India has a long history where women’s have shown that they are not only the homemaker, however, with their sheer strengths and courage, they have ruled over India from the Medieval History period of India take the example of Razia Sultan, then Rani Laxmi Bai, then Sarojini Naidu, then Indra Gandhi, then Ashiwarya Rai and latest entrant in the block is the Indira Nooyi, a superwomen, who has been placed 4th in the list of worlds topmost influential women’s by the Forbes Magazine.
Would you please tell us something about yourself?
I belong to the Southern part of the country and was born and brought in Chennai. I graduated from Madras Christian College (MCC) in Chemistry, Physics and Math. And later I went to Indian Institute of Management “Calcutta” for my Masters in Finance and Marketing.
In 1974, after your graduation in Science what drove you to the management?
I always wanted to prove myself and make myself proud of me. Genuinely speaking Management at that time was not that popular as it is now, but I thank my family for being with me and supporting me with my decisions.
Was being a girl a problem for you for achieving your success?
Initially no, but off course I had to persuade my Parents for going to Yale and receive my second Masters in Public and Private Management.
How did you begin your carrier?
I joined ABB and then Johnson and Johnson (J&J) in Mumbai. Before landing in the Pepsi, I also worked with Boston Consulting Group and Motorola.
How did PepsiCo Happen?
My career at PepsiCo began in 1994 as senior vice-president of Corporate Strategy and Development and since then I have been shaping PepsiCo’s current focus on the convenient foods and beverages business, influencing the company’s $ 3.3 billion acquisition of Tropicana, the juice company, in 1998, among other achievements.
Forbes Magazine has ranked you 3rd in the 100 most powerful women how does it feel?
It really feels good when people appreciate you, and your work is recognised by people across the globe.
A very few Women have managed to built their name globally, you are one of those fortunate women, How do you think this is?
It was not that easy as it seems, in a country like India where women are regarded as Devi, Laxmi etc, but at the same time is tied with the knots of culture and traditions. Women in our country are not fostered to pursue their carrier seriously. But I am pretty sure once given the opportunity women have proved themselves, and I do know may women who have reached very dizzy heights. I very strongly feel that any women in the world can do it, if they all have faith in themselves, and secondly because they have had this support from their family and friends.
I think women in general do face lots of problems because they don’t have enough of confidence in them. I keep telling people if I can do it any one can.
You are known for merging and acquiring other brands, how does this helped you?
I always emphasize in the merges and acquisition. The company in my tenure acquired Tropicana and Quaker fruit juice brands which bolstered them as well as our company. I predicted that there will be a slowdown in the popularity of aerated soft drinks in the markets worldwide.
There is always a turning point in everyone’s life, so what do you call the turning point of life?
In the business world where for a woman it is extremely difficult to leave any mark on the corner room office of the big conglomerate. I meticulously planned for the foray of Pepsi into the spot drinks market in association with Gatorade. In 2007 I was given the post fifth CEO after replacing Steve Reinemund.
You spend most of your time in U.S. but still you very well carry yourself in Indian traditional attire?
I had a very progressive family and that’s why I got where I got to. I was very close to my father. He is the one who always motivated me and encouraged me in whatever I wanted to do. My mother also went along with my father and agreed to all his decisions pertaining to my Education and carrier. I had a very wonderful upbringing and a childhood, where my parents exposed me to many cultural aspects not only of India but other parts of the world too. But my mother was also very much fascinated by her very own Indian culture and tradition, It was she who inculcated the Indian values and morals in me.
Your entrepreneurship has inspired many young ladies of the new generation, is there an advice you would give them?
The first and foremost thing is to aim high. And never allow your gender to become a barrier in the way of you and your success.
I would advise them to aim high and put your heart into it, what is important is trying to be the best and working to get there. And that is how you fulfil your potential. There is always something to learn, if you really keen to learn there is a scope of learning in each and everything. So never stop learning.
Always keep that natural curiosity of a kid, a curiosity to learn a curiosity to know. And ask questions from yourself, ask yourself for an explanation and justification before everything you do. Go out and move people interact with them.
Always keep your mind open, it is a multicultural world out here and we all have to interact with people who are different, success comes with reaching out and integrating with the community and giving back to the communities and neighbourhoods, more than what you took out of them.
One of very important key to sucess according to me is “be yourself.” Never forget your roots and never hide what makes you.
I would here sum up the keys success with simple ideals, perspicacity and conviction.
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