VIP Speaker Series: Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi Speaks at McCombs - Interview on Leadership and Operating

Leadership Style and Operating Philosophy

Please view carefully the YouTube video entitled “VIP Speaker Series: Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi Speaks at McCombs.” This was a videotaped interview with Indra Nooyi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo, on September 16, 2010 at the McCombs School of Business, University of Texas. This interview was posted on YouTube on March 21, 2011.  PepsiCo is the second largest food and beverage company in the world (Nestle is #1) with net revenues over $66 billion in 2018. Indra Nooyi is ranked as one of the most powerful women in the world. If necessary, download the video transcript here. Questions: Would you like the idea of a senior manager in a company in which you are employed to write your parents a note indicating what a great asset you are to the company? Why or why not? (This is in relation to a comment made by Indra Nooyi about her leadership style.) (5 marks) Explain the operating philosophy of PepsiCo, as outlined by Indra Nooyi. (5 marks) State what specific initiatives Indra Nooyi undertook to get herself ready to do the job of a product manager for printed textiles, as her first job. (5 marks) One bit of advice she gave to the students is “don’t run for office”. Explain what exactly Indra Nooyi meant by this.