Source: PepsiCo

Ulker and Bland have been promoted to head of sales and GM for Tesco Group respectively

PepsiCo has given its sales leadership team a shake-up.

The Walkers and Pepsi owner has appointed Nursen Sirin Ulker to the newly created role of head of sales, and appointed Rob Bland as general manager for Tesco Group.

Ulker, a seven-year PepsiCo veteran, was formerly the business’ UK strategy and transformation lead.

She also previously worked at its HQ in New York .

Prior to working at PepsiCo, she worked for McKinsey, where she advised big retailers and fmcg companies on strategy and transformation in the US, UK, Canada and emerging markets.

She would be responsible for “leading the strategic sales growth and capability agenda for PepsiCo customers across all grocery, impulse and e-commerce channels” in her new job, said PepsiCo.

Rob Bland, meanwhile, is a 21-year veteran of the company, and was until now VP for organised trade – a role he held for two-and-a-half years. Before that, he held various sales leadership roles across the UK business and its European operations.

With Ulker moving into her new position, Yana Synesiou will take up the role of VP for strategy and transformation.

Synesiou previously had that same title but in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Caucasus and Central Asia.

“Given Nursen, Yana and Rob’s complementary experiences and strengths, I am very excited to see how they will lead our teams through one of the most transformational periods for our industry,” said PepsiCo SVP and general manager for the UK & Ireland Jason Richards.

The business’ previous general manager for Tesco Group, Jon Kyle, and senior sales director for impulse, Becky Toms, have moved to other PepsiCo roles outside the UK & Ireland.

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