Soft Drink Executive to Run DirecTV Variety

Satellite TV service DirecTV tapped a soft drink executive as its new president and CEO, Variety reports.

Michael White, who announced in September that he planned to retire at the end of the year as CEO of PepsiCo International and vice chairman of PepsiCo, will start at the satellite company Jan. 1.

He replaces Chase Carey, who left in July to return to News Corp.

White’s appointment surprised some, Variety said, given that PepsiCo is more bureaucratic than the entrepreneurial DirecTV, but others pointed to his strong consumer marketing background.

--Elizabeth Jensen