Newsmaker

Introducing a woman's touch

By Ding Qingfen (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-21 10:01

Miranda drinks on the production line of PepsiCo's new plant in Chongqing, Southwest China. The new plant deploys more than 35 water- and energy-saving designs in order to use 22 percent less water and 23 percent less energy than the average PepsiCo plant in China, according to the American beverage company. [Provided to China Daily]

Female at the helm of an international company says she uses her sex to benefit a global business

On March 9, the 285,000 staff members from PepsiCo received an email from their boss, Indra Nooyi, the India-born chairwoman and chief executive officer.

"I realized how much I would like to be able to be in touch with you all more often to talk about challenges and changes as they happen, so that you always know what I'm mulling over here in New York," Nooyi wrote.

"I thought I'd write to you every two weeks with just a short letter laying out something I am thinking about, excited about, curious about - whatever is going through my mind at the time."

She did not break the promise.

Every fortnight, every PepsiCo staff member receives an email elaborating on certain specific issues. No matter what the subject, from "attention to details" and "do more for communities" to "enhance diversity" and "spend time with families", they have imbued staff with a feeling of "real loving care" - from the highest position in the company. The nature of the emails has, say insiders, gone far beyond just the latest information about corporate strategy and branding.

This is only one illustration of how the 54-old, who was frequently ranked the world's most influential or successful businesswoman by globally leading organizations or newspapers, has implemented what she believes to be right for the development of PepsiCo. And she has done so in a way that is far different from the way male leaders often behave.

In a distinctly feminine way she has balanced concern for staff and the surrounding community while building PepsiCo into a more powerful, profitable and competitive enterprise worldwide.

Nooyi herself believes being a woman gives her a greater advantage in managing and operating a company mainly targeted at pleasing women consumers.

"About 85 percent of consumers of our products are for women. They are mothers who buy goods either for themselves or for their families, so being a woman gives you a great perspective on products in terms of how they appeal to the moms. Secondly, women usually have a softer touch and more connections with the heart," she said.

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Nooyi joined PepsiCo in 1994 as chief strategy officer after gaining experience in many international companies, including ABB, Motorola, Boston Consulting Group and Johnson & Johnson.

The then CEO of PepsiCo, Roger Enrico praised her pragmatism, vision and courage, but what impressed him most was her great passion for life and her work.

"This was a woman who was well-known for walking around barefoot and singing songs," he said.

"We were impressed with the breadth of her capability - that she has to absorb so much information and data in so many different categories. It's really terrific and striking," said Bryant Daniel, senior vice-president of global public policy and government affairs at PepsiCo.

Nooyi's wide knowledge comes from her diligence and a habit of reading a lot. She reads books every day and she can finish reading four to five in a week, otherwise, she says, she can't sleep. The topics she prefers are management, geography, politics and romance.

"She is an accomplished leader and good at numbers, strategy and operations. She has high expectations of herself and her team," but she still has an "amazingly strong sense of humor and she always loves to keep job a fun for her colleagues," Daniel added.