Food and beverage giant PepsiCo has appointed Derek Yach, who formerly worked as a representative for the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), to the newly created position of director – global health policy.

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In his new role, Yach will direct the company’s global health and wellness policy, reporting to Antonio Lucio, PepsiCo’s chief innovation and health and wellness officer.


“This move is in keeping with our commitment to develop the world’s most balanced portfolio of convenient food and beverage choices, and to ensure we’re meeting consumer needs for health and wellness,” said PepsiCo’s president and CEO Indra Nooyi. “With health and wellness as our primary growth opportunity, we are investing in senior talent who will actively engage external partnerships and government and non-government organisations to arrive at policies that positively impact our strategy.”


Yach, 51, an experienced public health professional, will be responsible for setting the company’s global health and wellness policy. He will work with non-government organisations (NGOs) and inter-governmental organisations to establish productive relationships, PepsiCo said.


In addition to holding several positions at the WHO, Yach was a professor of Public Health and division head of Global Health at Yale University and also served as director – global health at the Rockefeller Foundation.

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