Zola Williams Salako – Sysco

At a pivotal moment in Sysco’s growth strategy, Zola Williams Salako has stepped into a newly created role that’s as much about foresight as legal expertise. As associate general counsel of International Americas, Salako leads legal operations for Sysco’s businesses across Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean. It’s a post with wide-ranging implications—both for the legal department she’s helping to shape and for Sysco’s future in a region marked by complexity, opportunity, and accelerating innovation.

Zola Williams Salako | Sysco | Associate General Counsel

Sysco is the global leader in foodservice distribution, operating in over 90 countries and delivering food and related products to restaurants, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and hospitality businesses. The company’s mission—“Delivering success for our customers through industry-leading people, products, and solutions”—informs Salako’s strategic focus as she creates new processes and efficiencies to keep pace with a region poised for expansion.

Until recently, the International Americas business—encompassing Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean—had no dedicated legal leader. Instead, support came from subject-matter experts across the organization, such as employment lawyers, litigators, and commercial counsel, who tackled issues on a case-by-case basis. But as Sysco’s footprint grew across these regions, so did the demand for tailored, localized legal advice.

“We’ve been discussing this model for years,” Salako explains. “There was a growing recognition from legal leadership and regional executives alike that this part of the business was ready for its own strategic legal partner.”

As a result, Salako was appointed in June 2024 to lead this newly carved-out function, making her the first person to take on this role.

Her mandate is both strategic and foundational: implement the legal infrastructure necessary to support the business now and make it scalable enough to grow with it. She’s not starting from scratch—Sysco has long operated in these regions—but the difference now lies in focused legal oversight.

“The idea is to put systems in place before the business grows too big to manage reactively,” she says.

Canada, representing the largest part of her jurisdiction, is familiar territory for Salako. She’s worked closely with the Canadian leadership team in prior roles and understands the local regulatory landscape. That experience is proving invaluable as she balances daily operational support with long-term legal planning.

“I have time to provide legal support in a deliberate way. And the goal is to duplicate this model in other regions over time,” she notes.

A legal partner with a business perspective

Salako’s career path has prepared her well for this challenge. She earned her undergraduate degree in government from Harvard University and her JD from Vanderbilt University Law School. Before joining Sysco in 2019, she served as general counsel at Six Foot, an entertainment and gaming company, and spent over three years at Ignite Restaurant Group. At Sysco, she has taken on various roles—supporting U.S. sales operations, managing the company’s trademark and IP portfolio, and contributing to logistics initiatives.

That diverse experience taught her to be comfortable being a corporate generalist—an essential quality for in-house counsel, especially in a role like hers.

“You have to be comfortable with the unknown,” she says. “A lot of times, the solution is a combination of the law and what makes sense from a business standpoint.”

Rather than simply saying “yes” or “no” to a proposed action, Salako seeks out pragmatic, creative legal solutions that enable business progress.

“Sometimes you want to win a little less to keep the relationship strong,” she says.

Balanced legal guidance is particularly valuable in international markets, where cultural context, regulatory regimes, and business norms vary widely.

She leans on a network of subject-matter experts within Sysco and engages outside counsel when necessary, but at the heart of her work is a desire to provide structure.

“My job is to make sure legal doesn’t slow down the business,” she says.

That means streamlining contracts, creating scalable legal workflows, and offering proactive advice so the business can focus on what matters most—its customers and innovation.

Launching new initiatives

In addition to her international legal leadership, Salako has played a key role in some of Sysco’s most forward-thinking domestic initiatives. One such project is Sysco To Go, a pilot store concept launched in Houston. It’s a restaurant club for customers who may not need a full delivery or need something immediately. The idea is to offer a more flexible purchasing option for smaller or independent foodservice operators who the traditional distribution model might otherwise underserve.  For these operators, it enhances the trusted service for which Sysco is known.

Salako began work on Sysco To Go while still in her previous role, supporting strategic corporate initiatives. She laid much of the groundwork before transitioning the project to a colleague.

“It was something new and unique for the U.S. part of our business,” she says, “and the feedback so far has been very positive. Customers really like it.”

Her work on sustainability projects also reflects her growing influence at the company. She helped negotiate Sysco’s deal with Nexterra Energy for a solar farm in Oklahoma—one of the most significant renewable energy projects in the foodservice industry.

“We’re committed to sustainability, and this is one of the ways we’re making real strides toward our 2030 sustainability goals,” she says.

These efforts demonstrate that Salako’s value to Sysco extends well beyond her legal acumen. She’s a strategic partner, helping shepherd major business initiatives from concept to execution while ensuring the company’s solid legal foundation.

Empowering the next generation

Salako’s rise within Sysco didn’t come without risk. At one point, she took a step back in title when transitioning from a general counsel role in the entertainment sector to a supporting legal role at Sysco. But she saw the move as an opportunity to expand her skillset—and it paid off. Now, she encourages others to take similar leaps of faith.

“One of my mentors early in my career told me to take risks,” she says. “That’s something I try to pass on.”

Today, Salako mentors two professionals through an internal program and is deeply invested in helping others find their path.

She emphasizes curiosity, flexibility, and humility in the candidates she hires or supports.

“I used to focus heavily on resumes and credentials,” she says. “Now I focus more on how people think. Are you willing to ask the right questions if you don’t know the answer?”

Sysco’s legal team reinforces that culture through a collaborative, cross-functional interview process that includes staff members outside a candidate’s scope and administrative assistants.

“We have a no-jerk rule,” she says with a laugh. “If you can’t be pleasant and respectful, you don’t fit here.”

Even as she considers future leadership possibilities at Sysco—including one day becoming a general counsel again—Salako is clear about her current priorities.

“Right now, my young kids are my top priority,” she says. “But I love my work and the people I get to do it with. I’m building something meaningful.”

In stepping into this pioneering role, Salako is helping reshape how legal services support business at Sysco. And with her steady vision, strategic instincts, and deep commitment to mentorship, she’s doing more than delivering legal guidance—she’s delivering success.