PepsiCo has appointed Zareen Rathor as Head of Corporate Communications and Social Impact, marking her transition from nearly two decades in advertising leadership at Red Publicis to a purpose-driven corporate role.
Imran Malik – MediaBites – January 8, 2026
PepsiCo has appointed Zareen Rathor as its new Head of Corporate Communications & Social Impact, marking a significant leadership transition from the advertising world to corporate stewardship and purpose-led impact.
Rathor joins PepsiCo after an accomplished career spanning nearly 20 years in advertising, most recently serving as Executive Creative Director at Red Publicis, where she spent more than a decade shaping brand narratives and award-winning campaigns. Announcing her move, Rathor described the decision as a shift driven by “curiosity, growth, and a belief that the work we do should leave something meaningful behind,” acknowledging that stepping away from a long-held creative identity was not easy—but necessary for the next chapter.
At Red Publicis, Rathor led high-impact work for Nestlé and other marquee clients, earning industry recognition including Effie Awards and Cannes Lions accolades. Her leadership portfolio includes multiple Effie wins for NESCAFÉ, a Cannes Facebook Silver for Nestlé Pure Life’s #Champions4Water, and stewardship across Nestlé’s extensive brands such as NESCAFÉ, MAGGI, NIDO, MILKPAK, and Nestlé Pure Life. Beyond Nestlé, she worked with PEL Electronics, Kashmir Banaspati, Finca Microfinance Bank, and others.
Earlier in her career, Rathor held senior creative roles at J. Walter Thompson Worldwide (working on Pepsi, Slice, Aquafina), and spent nearly nine years at Adetude, delivering campaigns for Zong (China Mobile), Mobilink (Orascom), MTN Afghanistan, UNDP, and public service initiatives. She began her professional journey at Interflow Communications (Ogilvy & Mather), building a strong foundation in integrated communications.
Academically, Rathor holds a Master’s degree in Graphic Branding & Identity from the University of the Arts London and a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Boston University, blending strategic thinking with creative rigor.
At PepsiCo, Rathor is expected to bring her deep storytelling expertise, stakeholder engagement acumen, and sustainability-focused lens to corporate communications and social impact initiatives—areas increasingly central to global brands.
MediaBites congratulates Zareen Rathor on her new role and wishes her continued success as she embarks on this exciting, purpose-led chapter.
