One runs the company behind your bag of Doritos. The other led the company that builds fighter jets. So why do Ramon Laguarta and Marillyn Hewson keep landing in the same search?
The short answer: they are not business partners, relatives or colleagues. Their one documented overlap is the White House’s April 14, 2020 economic revival groups, where Hewson sat on the defense panel and Laguarta on the food and beverage panel.
Here is everything actually true about both leaders, with the rumors left out.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Ramon Laguarta | Marillyn Hewson | |
| Current role | Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo | Retired Lockheed Martin chairman, president and CEO |
| Born | 1963, Barcelona, Spain | December 27, 1953, Junction City, Kansas |
| Age (October 2026) | 62 per PepsiCo’s March 2026 proxy | 72 |
| Education | ESADE Business School (MBA), Thunderbird School of Global Management (master’s) | University of Alabama (business degree and economics master’s) |
| Joined employer | PepsiCo, 1996 | Lockheed Martin, 1983 |
| Top job | CEO since October 3, 2018, chairman since February 1, 2019 | CEO January 2013 to June 15, 2020 |
| Public company boards | IBM (since March 1, 2026) | Johnson & Johnson (lead independent director), Chevron |
Why People Search for “Ramon Laguarta and Marillyn Hewson”
Two names show up together on a list of powerful CEOs, a White House roster or a news feed, and readers wonder if something links them. On the surface, the pairing fits. Both ran giant American companies, both rose from inside, and both led under heavy public attention.
Underneath, their worlds barely touch. PepsiCo sells snacks and drinks in more than 200 countries and territories and reported nearly $94 billion in net revenue in 2025. Lockheed Martin builds aircraft, helicopters, missile systems and space hardware for governments. No shared board, deal or customer base explains the pairing. Questions about age, family and net worth are answered further down.
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The One Documented Connection: The April 2020 White House Industry Groups
What the Overlap Shows
On April 14, 2020, the White House named about 200 business leaders across 17 industry areas to advise on the pandemic recovery. Marillyn Hewson was listed for Lockheed Martin in the defense group, with the heads of General Dynamics, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon Technologies. Ramon Laguarta was listed for PepsiCo in the food and beverage group. It is the only official document in our research where both names appear together.
What the Overlap Does Not Prove
Sharing a roster is not the same as working together. They sat in different industry groups, the announcement described no joint task, and we found no joint statement or follow-up project involving both of them. Treat it as a shared moment in time, not a relationship.
Who Is Ramon Laguarta?
Early Life and Education
Ramon Laguarta was born in 1963 in Barcelona, Spain. PepsiCo’s announcement of his appointment lists an MBA from ESADE Business School in Spain and a master’s degree in international management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in the United States. The company’s 2026 proxy statement adds that he speaks English, Spanish, French, German and Greek, which fits a career spent largely outside the United States.
Before PepsiCo, he worked for Chupa Chups, the Spanish confectionery company known for lollipops, with international assignments in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. That early work across regions is part of the international profile PepsiCo’s board points to today.
Career Timeline at PepsiCo
| Period | Milestone |
| 1996 | Joins PepsiCo as marketing vice president for Spain Snacks |
| 1999 to 2001 | General manager, Greece Snacks |
| 2002 to 2006 | General manager, Iberia Snacks and Juices |
| 2006 to 2008 | Commercial vice president, PepsiCo Europe |
| 2008 to 2012 | Leads the Eastern Europe region |
| 2012 to 2015 | President, Developing and Emerging Markets, PepsiCo Europe |
| 2015 to 2017 | CEO, Europe and Sub Saharan Africa |
| September 1, 2017 | Becomes president of PepsiCo |
| October 3, 2018 | Becomes CEO |
| February 1, 2019 | Becomes chairman of the board |
Some profiles date his Europe CEO role to 2014. PepsiCo announced the appointment in December 2014, while the company’s proxy statement dates the role to 2015.
The Wimm-Bill-Dann deal is the milestone most often linked to his Europe years. In December 2010, PepsiCo agreed to pay about $3.8 billion for a 66 percent stake in the Russian dairy and juice maker, a deal that valued the company at about $5.4 billion.
PepsiCo’s official biography credits Laguarta with leading that acquisition and its integration, and news reports at the time described it as PepsiCo’s largest investment outside the United States.
Ramon Laguarta’s Leadership Strategy
Laguarta’s strategy rests on three named pillars: transforming the product portfolio, expanding internationally, and capturing new consumption occasions so PepsiCo brands are available everywhere.
Alongside that sits pep+, short for PepsiCo Positive, which PepsiCo describes as an end-to-end transformation that places sustainability and human capital at the center of how it creates value.
In his 2026 proxy letter, he describes the next phase as making One PepsiCo real. That includes shared global services, the company’s first new corporate brand identity in nearly 25 years, and relaunches of big brands such as Lay’s and Tostitos with no artificial flavors and no colors from artificial sources.
Ramon Laguarta in 2026
2026 is Laguarta’s reset year. After activist investor Elliott Investment Management took a stake of about $4 billion in September 2025 and pushed for change, PepsiCo cut prices by up to 15 percent on Lay’s, Tostitos, Doritos and Cheetos. The early result was clear: the first quarter delivered the first volume increase in more than two years for its North American food business, up 2 percent.
The momentum carried into the third quarter. On October 8, PepsiCo reported revenue of $25.27 billion, up 5.6 percent, with organic growth of 3.1 percent, and updated its fiscal 2026 guidance. His profile grew too: IBM added him to its board on March 1, and Esade named him the recipient of its 2026 Esade Prize.
The test now is staying power. Organic revenue grew only 1.7 percent in 2025, and shareholder return slipped 1.9 percent.
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Who Is Marillyn Hewson?
Early Life and Education
Marillyn Adams Hewson was born on December 27, 1953, in Junction City, Kansas. Her father served in the U.S. Army, her mother was a nurse in the Women’s Army Corps, and she grew up next to Fort Riley.
She was raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in economics at the University of Alabama. She later completed executive programs at Columbia Business School and Harvard Business School, and she worked as an economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics before joining Lockheed.
Marillyn Hewson’s Professional Background at Lockheed Martin
| Period | Milestone |
| 1983 | Joins Lockheed as an industrial engineer |
| Mid career | Leads Kelly Aviation Center, Logistics Services, Global Sustainment for Aeronautics and Systems Integration |
| 2010 | Executive vice president, Electronic Systems; later president and chief operating officer |
| November 9, 2012 | Elected to the board |
| January 2013 | Becomes president and CEO, the first woman to hold Lockheed’s top post |
| January 2014 | Adds the chairman title |
| July 2015 | Announces the $9.0 billion Sikorsky purchase; it closes November 6, 2015 |
| March 16, 2020 | Announces she will step down as CEO |
| June 15, 2020 | James Taiclet becomes CEO; she becomes executive chairman |
| March 1, 2021 | Retires as executive chairman and director; Taiclet becomes chairman |
The Sikorsky deal was priced at $9.0 billion, or about $7.1 billion after tax benefits, and it moved Lockheed into the helicopter market. Chevron’s director biography describes it as part of a portfolio shift away from commodity IT support.
In her letter announcing the transition, Hewson said she recommended Taiclet personally and wanted to leave while the company was financially strong, citing a record $144 billion in orders.
Marillyn Hewson’s Approach to Business Leadership
Hewson’s authority came from knowing how the business actually ran. She moved through engineering, logistics, sustainment and systems integration before the top job, so she understood factories and supply chains as well as strategy.
She also spent years arguing in public for steady, predictable defense funding, because aerospace programs run on multi-year contracts. Chevron’s proxy credits her with a 39-year Lockheed career, including seven years as chairman.
Honors and Philanthropy
Fortune ranked Hewson No. 1 on its Most Powerful Women in Business list in 2018 and again in 2019. Chief Executive magazine named her CEO of the Year in 2018, TIME included her among its 100 Most Influential People in 2019, and she entered the Alabama Business Hall of Fame in 2019. The University of Alabama says Lockheed’s stock rose by nearly 400 percent during her tenure.
She and her husband James gave $5 million in 2017 and then $15 million in 2018 toward the Culverhouse College of Business, funding Hewson Hall. The university describes the 2018 gift as the largest one-time contribution in its history.
Marillyn Hewson After Lockheed Martin
Hewson joined the Johnson & Johnson board in 2019 as a new nominee. She is now its independent lead director, chairs the Compensation and Benefits Committee and sits on the Audit Committee. She was on the ballot at J&J’s April 23, 2026 annual meeting. She has also served on the Chevron board since January 2021 and sits on its Audit Committee.
Her other roles include the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Council on Foreign Relations and advisory work with Catalyst and the Air and Space Forces Association’s StellarXplorers program. On September 17, 2026, she spoke at the University of South Alabama about leadership and the future of aerospace.
Ramon Laguarta and Marillyn Hewson Compared Side by Side
| Point | Ramon Laguarta | Marillyn Hewson |
| Industry | Food and beverage | Aerospace and defense |
| Years at employer | About 30 at PepsiCo | About 39 at Lockheed Martin |
| Path to the top | Marketing and country manager roles, then Europe, then president | Industrial engineer, then operations, then president and COO |
| Became CEO | October 3, 2018 | January 2013 |
| Became chairman | February 1, 2019 | January 2014 |
| Predecessor | Indra Nooyi | Robert Stevens |
| Successor | Still serving | James Taiclet |
| Signature deal | Wimm Bill Dann (2010), Europe years | Sikorsky ($9.0 billion, 2015) |
| Recognition | IBM director, Esade Prize 2026 | Fortune No. 1 in 2018 and 2019, TIME 100 in 2019 |
| Current public boards | IBM | Johnson & Johnson, Chevron |
Four Parallels Most Articles Miss
1. Both Were Long-Time Insiders
Laguarta spent about 30 years at PepsiCo before the chairperson and CEO jobs, and PepsiCo has appointed every one of its CEOs from within. Hewson spent three decades at Lockheed before becoming CEO. Her successor, Taiclet, was the first break from that pattern, although he had sat on the Lockheed board since 2018.
2. Both Handovers Used a Chairman Bridge, From Opposite Sides
At PepsiCo, outgoing CEO Indra Nooyi stayed on as chairman after Laguarta became CEO on October 3, 2018, and handed over the chairman role on February 1, 2019, about four months later. At Lockheed, Hewson was the one providing the bridge. She stayed as executive chairman from June 15, 2020, to March 1, 2021, about eight and a half months. So Laguarta received a bridge, and Hewson gave one.
3. Both Built Careers on Operations Before the Top Job
Laguarta ran snack and juice businesses in Greece and Iberia, then regions across Europe. Hewson ran logistics, sustainment and systems businesses at Lockheed. Neither came from a finance or outside consulting background, which shaped how both talk about execution.
4. Both Were Leading Through the Start of the Pandemic
Hewson announced her exit on March 16, 2020, as the pandemic reshaped the economy, and remained CEO until June 15. Laguarta was CEO of PepsiCo throughout. Both were then named to the White House industry groups in April 2020, which is the one place their paths crossed on paper.
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Where They Are Now: 2026 Update
| Date | Update |
| January 30, 2026 | IBM announces Laguarta’s election to its board, effective March 1 |
| February 2026 | PepsiCo announces price cuts of up to 15 percent on major snack brands |
| March 11, 2026 | J&J files its proxy with Hewson among 12 director nominees |
| March 27, 2026 | PepsiCo files its proxy; annual meeting set for May 6 |
| April 16, 2026 | PepsiCo reports Q1: revenue $19.44 billion, organic growth 2.6 percent |
| April 23, 2026 | J&J annual meeting, with Hewson on the ballot |
| May 20, 2026 | Esade Alumni honors Laguarta with the 2026 Esade Prize |
| September 17, 2026 | Hewson speaks at the University of South Alabama |
| October 8, 2026 | PepsiCo reports Q3: revenue $25.27 billion, organic growth 3.1 percent |
Age, Family and Net Worth: What Is Actually Known
Age
PepsiCo’s proxy lists Laguarta as 62 as of March 27, 2026, and his exact birthday is not published in the sources we reviewed. Hewson is 72 and turns 73 on December 27, 2026.
Family
Hewson met her husband James at the University of Alabama, and they have two sons, David and Will. Details about Laguarta’s wife or children are not documented in company filings or official biographies, so this guide does not repeat unsourced claims.
Net worth
We could not find a verified net worth for either executive. Many estimate pages carry errors, including some that wrongly say Laguarta left PepsiCo in 2021. The most reliable public data is the 2025 Summary Compensation Table on page 69 of PepsiCo’s 2026 proxy and the ownership table on page 96. Compensation is not net worth, but it is the verifiable starting point.
Leadership Takeaways From Both Careers
Learn the business from the inside. Hewson went from industrial engineer to CEO, and Laguarta from a Spanish snacks marketing role to chairman. Both knew operations before they set strategy.
Plan the handover, not just the hire. PepsiCo and Lockheed each kept the outgoing leader involved for months, and Hewson recommended her own successor.
Listen when the market pushes back. After years of price increases and activist pressure, Laguarta cut prices and redesigned products, and North American food volume turned positive in early 2026. Whether that holds is still an open question.
Fact Check: Errors to Watch For
| Common claim | What the record shows |
| They are partners or relatives | No public record supports it; the only overlap is the April 2020 White House roster |
| Laguarta left PepsiCo in 2021 | He is still chairman and CEO, as shown in PepsiCo’s October 8, 2026 earnings release |
| Hewson still runs Lockheed Martin | She stepped down as CEO on June 15, 2020 and left the board on March 1, 2021 |
| Laguarta sits on the Visa board | The proxy lists Visa as a previous directorship that ended in 2026 |
| Hewson won the Edison Achievement Award in 2018 | Chevron’s director biography dates it to 2013, while some profile sites say 2018 |
| Lockheed’s value tripled under Hewson | The University of Alabama cites a stock rise of nearly 400 percent |
How to Check Executive Connections Yourself
Start with the SEC’s EDGAR database. Proxy statements list every director’s other boards, and 8-K filings announce leadership changes on the day they happen. Next, read each company’s official leadership page, then search government archives such as the White House records for advisory rosters. Finally, ask three questions: do they share a board, a deal or a joint statement? If the answer to all three is no, a rumor about a link needs a named source.
Also Read: Miguel Patricio and Albert Bourla: Careers, Pay & Facts 2026
Conclusion
Ramon Laguarta and Marillyn Hewson are two long-serving insiders who rose to the top of very different American companies, one in snacks and beverages and one in aerospace and defense. The documented link between them is narrow: both were named to the White House’s April 2020 economic revival groups, in separate panels.
Everything else people suggest about a partnership is unsupported. As of October 2026, Laguarta is still leading PepsiCo through a price and portfolio reset, and Hewson is shaping governance at Johnson & Johnson and Chevron.
FAQ’s
Are Ramon Laguarta and Marillyn Hewson connected?
No business or family connection appears in any public record we reviewed. Both were named to White House industry groups on April 14, 2020, in different groups.
Is Ramon Laguarta still the CEO of PepsiCo?
Yes. He has been CEO since October 3, 2018 and chairman since February 1, 2019, and he led the October 8, 2026 earnings release.
Is Marillyn Hewson still the CEO of Lockheed Martin?
No. She stepped down as CEO on June 15, 2020 and left the board on March 1, 2021. James Taiclet succeeded her.
How old is Ramon Laguarta?
PepsiCo’s proxy lists him as 62 as of March 27, 2026.
How old is Marillyn Hewson?
She is 72, born on December 27, 1953.
Which boards does Marillyn Hewson serve on?
She is lead independent director at Johnson & Johnson and a director at Chevron.
Which boards does Ramon Laguarta serve on?
He sits on PepsiCo’s board and IBM’s board, and IBM’s announcement says he is also on the Business Roundtable board.
Who succeeded Marillyn Hewson at Lockheed Martin?
James Taiclet, formerly CEO of American Tower, became CEO on June 15, 2020.
What is the net worth of Ramon Laguarta and Marillyn Hewson?
No verified figure exists. Treat unsourced estimates with caution and use SEC proxy filings for compensation data.
Why are they searched together?
Usually because both appear on lists of prominent CEOs and on the April 2020 White House advisory roster, not because of a shared project.
