Julie Hamp, who left the top communications post at PepsiCo in March, is driving to Toyota North America as chief communications office, starting June 25.

Hamp
Hamp

She takes over for Jim Wiseman, who is retiring at the end of the month after 23 years at Toyota, the last two serving as its first CCO.

Hamp will be based in Torrance, Calif., reporting to Toyota Motor Sales president and CEO Jim Lentz.

Toyota has 1,800 dealerships in the North America, including Toyota, Lexus and Scion, with sales of 1.8M vehicles in 2011. It employs 37,000 people in the region.

Prior to PepsiCo, she worked marketing communications and PR at General Motors, including VP, comms., Europe, general director, comms., Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, and VP/comms., Saturn.

PepsiCo in April tapped Brunswick and Bush administration alum Jim Wilkinson to head communications.