Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo: Leadership Style, Personality, Traits, Qualities, and More
The largest brand in food and beverages, PepsiCo is a multinational corporation based in the United States, headquartered in Harrison, New York. A woman leads the organization.
CEO of PepsiCo, woman and visionary: Indra Nooyi
Indra Nooyi held the position of CEO of PepsiCo for 12 long years.
Under her leadership, the company’s revenue grew from $35 billion in 2006 to $63.5 billion in 2017. And by the end of the year, shareholder return had reached 162%.
She has been consistently ranked among the world’s most powerful women. Indra Nooyi is not just an amazing leader but also a humble person and an inspiration to many.
This is what leaders can take away from her leadership, personality style, and qualities.
Personality traits that make Indra Nooyi a powerful leader
Indra Nooyi did a fantastic job at the helm of a multinational beverage and snack company—not only increasing overall revenues, but also leaving behind many lessons that have inspired others to follow her path.
Well, here are some of the best qualities she has that every leader should take note of:
Her vision
She has vision. Every leader must have one, and Indra Nooyi is no exception. However, she helped others understand what the word really means.
The company as it exists today is not only shaped by that vision but has had a tremendous impact on the global economy.
Indra Nooyi doesn’t just make decisions that affect PepsiCo; her role affects the whole world, because this company has a presence across the planet.
The company’s motto became to “act with purpose,” helping PepsiCo pivot toward being more sustainable and health-conscious.
Thanks to her vision, the company addressed declining sales trends by committing to reducing obesity rates.
The company’s plants mainly produced chips and soda; Indra cut back on salt, sugar, and fat in products and introduced dietary options across all categories.
Her vision was not just to grow the company, but to keep others healthy too.
She has courage
One of the key leadership lessons to take from her story is the courage she had to innovate.
To become a great leader, it’s important to make decisions with conviction—even in the face of criticism.
When Indra chose to move toward healthier products, she received harsh backlash and was advised to stop thinking about nutrition and focus on boosting sales instead.
But she had the courage to stick to her plan and follow through with what she believed in.
She also created the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, which resulted in a reduction of 6.4 million calories in production—solving the problem 400% ahead of schedule.
She kept learning new things
Great students can become great leaders. There is no phase or age limit to being a student.
Indra is a lifelong learner, which made her an effective leader even in the digital age.
She ensured she was up to date with the latest trends and technologies.
And she implemented those changes into her own planning and strategy as well.
She bet on strong communication
Indra Nooyi believes that communication skills are essential for sharing visions and thoughts with others.
Moreover, she explained that without communication skills, it’s useless to have confidence, competence, and a strong moral compass.
According to her, there is no such thing as overinvesting in communication skills.
Her leadership style took her far—and most of all, it was the reason for her success.