René Lammers

René Lammers is Executive Vice President & Chief Science Officer for PepsiCo, leading research, discovery and development efforts across product, package and processing for PepsiCo’s portfolio of global food and beverage brands. PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

As head of R&D, René is also responsible for PepsiCo’s quality and food safety and regulatory affairs efforts. In addition to this work, René has direct oversight of PepsiCo's global sustainability initiatives, working across sectors, categories, brands and functions in the creation and management of projects to promote a more sustainable food system.

René joined PepsiCo in December 2010. Prior to his current role, he held a variety of leadership roles across the R&D function, including oversight for PepsiCo’s research program worldwide and serving as Chief Operating Officer for the R&D global team, overseeing Food Safety, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, and Nutrition. René has more than 20 years of R&D experience in the CPG industry. Prior to joining PepsiCo, he worked at Unilever in various senior R&D positions across its home and personal care portfolio. He has lived in the UK, The Netherlands, and Thailand and is currently based in Purchase, NY.

René has held various board memberships including those of European and Dutch industry associations related to the home and personal care industry as well as the European Chemical Industry. He has also served as a member of the GMA’s Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Executive Committee. René currently holds a board seat at New York Hall of Science and serves as a commissioner for the National Commission on the Innovation and Competitiveness Frontiers, an initiative of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness.

René received his Doctor of Philosophy in Organic Chemistry from the University of Delft in The Netherlands.