Pepsico CEO hits the spot

The soft drink company gets a new leader.

Published August 15, 2006 12:30PM (EDT)

Officials from Pepsico announced on Monday that a new chairwoman and CEO, Indra Nooyi, will take over the company in October. Nooyi will become the fifth CEO in Pepsi's history, and the first woman to run the major soft drink company. Nooyi was born in India and joined Pepsico in 1994. She has been the company's CFO since 2001.

According to CNN, Nooyi is credited with "transforming [Pepsico's] global strategy" at a time when major soda companies are facing stiff challenges from consumers increasingly interested in healthier beverage choices. Nooyi was previously a vice president and director of corporate strategy for Motorola and a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group.

As one Broadsheet reader observed, perhaps what's most remarkable is the fact that the CNN article on Nooyi's ascension does not make reference to Nooyi's "hard work" but rather to her "supertalent," and calls her brilliant in terms of business strategy." As our reader continued, "Not a word about her family or clothing. So refreshing!"

Sure is.


By Rebecca Traister

Rebecca Traister writes for Salon. She is the author of "Big Girls Don't Cry: The Election that Changed Everything for American Women" (Free Press). Follow @rtraister on Twitter.

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