PLANO, TEXAS — Ann Mukherjee has been promoted to senior vice-president and chief marketing officer of Frito-Lay North America, a unit of Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo, Inc. Ms. Mukherjee succeeds Jaya Kumar, who was named president of PepsiCo’s Quaker Foods and Snacks business unit.
"Ann’s work with Doritos’ Crash the Super Bowl — along with a range of ground-breaking marketing for other F.L.N.A. brands, like Cheetos and Tostitos — has set new standards for innovation in consumer brand marketing for our snacks businesses," said Al Carey, president and chief executive officer of F.L.N.A. "Ann’s strong marketing skills and leadership profile make her the right person for the top marketing role at Frito-Lay."
Ms. Mukherjee joined F.L.N.A. in 2005 as vice-president of marketing, leading the company’s total core portfolio. In this role, she led the strategic revitalization of the company’s $7 billion core brands — Lay’s, Doritos, Tostitos, Cheetos and Fritos. Before joining the F.L.N.A. team in Plano, Ms. Mukherjee was vice-president of marketing insights and innovation for PepsiCo’s Convenience Foods, based in Chicago. She previously spent 12 years in a variety of marketing roles with increasing responsibility at other companies, including Kraft Foods Inc. and Diners Club.
Advertising Age named Ms. Mukherjee as one of the top women in the industry to watch, and Brandweek named her Marketer of the Year 2007. She received a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in finance, both from the University of Chicago.