Primo Brands Appoints Ex-PepsiCo Executive, Eliminates COO to Boost Direct Delivery Growth
PRMB•Primo Brands appointed Vaughn Dickinson, ex-PepsiCo, as President of Customer Direct & Go-to-Market and eliminated its COO role, with Robert Austin staying through December 31, 2026. The company aims to return its Direct Delivery channel to modest growth in the second half by sharpening customer focus, go-to-market capability and accountability.
1. Leadership Restructuring
Primo Brands eliminated the Chief Operating Officer role as part of a broader organizational simplification. Robert Austin will remain with the company through December 31, 2026, to ensure a smooth transition. The change reduces management layers and clarifies accountability among remaining executives.
2. Appointment of Vaughn Dickinson
Vaughn Dickinson joined as President of Customer Direct & Go-to-Market, reporting directly to CEO Eric Foss. His tenure at PepsiCo included leadership in fast-moving consumer goods, positioning him to drive service reliability and route-to-market scalability. Dickinson will oversee customer experience improvements and profitable execution across direct delivery and retail channels.
3. Direct Delivery Channel Outlook
The Direct Delivery channel is tracking to return to modest growth in the second half of the year after earlier integration challenges. Management aims to leverage enhanced go-to-market capabilities and frontline accountability to secure sustainable sales increases. Success in this channel is critical, as it directly connects the company with home and business customers across North America.
4. Strategic Rationale and Future Implications
Management believes the refined operating model will sharpen focus on growth priorities, deepen customer relationships and accelerate decision-making. By allocating clear ownership to leaders closest to market priorities, the company expects improved service levels and execution consistency. These changes are intended to bolster performance for customers, associates and investors as Primo Brands pursues long-term value creation.
