The Parthenon Group has announced that Dawn Hudson, the former Pepsi-Cola president and chief executive, North America, has joined the firm as vice chair.
Hudson (pictured) will contribute to all of the firm’s practice areas with a particular focus on the consumer, retail and sports management offerings.
‘We are thrilled to welcome Dawn to Parthenon,’ says Bill Achtmeyer, the firm’s chairman and managing partner. ‘Dawn is one of the best executives in the business, and both our firm and our clients will benefit greatly from her deep industry knowledge, her extensive experience and her savvy judgment.’
Named to Fortune’s ’50 Most Powerful Women in Business’ list and Forbes ‘100 Most Powerful Global Women’ list, Hudson led PepsiCo’s USD6bn North American beverage business from 2002 to 2007, first as president and later as president and chief executive. She was responsible for all aspects of the company’s general management and is widely recognised for expanding the business by significantly accelerating investment in non-carbonated beverages as the soft-drink beverage market flattened.
In particular, she led the acquisition of Izzy Sparkling Juice Company and created the Lipton Green Tea franchise, Sierra Mist lemon-lime trademark, and Amp energy drink, all while continuing to build 16 trademarks including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Aquafina and Starbucks Frappucino.
‘I was attracted to Parthenon because of their unique approach to working with clients,’ says Hudson. ‘The firm offers a breadth of experience in delivering strategic insights across multiple industries. I was also drawn to the entrepreneurial culture and supportive environment of flexible work schedules. Parthenon embraces a well balanced professional lifestyle.’
Prior to being named North American president and chief executive, Hudson lead PepsiCo’s foodservice unit, and also served as chief marketing officer for the company’s North American division.
Prior to PepsiCo, she was the executive vice president, sales and marketing, for Frito-Lay International, where she led advertising and global promotions efforts across 43 countries on all continents.
Hudson is chair of the Ladies Professional Golf Association, the Association of National Advertisers and the American Beverage Association. She is also a member of the board of two publicly traded companies, Lowes Companies and Allergan.
