John Compton exits Pepsi as president

Compton was named president in March,a move that some on Wall Street viewed as positioning him as the most likely candidate to succeed CEO Indra Nooyi.

Now,Abdalla looks like the most likely candidate,followed by Brian Cornell,head of the Americas Foods business,said Bernstein Research analyst Steve Powers. He added that the departure of Compton,who has been at PepsiCo for some 30 years,makes any immediate move by Nooyi less likely.

RETURNING SOUTH

Compton joined PepsiCo as a 21-year-old at the Pulaski,Tennessee,Frito-Lay facility. Taking the CEO job at privately held Pilot Flying J gives him the chance to return to Tennessee.

I have deep and personal ties to Tennessee,and my family8217;s plan all along has been to return to Tennessee at some point,Compton said. He had been based in Purchase,New York.

In running Pilot Flying J,the nation8217;s largest truck stop operator,Compton will succeed James Haslam,who last month bought the Cleveland Browns American football team.

During Abdalla8217;s tenure,the Europe division8217;s revenue grew to 14 billion from 7 billion. Abdalla also helped PepsiCo become the largest food and beverage company in Russia,PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi said in a statement. He joined the company in 1995.

Guimaraes joined PepsiCo in 2011 and had been president of the global nutrition group. His successor in that role will be named shortly,PepsiCo said.

Abdalla and Guimaraes will report to Nooyi. Abdalla will be based at PepsiCo8217;s Purchase,New York,headquarters and Guimaraes will be based in Geneva,the company said.

PepsiCo shares were unchanged in after-hours trade from their close on the New York Stock Exchange at 71.58.