Nooyi: At the helm

Houston, Feb. 5 (PTI): Indra Nooyi has been elected as the chairwoman of PepsiCo, the board of directors of the company has announced.

Nooyi, 51, is currently chief executive officer of the more than $32-billion global food and beverage company, a role she assumed on October 1, 2006.

The PepsiCo board of directors said it has elected as chairwoman its chief executive Nooyi, effective when executive chairman Steven S. Reinemund, 58, retires on May 2, as he announced last August.

“I’m incredibly honoured by the board’s confidence and extraordinarily fortunate to follow in the footsteps of Steve Reinemund and all my illustrious predecessors,” said Nooyi.

“PepsiCo is on a sound strategic course with solid momentum, thanks to Steve’s leadership, and along with every PepsiCo associate, I’m looking forward to building on the lasting legacy created by him, Roger, Wayne, Don and Herman,” she said.

Nooyi becomes the fifth chairman and chief executive officer in PepsiCo’s 42-year history.