Even at global scale, a talent strategy can stay personal, focused on development, mobility and connection
Making a 200-country operation still feel personal across borders, functions and time zones sits at the core of Dave Moncur’s role as vice president of people at PepsiCo Canada.
In Canada, PepsiCo has localized its approach to talent by building dedicated programs for new graduates, many who now hold senior leadership roles within the company.
“Early career talent development is a priority, and we have a tailored strategy in Canada to ensure we’re building the right capabilities for long term success,” he says.
“A great example is an onboarding program for our sales leaders where new grads learn the business from the bottom up before moving into special projects, which give them a deeper understanding of key business issues and opportunities.”
Those early foundational steps are tracked, structured and designed to move new hires into significant leadership roles within just over a year.
Beyond that, recruitment itself takes a distinctive approach where the priority isn’t just getting talent in the door but retaining them.
“In Canada, we were the first company to partner nationally with U Sports, the governing body for University Sport in Canada. This partnership gives us broad access to student athletes across the country and supports our goal of attracting diverse, high-performing talent,” he says.
“We aim to convert majority of our co-op students to full-time roles. Our tailored leadership programs, like our Emerging Leaders Development Program, help set them up to succeed at PepsiCo Canada.”
Large multinationals can sometimes be perceived as having talent systems that are complex, difficult to navigate and lacking transparency. To ensure that isn’t the case at PepsiCo, the company focuses on structured experiences, focused coaching and development programs rooted in business needs.
“Our leadership development pipeline is designed to be both locally robust and globally connected,” Moncur says.
But what stands out is how the company handles mobility and career advancement beyond borders.
“Talent within our system highlights mobility preferences, such as interest in relocating to a specific region or function, which enables teams to match individuals with the most suitable opportunities,” he explains. “We consistently place Canadian talent in roles abroad, specifically in marketing where many team members have landed in roles outside of Canada.”
Still, growth plans only matter if employees feel they’re seen. At a company with more than 300,000 people worldwide, that’s not simple.
“We have regular one-on-one employee connects alongside what we call ‘ACE Discussions’ (Aspirations, Capabilities and Engagement) that create regular space for meaningful dialogue about goals, growth and engagement,” says Moncur.
The approach is direct and personal, with a key part of the discussion focusing on what the company can do to help their employees feel more engaged. From there, PepsiCo builds development plans that tie directly to those goals—practical, clear and adaptable to the employee.
“These consistent, personal touchpoints help us stay connected and engaged - no matter the scale of the organization,” Moncur says.
As the business looks ahead, the big bet is on generational diversity. Moncur says. With up to five generations now active in the workforce, companies that ignore that dynamic do so at their own risk.
“A great [program] in Canada is PepsiCo Canada’s Multi-Gen Leadership course, designed to equip leaders with the skills needed to effectively manage and guide teams composed of various generations,” he says. “By ensuring our leaders are armed with practical leadership strategies based on neuroscience and emotional intelligence, we’re growing teams that can handle generational diversity.”
For companies looking to emulate PepsiCo’s scale or systems, Moncur offers a reminder: true strategy lies in clarity and alignment, not just complexity.
“The size of your organization doesn’t change the importance of having a clear, strategic people plan,” he says. “Whether you’re a part of a corporation or a small business, your people strategy must be tightly aligned with your business strategy.”
In his view, some HR teams miss the mark by holding onto legacy practices rather than reassessing what’s actually aligned with the company’s goals.
“It’s easy to fall into the trap of focusing on what’s always been done rather than asking, ‘Does this support where the business is going?’” he says. “Our People team at PepsiCo is seen as a strategic partner to the business, not a support function. That mindset can be applied at any scale.”
Ultimately, it’s the intersection of personal growth and business development that defines PepsiCo Canada’s approach. Building this kind of leadership early, and under pressure, helps create a pipeline of talent who can work across functions, countries and cultures. The systems PepsiCo has in place may be massive, but the emphasis remains grounded.
“In markets like Canada, we focus on giving people opportunities to think and act like General Managers within their parts of the business,” Moncur says. “This dual focus on personal resilience and holistic development prepares our people to lead effectively, wherever their career takes them.”
