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Pioneering Growth and Sustainability: Mohamed Shelbaya’s Leadership Journey at PepsiCo North Africa

by CEO Editorial Team

January 15, 2024 2

Mohamed Shelbaya stands at the helm of PepsiCo North Africa as its CEO, overseeing one of the world’s foremost convenient food and beverage companies. Leading in the dynamic region of North Africa, part of PepsiCo’s significant business sector—AMESA (Africa, Middle East, South Asia)—Shelbaya brings over 28 years of PepsiCo experience and a profound understanding of the business models and markets in the Middle East and North Africa.

In his recent role, Mohamed Shelbaya spearheads PepsiCo’s relentless pursuit of success in Egypt while strategically expanding and diversifying its portfolio into neighboring regions. As the CEO of PepsiCo Egypt for six years, he played a pivotal role in steering the company through significant growth and portfolio enrichment. The impact of PepsiCo’s product portfolio, featuring iconic brands such as Lay’s, Doritos, Gatorade, and Pepsi-Cola, is felt by over a billion people daily across 200 countries.

Shelbaya’s leadership in Egypt mirrored PepsiCo’s Faster, Stronger, Better strategy. Under his guidance, the business achieved “Faster” by winning in the marketplace with consumer-centric campaigns like “Stay Thirsty” featuring Mohamed Salah. Accelerating investment for top-line growth marked this phase. The “Stronger” aspect saw Shelbaya leading digital transformation and an enhanced go-to-market strategy for better customer visibility. On the “Better” front, he championed initiatives embedding purpose and sustainability into the business strategy.

Distinguished by his commitment to corporate social responsibility, Mohamed Shelbaya shaped PepsiCo Egypt’s CSR agenda. Launching impactful programs like “Recycle for Tomorrow” for waste management and “She Feeds the World” empowering female farmers, he significantly contributed to societal and environmental well-being. As part of the PepsiCo Positive initiative, he propelled sustainability to the forefront of the company’s strategic transformation.

Before his pivotal role as PepsiCo Egypt’s CEO, Shelbaya held key positions within the company, including Vice President of MENA Snacks Category and General Manager, Egypt Snacks. His influence on the snacks business growth and innovative revenue strategies has been integral to PepsiCo’s success in the region. Beyond his PepsiCo journey, Shelbaya’s career commenced in advertising with Saatchi & Saatchi in Egypt and the GCC.

Today, Mohamed Shelbaya not only steers PepsiCo North Africa to new heights of success but also sets an inspiring example of a leader deeply committed to sustainable business practices and making a positive impact on society and the planet.