Perspectives from Esmaralda Benade from PepsiCo on “The Future of RGM”

1. What RGM Really Means in the Real World

As Esmeralda explains, Revenue Growth Management is about using data to understand why someone buys in a specific moment and showing up in a way that feels relevant to them. It comes down to one simple principle: "The right product at the right price, with the right promotion, in the right place based on the moment that the consumer is in."

She gave an everyday example: on a hot summer afternoon you might want a chilled drink placed for immediate access and priced for that instant convenience.

The same person, shopping for a family meal, might instead reach for a 2-liter bottle on promotion.

Same person. Different moment. Completely different choice.

That's RGM in practice: understanding the occasion behind the purchase and designing pricing, promotions, pack architecture, and in-store execution around that moment.

Want to go a little deeper into how RGM works across pricing, promotions, assortment, and planning? Explore Polestar Analytics' approach to Revenue Growth Management.

2. Different Markets, One Constant: People

Having worked across Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia markets, Esmeralda has seen different levels of digital maturity and ways of working.

Yet through all that change, one variable remains constant: People.

"People don't change because you hand them a model; they change when something suddenly makes sense to them."

Because even the best analytics require teams to understand them, trust them, and use them. The real challenge is making complex analytics manageable enough to build that confidence.

3. Building RGM Capability: When It Becomes Second Nature

So, what does a world-class RGM capability look like?

Tools, playbooks, governance frameworks, and training programs are all essential ingredients. But having them in place isn't the same as having capability.

Capability exists when a sales leader sitting across from a customer weighs trade-offs instinctively — not because a tool told them to, but because that way of thinking has become second nature.

4. AI vs. Human Judgment: Who Knows Where We're Going?

When cutting through the hype of commercial AI, a clear line emerges between where technology is genuinely transforming RGM and where its impact is overstated.

AI is undeniably powerful at speed, scale, and computational power. It can model complex scenarios, process enormous amounts of data, and uncover patterns human teams might miss.

Yet strategic intent and human purpose cannot be replaced by an algorithm.

For those curious about where AI is already finding its way into RGM, we've gone deeper into it in our AI in Revenue Growth Management Playbook.

5. Changing Habits: The Spreadsheet Everyone Goes Back To

The hardest part of a digital RGM transformation across global geographies isn't technology or data.

It's habit.

This often takes the form of "silent resistance." A new way of working is introduced, everyone agrees that it makes sense, and then quietly people find their way back to the legacy spreadsheet they know and trust.

Why?

• The familiar feels safe: Even when a new way might be objectively better, the old habit feels safer.
• An escape route makes going back easy: If the spreadsheet is always waiting as a backup under pressure, people will default to it.
• People learn by example: Adoption is accepted when teams see a peer use the tool in a real customer conversation and get a better outcome.

To drive true adoption, the new way must feel safer than the one it replaces. Belief is built through people and stories, not platforms.

Knowing Isn't the Same as Doing

Overcoming these old habits requires recognizing a fundamental truth:

"Knowledge does not equal behavior."

Capability programs must move closer to everyday commercial decisions using real business scenarios, giving teams room to safely fail, and allowing them to experience the direct consequences of trade-offs.

The real test isn't what someone remembers from a training session.

It's whether they walk into a meeting the next day and think a little differently.

6. Strategy to Execution: Mending the Bridge Broken in the Middle

Why does a strategy that makes perfect sense at the leadership level sometimes look completely different by the time it reaches execution?

This disconnect represents "a bridge broken in the middle."

A strategy may start in one clear language at the top, but Sales, Finance and Marketing each hear and translate it through the lens of their own functional priorities.

Closing that gap requires three operational steps:

• Translate the strategy together rather than letting every function interpret it in isolation.


• Agree on explicit trade-offs upfront — defining both what to do and what not to do.


• Align on critical shared KPIs that signal collective business success.

Getting everyone moving in the exact same direction turns strategy into commitment.

Closing Remarks

Early on, she often felt she needed complete certainty before speaking in executive meetings. Over time, observing her peers changed her mindset — leaders build confidence through action, not perfection.

Being the different voice in the room isn't something to overcome — it is a superpower that brings much-needed diversity of thought.

Her advice?

"Don't wait until you feel ready, because you probably never will. Speak up a little earlier than feels comfortable. Take a few more chances than you think you should, and lean into what makes you different."

Want to hear it straight from Esmeralda? Watch the full session here.