Chris Manzini is Senior Vice President, Head of Global Communications at PepsiCo, where he leads a global team of approximately 400 communications professionals across more than 200 countries and territories. In this role, he oversees external and employee communications, crisis and issues management, brand marketing communications, and corporate digital communications, with responsibility for protecting and strengthening PepsiCo’s corporate reputation and advancing business priorities through strategic storytelling and counsel.
Since joining PepsiCo, Chris has led a significant transformation of the company’s communications function—evolving it from a fragmented, regionally siloed organization into a more integrated, high-performing global team. He reimagined the operating model, unified previously independent teams, and established global Centers of Excellence to deepen expertise, scale capability, and position Communications as a strategic driver of growth and reputation. Under his leadership, the function has strengthened its global storytelling, measurement, and engagement capabilities, enabling more consistent narratives and data-driven recommendations for business leaders.
Prior to PepsiCo, Chris spent more than 20 years at Edelman, the world’s largest communications firm, where he held senior leadership roles spanning general management, corporate and crisis communications, and global client leadership. He served as a trusted advisor to major global companies including PepsiCo, Shell, Starbucks, and Yum! Brands. Most recently, Chris was President of Assembly, an Edelman-owned agency built for Microsoft, where he partnered closely with the company to help establish its leadership position in AI, build trust, advance innovation and gaming ambitions, and grow brand affinity.
Chris holds a BA in Economics from Drew University and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management. He is known for his collaborative leadership style, growth mindset, and ability to provide clear, fearless counsel—empowering teams and leaders to navigate complexity and deliver meaningful impact.
