About me
René Lammers
Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer
Dr. René Lammers is Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer for PepsiCo. As head of Research and Development (R&D), René spearheads forward-thinking strategies across innovation, research and development for PepsiCo’s global food and beverage brands. He ensures that stringent food safety, quality and regulatory standards are maintained across all stages of production, safeguarding consumer trust and upholding PepsiCo’s commitment to delivering products of the highest caliber. René also assumes a pivotal role in championing R&D-driven sustainability initiatives, collaborating across sectors, categories and functions to promote a more sustainable food system. His visionary leadership and vast expertise are driving novel solutions for knowledge capture, virtual-first innovation and portfolio transformation, paving the way for a future-forward approach to R&D.
René has nearly 30 years of R&D experience in the CPG industry. Since joining PepsiCo in December 2010, René has held several senior leadership positions within the R&D function, most notably steering a company-wide approach to positively shape the future of global beverage consumption. René previously served as the Chief Operating Officer for the R&D team and the functional leader for Food Safety, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs and Nutrition team, playing an instrumental role in accelerating the global foods and beverages portfolio transformation by delivering science-based technology unlocks. Prior to PepsiCo, he worked at Unilever, pioneering innovative techniques and reinventing staple household and personal care brands.
René currently holds a board seat at New York Hall of Science and serves as a commissioner for the National Commission on the Innovation and Competitiveness Frontiers, an initiative of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness. He received his Doctor of Philosophy in Organic Chemistry from the University of Delft in The Netherlands. While a Dutch native, René has lived in several countries, including the UK, The Netherlands, and Thailand. He is currently based in Purchase, NY. He and his wife Louise are proud parents of their two sons Ryan and Kai.