Bradley Jakeman, PepsiCo

President, Global Beverages Group

Australia’s own Brad Jakeman was proclaimed as one of the "top 20 people shaping global media," by The Australian, the biggest-selling national newspaper in his home country.  And the paper wasn’t off the mark, although many would say that Brad is definitely in the “top 10.”

Not only is he a leader of transformational marketing, but Brad Jakeman possesses a remarkable ability to create category-disruptive ideas that don’t merely challenge convention, they also make brands famous.  In the past decade, his marketing career has spanned Fashion, Retail, Consumer Packaged Goods, Entertainment, Technology and Financial Services.  In fact, Brad has managed some of the world’s biggest brands on a global basis.

As PepsiCo’s President of the Global Beverages Group he leads global strategy, brand building, innovation, productivity and processes for PepsiCo’s global portfolio of beverages. Most recently Brad was responsible for leading the team that created Pepsi’s first ever global brand campaign "Live for Now."  He joined the company in July 2011, and now certainly calls the New York area his adopted home.

Brad’s first client-side marketer role was in 1998 when he accepted the newly-created position of Managing Director, Global Advertising at Citigroup in New York. He led the development team that created the critically acclaimed -- and Emmy Award Winning--"Live Richly" brand platform and the Citi Identity Theft Solutions service.

In 2007 Brad joined Macy’s Inc. as Executive Vice President, Marketing and was charged with revitalizing and re-positioning the Macy’s brand on a national stage. In September, 2007-- in a collaboration with Academy Award winning Director Barry Levinson and twice Academy Award winning Cinematographer, Bob Richardson-- Brad developed Macy’s first ever National Brand Campaign in which he partnered with some the world’s greatest cultural and fashion icons- Martha Stewart, Donald Trump, Jessica Simpson, Kenneth Cole, Tommy Hilfiger, Emeril Lagasse, Kimora Lee Simmons, Russell Simmons, Usher, Sean (P-Diddy) Combs and Marc Ecko. Five years later this idea continues to define and drive the Macy’s brand.

Next, he took on the role of Executive Vice President, Chief Creative Officer & Chief Marketing Officer for Activision Blizzard Inc., the world’s largest videogame and interactive entertainment company. He led all facets of the company’s global marketing functions including Media, Advertising, Design & Consumer Experience, CRM, Consumer Insights and Digital. He was responsible for marketing brands including Call of Duty and Guitar Hero, which are at the forefront of popular culture, music and entertainment. Brad was responsible for leading the marketing program which resulted in the largest entertainment launch in history, for the second consecutive year, accomplishing over $600 million in sales in four days for the Call of Duty game.

Brad frequently collaborates with other leaders shaping pop culture and has himself led work that in 2007 was awarded an Emmy from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Brad’s hallmark is a passionate belief that innovative, consumer-centric and creatively-expressed ideas, integrated within a 360-degree consumer experience, can drive more powerful and engaging brands, which in turn create an economic multiplier for companies.