Indra Nooyi

Indra Nooyi, (born October 28, 1955, Madras [now Chennai], India), Indian-born American businesswoman who was instrumental in the lucrative restructuring and diversification of soft-drink manufacturer PepsiCo, Inc.’s brands.

Nooyi earned a bachelor’s degree in physics, chemistry, and mathematics from Madras Christian College in 1976 and a master’s degree in business administration from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta in 1978. After graduation, she held management positions with several Indian corporations before moving to the United States in 1978 to attend Yale University. She received a master’s degree in public and private management from the Yale School of Management in 1980.

In 1994 Nooyi joined PepsiCo, where she initially oversaw the company’s strategic planning. Over the next decade, she played a key role in expanding PepsiCo’s product line and restructuring its business model to focus more on healthier options. She also oversaw the acquisition of Tropicana Products, Inc. in 1998 and the merger with Quaker Oats Company in 2001.

In 2006 Nooyi was named CEO of PepsiCo, becoming the first woman and first person of Indian origin to lead the company. During her tenure, she continued to diversify PepsiCo’s product line and increase its focus on health-conscious consumers. She also made sustainability a top priority, setting ambitious goals to reduce the company’s environmental impact.

Nooyi stepped down as CEO in 2018 but remained chair of PepsiCo’s board until 2019.