BRAVO!
Now, that’s an accomplishment. An India-born, female CEO for a Fortune company with over $33 billion in revenues. A ringing testament that the American Dream lives on. As a non-immigrant alien in the
Who is she, after all? Here’s a brief on Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi. (I have collected this information from various sources).
Personal details: Born: October 28, 1955 in
Education: BS in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry,
Work experience: Johnson & Johnson and Mettur Beardsell (unknown); Boston Consulting Group (1980-86); Motorola (1986-90), ABB (1990-94), PepsiCo (1994-)
Positions held: Product Manager, (Johnson & Johnson and Mettur Beardsell); Director, International Corporate Strategy (BCG); Vice-president of Corporate Strategy and Planning (Motorola); Vice-President and Director of Corporate Strategy and Strategic Marketing (ABB); Senior Vice-President Strategic Planning (PepsiCo); Chief Financial Officer (PepsiCo)
Other affiliations: Board Member, Federal Reserve Bank of New York; Board Member, President's Council on International Activities, Yale; Board Member, School of Management, Yale University; Board Member, International Rescue Committee Board; Board Member, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City; Board Member, Motorola; Board Member, PlaNet Finance; Board Member, Greenwich Breast Cancer Alliance; Board Member, Eisenhower Fellowships; Board Member, Asia Society; Board Member, PepsiCo; and Board Member, PepsiCo Foundation.
Other Information: At PepsiCo, she led worldwide strategic direction, and merger, acquisition and divestiture activities. She played key roles in the Tricon spin-off, purchasing Tropicana and the public offering of Pepsi-Cola Bottling Group. She was President of PepsiCo-Quaker Oats merged entity.
Controversy: Stirred the blogosphere with negative remarks made during a speech to the 2005 graduating class of
There you have it.
Why am I so excited? Although I don't know her, I see several things I can learn from her.
- She has been in the “corporate world” for over 20 years. She has worked in four companies during that time. Just four companies before she joined PepsiCo. You don’t have to switch too many jobs to get ahead. Patience and hard work pays.
- That said, she has switched jobs to get ahead. I think she found "home" in PepsiCo since she has been with PepsiCo since 1994 (that’s 12 years and running). You need to find a "home" and once you do, you need to stay, sow, and reap rewards. This could take time.
- She is a Member of the Board of Directors at Motorola (her former employer). You can advance in your career without burning bridges.
- PepsiCo is home to one of the best “marketing talent” in the world. Check out the Pepsi brands.
- Her “formula” for success:
- True success is being happy with yourself, and being fulfilled. Success isn’t about money, prestige, or power because net worth can never define self worth.
- Aim high and put your heart into it. There are no limits to what you can do.
- Fulfill your potential by trying to be the best. Work hard to get there.
- Devote your time, your life, to doing what you love the most. Knowing what you want to do in life, those who have triumphed at figuring out that issue should consider themselves tremendously blessed.
- Be yourself, and never hide what makes you.
- Make the best of what you’ve been given.
- Keep an open mind. Be curious and never stop learning. Such learning should not be restricted to academic knowledge, but be supplemented with “street smarts” and being aware of matters and issues in the real world.
- Success comes with reaching out and integrating with the community. Give back to the communities and neighborhoods, more than what you took out of them.
- The pillar of success rests on family, friends and faith. When things look bleak and uncertain, it’s your family, friends and faith that pull you through.
Congratuations, Indra! And thanks for shining the light and leading the way.
