PURCHASE, N.Y. (AP) -- PepsiCo Inc. said Wednesday it has appointed Limited Brands' veteran Jill Beraud to the newly-created position of chief marketing officer.
Beraud, who will develop global marketing strategies for the company's portfolio, will report to Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo chairman and chief executive.
She was most recently chief marketing officer of lingerie company Victoria's Secret, part of Limited Brands, and had spent 13 years with the company. She had also served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of marketing for Limited Brands' portfolio.
The company said in a statement Beraud will be tasked with uncovering consumer insights so the company's brands can tap into trends, developing packaging to meet consumer needs and working with research and development, finance, sales, and other aspects of the company's business.
PepsiCo, the nation's second-largest beverage company, is known for brands like Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Frito-Lay snacks and Quaker foods.
It has been hurting amid currency changes and weakness in its soft-drinks business in the U.S. and is revamping packaging and marketing. In October the company lowered its 2008 profit and said it would cut 3,300 positions globally as part of a three-year cost-cutting plan.
The company last month announced it would shift its advertising account for the Pepsi brand in the U.S. to TBWA/Chiat/Day in Los Angeles, saying the change would help reinvigorate Pepsi's legacy of advertising. BBDO had been handling the account. Both agencies are owned by Omnicom Group Inc.
Shares of PepsiCo fell 10 cents to $53.93 in midday trading Wednesday.