PepsiCo appoints ex-Nokia emerging markets head D Shivakumar as chairman and CEO, India

Global beverages and snacks major PepsiCo today appointed former Nokia head for emerging markets, D Shivakumar, as its chairman and CEO, India Region.

In another development, Gautham Mukkavilli, current general manager for PepsiCo India Beverages, has been elevated to senior vice president, Business Transformation - AMEA (Asia, Middle East and Africa), effective 1 March 2014.

"Shivakumar will oversee all aspects of PepsiCo's India Region, which includes ...beverage brands such as Pepsi-Cola, Lay's potato chips, Slice mango beverage, Kurkure snacks, Tropicana juices and Quaker oats," PepsiCo said in a statement.

Shivakumar would also be responsible for the NourishCo joint venture with Tata Global Beverages and franchise businesses in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the release added.

"He will be responsible for strategically deploying the Rs33,000 crore investment in India that PepsiCo announced last month,'' PepsiCo said.

The company had, last month, announced plans for investing Rs33,000 crore in India by 2020 in a bid to double its business capacity in the country.

In a comment on the appointments, PepsiCo AMEA-CEO Sanjeev Chadha said both men would strengthen AMEA's position as the growth engine of PepsiCo as they brought their 'unique skills to bear in their respective roles'.

In his new role, Mukkavilli would oversee a number of strategic initiatives in both foods and beverages across Asia, Middle East and Africa.

Welcoming Shivakumar to PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO, PepsiCo Inc, said, Shiv was one of India's most respected business leaders and had proven ability to take billion-dollar businesses to the next level by maximising innovation, execution and collaboration, First Post reports.

Chadha said he was thrilled to have two leaders of Shiv and Gautham's stature playing key roles in driving PepsiCo's business forward in AMEA.

Both men embodied the passion and excellence that would strengthen AMEA's position as the growth engine of PepsiCo as they brought their unique skills to bear in their respective roles, he added.

Shivakumar, who has worked as a senior executive with Nokia and had spent 14 years at HUL, said PepsiCo was one of the world's most innovative, respected and successful companies.

Mukkavilli's 22 years of experience in PepsiCo, included roles in PepsiCo's foods, beverages and nutrition businesses spanning across India, Vietnam, Thailand, Dubai and the US.