PepsiCo has appointed Mohamed Shelbaya as the Chief Executive Officer of Middle East and Africa, with immediate effect.

Shelbaya shared the news on LinkedIn, “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as CEO, PepsiCo Middle East & Africa at PepsiCo!”

He added, “I’m pleased to share that I’ve assumed an expanded role, leading Middle East and Africa FOBO, including Franchise Snacks. This marks an important next step, and I look forward to contributing to our continued growth across the region.

During a recent visit to South Africa and Ethiopia, I had the opportunity to engage with our exceptional teams and bottling partners. Their commitment, capability, and deep understanding of their markets were truly impressive. It was equally encouraging to see the strength of our brands during market visits and to spend time with our local PepsiCo teams, whose professionalism and dedication continue to drive our success.”

Shelbaya has been serving the global food and beverage giant since 1994. He was most recently appointed as the Senior Vice President and General Manager for MENA Franchise Owned Bottling Operations (FOBO). He succeeded Karim Khedr, who has been appointed as the Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer for PepsiCo’s Egypt business.

In his previous roles, Shelbaya has held several key positions, including Chairman & CEO of Egypt and SVP of North Africa, Chairman and CEO of the PepsiCo Egypt Commercial Unit & SVP of North Africa Snacks, SVP PepsiCo Egypt, GM for PepsiCo Snacks Business, among others.

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Sharing a brief about his profile, the company stated, “During his tenure in Egypt, Shelbaya led PepsiCo’s sustainability and community development agenda, embedding sustainability KPIs into core business operations. 

He launched initiatives such as ‘She Feeds the World,’ which empowered Egyptian female farmers; ‘She Works Wonders,’ increasing female representation in traditionally male-dominated jobs; and the ‘Egypt 2030 Hackathon,’ encouraging entrepreneurship among young innovators.”