Who is Jagrut Kotecha, the new PepsiCo India CEO?
PepsiCo India has announced the appointment of Jagrut Kotecha as their new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for India. Currently serving as the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for PepsiCo in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia (AMESA), Kotecha brings three decades of experience to his new role.
FollowPepsiCo India has announced that Jagrut Kotecha will be its next CEO, succeeding Ahmed El Sheikh. Beginning in March 2024, Kotecha—who presently holds the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for the AMESA (Africa, Middle East, and South Asia) regions—will assume leadership of PepsiCo's activities in India.
This is a major step in PepsiCo's strategic restructuring plan, which also includes Ahmed El Sheikh's resignation as CEO of PepsiCo India. El Sheikh will take on a new position as CEO of the company's Middle East Business Unit, and Kotecha will oversee the snacks and drinks giant's activities in India.
Jagrut Kotecha brings over 3 decades of experience and a strong background to his new role as PepsiCo India CEO.
He joined the Sales and Marketing team in India in 1994, marking the start of his career with PepsiCo. Kotecha rose through the ranks of the company, assuming a variety of sales and marketing positions. His commitment to excellence and proficiency earned him the positions of Marketing Manager for Western Snack till 1999 and Regional Sales Manager in 1997.
He worked for Cadbury India for two years, from 1992 to 1994, before to joining PepsiCo. During his time with PepsiCo, Kotecha worked abroad. From 2000 to 2002, he was headquartered in Thailand in a Regional Sales role. From 2006 to 2010, he served as the Commercial Director in the Philippines.
His notable roles since 2011 have included VP of the India Region's Snacks Category, VP of Global Affordable Platforms - Foods, General Manager and Country Manager in Thailand, and, most recently, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for AMESA since January 2020.
Based on his LinkedIn page, Kotecha graduated from the University of Mumbai with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He also holds an MBA in marketing from the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), part of SVKM.
