Indra Nooyi, 62, is stepping down from her position as CEO of PepsiCo this October, being replaced by Pepsi’s global operations chief, Ramon Laguarta, 54. Nooyi has enjoyed a whopping 12-year run as a CEO, and is one of the few women in the world that’s gotten an opportunity to run a Fortune 500 company.
Nooyi has been CEO of PepsiCo for 12 years. During her reign, Nooyi led Pepsi into a healthier direction, insisting it was necessary to stay a cutting edge company. She also contributed to making Pepsi a greener and more environmentally aware company. She was unafraid of change and progress, and it worked in her favor. Profits increased by 80 percent under Nooyi’s leadership.
With 12 years behind her, Nooyi has accomplished a lot for the company. She led the company’s expansion, including its purchase of Quaker Oats and other smaller assets.
She was born and raised in a middle-class family in India, and her mother groomed her for success at an early age.
According to a Pepsi spokesperson,
“When she and her sister were young, their mother challenged them at the dinner table each night to give speeches about what they would do if they were prime minister or another world leader. After the speeches, their mother would vote.”
Clearly, something worked! Nooyi’s career as CEO of PepsiCo has led the company to new heights.
Nooyi’s resignation leaves just 24 female CEOs leading Fortune 500 companies.
Bonnie Herzog, senior analyst at Wells Fargo says:
“We have had the privilege of knowing Nooyi for over a decade and have been very impressed with her leadership acumen and very thoughtful approach to managing PepsiCo through what has been a period of very choppy waters for broader consumer packaged goods. Nooyi has been an exemplary CEO and sets the bar high.”
Nooyi’s successor also has an interesting backstory. Laguarta is a Spanish immigrant, who had previously been CEO of the European and sub-Saharan African unit of Pepsi before being named the company’s president.
