Indra Nooyi

Indra Nooyi
Born	Indra Krishnamurthy 28 10, 1955
Birthplace	Madras, Madras State, India (present-day Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India)
Nationality	American
Occupation	Business executive
Known for	Former Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
Education	Yale University (MS)
Children	2
Awards	Padma Bhushan (2007)

Indra Nooyi (née Krishnamurthy; born October 28, 1955) is an Indian-born American business executive who served as the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2018. Over the course of a twelve-year tenure at the helm of one of the world's largest food and beverage companies, Nooyi reshaped PepsiCo's product portfolio and corporate strategy, steering the company toward what she termed "Performance with Purpose" — an initiative that sought to balance financial returns with investments in healthier products, environmental sustainability, and workforce development. Born and raised in Madras (now Chennai), India, Nooyi pursued higher education across three countries before building a career that took her through the Boston Consulting Group, Motorola, and Asea Brown Boveri before she joined PepsiCo in 1994. She has consistently ranked among the world's most powerful women in business, appearing on the Forbes list of the world's 100 most powerful women — where she was ranked number 13 in 2014 — and on the Fortune list, where she was named the second most powerful woman in business in both 2015 and 2017. Since stepping down from PepsiCo, Nooyi has served on the boards of several major organizations, including Amazon and Honeywell, and the International Cricket Council.

Early Life

Indra Krishnamurthy was born on October 28, 1955, in Madras (now Chennai), in what was then Madras State (now Tamil Nadu), India. She grew up in a middle-class Tamil family in the city. Her sister, Chandrika Tandon, would also go on to become a prominent business executive and musician in the United States.

Nooyi has spoken publicly about the influence of her upbringing in India on her approach to leadership and discipline. Growing up in Madras, she was exposed to a culture that placed high value on education and academic achievement. She developed an early interest in competitive pursuits, including cricket, which she played as a young woman — an unusual activity for girls in India at the time. Her family background and the expectations placed upon her during her formative years in India shaped her work ethic and ambition, themes she has revisited frequently in interviews and public speaking engagements throughout her career.

Education

Nooyi earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Madras in India. She subsequently obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, one of India's most competitive graduate business programs. In 1978, she moved to the United States to pursue further graduate education at Yale University's School of Management, where she earned a Master of Science degree in public and private management.

Nooyi has maintained close ties to Yale throughout her career. In 2015, she made a significant donation to the university, reportedly becoming one of Yale's largest alumni donors. In November 2025, Nooyi returned to Yale to deliver a lecture at the Yale Law School as part of the Chae Initiative in Private Sector Leadership, where she discussed her leadership philosophy under the title "Doing Well by Doing Good."

Career

Pre-PepsiCo Career

Before joining PepsiCo, Nooyi held positions at several major corporations and consulting firms. After completing her MBA at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, she worked in India before relocating to the United States for graduate studies at Yale. Following her time at Yale, she joined the Boston Consulting Group, a global management consulting firm, where she developed expertise in corporate strategy. She subsequently held senior positions at Motorola, where she served as vice president and director of corporate strategy and planning, and at Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), where she led the company's U.S. strategic planning efforts.

PepsiCo

Nooyi joined PepsiCo in 1994 and quickly rose through the company's executive ranks. She was appointed chief financial officer (CFO) in 2001 and played a central role in shaping the company's strategic direction during a period of significant transformation. In this capacity, she was instrumental in PepsiCo's acquisition of Tropicana Products and its merger with Quaker Oats Company, a deal that brought the Gatorade brand under PepsiCo's umbrella. These transactions were among the most consequential in PepsiCo's history, significantly diversifying its product offerings beyond carbonated soft drinks.

CEO and Chairman

In 2006, Nooyi was named chief executive officer of PepsiCo, becoming one of the few women — and the first woman of Indian origin — to lead a Fortune 500 company. In 2007, she was additionally given the title of chairman of the board of directors.

As CEO, Nooyi launched the "Performance with Purpose" initiative, which became the defining strategic framework of her tenure. The initiative rested on three pillars: delivering sustained financial performance, making products healthier and more nutritious, and reducing PepsiCo's environmental footprint while investing in its workforce and the communities it served. Under this framework, PepsiCo expanded its portfolio of healthier snacks and beverages, acquired brands in the nutrition space, and set targets for reducing sugar, sodium, and saturated fat in its products.

The New Yorker profiled Nooyi in a detailed 2011 article that examined her efforts to rebalance PepsiCo's portfolio toward healthier offerings while maintaining the profitability of its core snack and soda businesses. The shift was not without tension; some investors and analysts questioned whether the emphasis on nutrition and sustainability came at the expense of short-term financial performance in PepsiCo's traditional carbonated beverage segment.

Nooyi also served as chairman of the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC), a role in which she worked to strengthen commercial ties between the United States and India. In this capacity, she was involved in initiatives supporting the landmark U.S.-India civil nuclear agreement, leading a delegation of U.S. commercial nuclear executives to India in 2009.

During Nooyi's twelve years as CEO, PepsiCo's net revenue grew significantly, and the company expanded its global operations. She stepped down as CEO in October 2018 and was succeeded by Ramon Laguarta. She remained as chairman of the board until early 2019, completing a transition period.

Post-PepsiCo Career

After leaving PepsiCo, Nooyi continued to be active in corporate governance and public life. She joined the board of directors of Amazon, where she has served on the audit committee. She also became involved with the International Cricket Council, reflecting her long-standing interest in the sport.

In December 2025, Honeywell announced Nooyi's appointment to its board of directors. The appointment came at a significant juncture for Honeywell, as the Charlotte-based industrial conglomerate was in the process of restructuring into three separate public companies.

Nooyi has also remained active as a speaker and thought leader on corporate leadership. In a 2025 interview on The Knowledge Project podcast, she discussed the lessons she drew from her time leading PepsiCo, as well as the personal costs associated with leading a global corporation. In a 2025 interview published by The National CIO Review, Nooyi discussed her views on ongoing learning and the importance of remaining useful in senior leadership roles.

Board Memberships and Advisory Roles

In addition to her service on the boards of Amazon and Honeywell, Nooyi has served on the board of the Catalyst organization, a nonprofit focused on expanding opportunities for women in business. She has also held advisory and board positions with various academic and nonprofit institutions.

Personal Life

Indra Nooyi is a naturalized citizen of the United States. She has two children. Her sister, Chandrika Tandon, is a businesswoman and Grammy-nominated musician.

Nooyi has spoken candidly in interviews about the challenges of balancing a demanding executive career with family life. In her 2025 appearance on The Knowledge Project podcast, she discussed the personal costs and trade-offs of leading a global corporation, a theme she has addressed consistently throughout her public career.

She has maintained a connection to cricket, the sport she played in her youth in India. Her involvement with the International Cricket Council board reflects this enduring interest.

Recognition

Nooyi has received numerous honors and awards over the course of her career. In 2007, the Government of India awarded her the Padma Bhushan, one of the country's highest civilian honors, in recognition of her contributions to trade and industry.

In 2008, she was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Nooyi has been the recipient of multiple honorary degrees from universities around the world. She received honorary doctorates from institutions including SUNY Purchase, the University of Warwick, Miami University, Pennsylvania State University, Duke University, and Babson College.

She has consistently appeared on major rankings of influential business leaders. In 2014, Forbes ranked her number 13 on its list of the world's 100 most powerful women. In 2015 and 2017, Fortune named her the second most powerful woman in business. She was also recognized by Institutional Investor for corporate excellence.

Legacy

Indra Nooyi's tenure at PepsiCo is noted for the strategic reorientation of a major consumer goods company toward health-conscious products and sustainability goals at a time when these considerations were not yet mainstream in the food and beverage industry. Her "Performance with Purpose" framework influenced corporate discourse about the relationship between profitability and social responsibility, and the model she advanced at PepsiCo became a reference point in discussions about stakeholder capitalism and long-term value creation.

As one of the few women of color to lead a Fortune 500 company, Nooyi's career trajectory became a notable case study in discussions about diversity in corporate America. Her experience as an immigrant who rose to the top of one of the world's largest corporations has been cited in both academic and popular media as illustrative of the evolving demographics of American corporate leadership.

Her continued involvement in corporate governance — through board service at Amazon and Honeywell — and her engagement with public discourse on leadership, work-life balance, and corporate purpose have extended her influence beyond her years at PepsiCo. Her 2025 lecture at Yale Law School, titled "Doing Well by Doing Good," reflected the continuity of the themes that defined her corporate career.

Nooyi's career has also drawn attention for her candid public discussions about the personal sacrifices demanded by leadership at the highest levels of global business, a subject she has addressed repeatedly in interviews, commencement speeches, and her published memoir.