Who Is Jagrut Kotecha; The New PepsiCo CEO Of India Operations

New Delhi: Leading food & beverage major PepsiCo India has elevated Jagrut Kotecha the senior vice president and chief commercial officer for AMESA (Africa, Middle East and South Asia regions) as its CEO of India Operations replacing Ahmed ElSheikh.

Kotecha has a BE Chemical Engineering degree from University of Mumbai. He did his Master of Business Administration - MBA, Marketing from SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS).

He joined the Sales of Cadbury India between 1992-1994. In 1994 he joined the Sales And Marketing at PepsiCo India and held various sales and marketing roles, becoming the regional sales manager in 1997 and Marketing Manager- Western Snack till 1999.

Between 2000 - 2002 he was given Regional Sales Role based out of Thailand and worked as Director Sales- Foods- ASPACD till 2002. Between 2006 - 2010 he was posted as Commercial Director- Philippines and General Manager- Malaysia/Singapore/Brunie/Pacific/Mongolia.

Since 2011 Kotecha has held several positions General Manager- Country Manager Thailand between 2011 - Sep 2016; VP -Snacks Category India Region between Oct 2016 - May 2019; VP Global Affordable Platforms- Foods between Jun 2019 - Dec 2019; and the latest being Senior Vice President Chief Commercial Officer -Amesa since January 2020.

Meanwhile, PepsiCo has announced that Kirk Tanner, CEO of the company's North America beverage business will retire on February 2, appointing Ram Krishnan as the CEO for PepsiCo Beverages North America. Tanner retires from PepsiCo after 32 years of service.

Eugene Willemsen, chief executive officer – Africa, Middle East & South Asia, PepsiCo, said, “India remains a pivotal market for PepsiCo, playing a crucial role in our global strategy. Over the last six years, Ahmed has been instrumental in transforming our business, driving innovation, and steering the team through challenging landscapes. His leadership saw the introduction of pioneering products and various community-focussed initiatives, and I look forward to continuing to work with him in his new capacity. I am equally excited to welcome Jagrut to the India executive team and am certain that we will continue to scale new zeniths of success under his leadership with our Indian consumers.”

Kotecha, "Having been part of the PepsiCo family for the past 30 years, I have witnessed firsthand the unwavering commitment of PepsiCo India to excellence and innovation. This commitment has not only propelled our growth in the Indian market but also reinforced our position as a leader in the industry. Ahmed leaves an indelible mark on our India operations and his legacy of success sets a high benchmark for us all. As I take on this new responsibility, I am excited to drive forward our mission, ensuring continued success and growth in the Indian market.”