Pittsburgh-based Kraft Heinz Company has named Nicolas Amaya as the president of its North America operations.
Amaya will take the helm of the North American operations on Feb. 23, 2026, and will be responsible for overseeing strategy, operations and performance across the company’s largest market. Pedro Navio, the current North American president will step down on Feb. 22 to pursue other opportunities, the company said.
“Nico (Amaya) is a proven leader with deep experience driving growth and transformation in complex, competitive markets,” Steve Cahillane, CEO of Kraft Heinz, said. “As we continue to transform and build momentum across our North America business, Nico brings the right combination of commercial rigor, operational excellence, and people leadership to accelerate that progress. I worked closely with Nico for many years at Kellogg and Kellanova, and I have great confidence in his ability to lead our North America business as we focus on returning Kraft Heinz to profitable growth.”
Amaya, who has an extensive track record of global and North American leadership, was previously in senior executive roles at Kellanova, where he worked to advancing the company’s commercial strategy, operational performance, and organizational transformation. He started at Kellogg in 2001 marketing brands like Eggo and Pop-Tarts in the U.S. and held a variety of leadership positions in the company’s U.S. and Latin America regions across the cereal, frozen, and snacks businesses. Prior to Kellogg, Amaya held various marketing roles at Unilever Andina in the personal care division.
“Kraft Heinz has an iconic portfolio of brands, a strong foundation for growth and a talented team in North America,” said Amaya. “The opportunity ahead to modernize these brands for today’s consumer is huge, and we’re making the right investments to do so. I’m excited to join the team and deliver.”
Navio spent eight years with the company and played a meaningful role in leading multiple businesses within the company. To ensure a smooth transition, he will continue to serve as an advisor to the company through March 6.