About

US-headquartered multinational food and beverage corporation PepsiCo has had a presence in Mexico dating back to 1907. Francisco Merino’s association with the organisation began in 2004 and he now serves as general counsel and senior vice president legal and government affairs for Mexico, Central America, Caribbean and Andean countries. Covering such a wide geographical area, Merino works on multiple fronts concurrently with the help of the legal department which he has developed over the years. To this end, he has worked on a number of important projects and initiatives aimed at accelerating the growth of PepsiCo and its brands throughout the region. This includes helping launch the company’s sustainability agenda and the inauguration of a new distribution centre in San Martín. He also plays a vital role in overseeing the fulfilment of a deal to which PepsiCo agreed in 2016 to market, sell and distribute Starbucks products in Latin America. This will be crucial in the company’s strategy to pierce into the region’s ready-to-drink coffee and energy beverage market, which is worth an estimated US$4bn.