rank 55 in the world just above Algeria and below Qatar. 

A lot has happened in just one year and his target now is to see a steady increase in profits year on year of between 4 and 6 per cent and this, he believes, can be achieved by rationalising some production and expanding markets. 

In Spain for example, PepsiCo has outsourced two of its drinks centres to Spanish group Refresco, integrating production for the two groups to increase output and reduce costs but without losing jobs. 

He now has his eyes on expanding the market for Alvalle Gazpacho which is selling well outside of Spain but has not yet cracked the US market and this product in particular will be promoted heavily in America, where the Spanish speaking population could well be a lucrative target. 

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