NEW YORK, NOV 3: India-born Indra Nooyi, senior vice-president and chief financial officer of PepsiCo, is among America's 50 most powerful women, according to Fortune magazine.Nooyi, ranked 43rd, rubs shoulders with Carly Fiorina, chief executive officer (CEO) of Hewlett Packard (first), Meg Whitman, CEO of online auctioneer eBay (third) and Martha Stewart of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia among other big names. "Many on the list, and almost all the really fast-rising women, recently changed jobs, companies and even industries," Fortune notes.Nooyi, in her position, has been a key advisor to Pepsico CEO Roger Enrico. "She helped him make the right moves," asserts Fortune. Moves like creating the spin-off of PepsiCo's restaurant and bottling businesses and pushing hard for Pepsi to buy Tropicana. "It's all paying off. After several flat years, the stock is fizzing," Fortune points out.45-year-old Nooyi is about the average age for the list of 50 top women Fortune has come up with. Nooyi had been senior vice-president, corporate strategy and development since joining PepsiCo in 1994, leading worldwide strategic direction, and merger, acquisition and divestiture activities. When in January 2000, Nooyi was made the chief financial officer as well-the move emphasised that Nooyi "played key roles in the Tricon spin-off, purchasing Tropicana and the public offering of Pepsi-Cola Bottling Group."PepsiCo Inc manufactures, markets and sells soft drinks and concentrates (Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Slice, etc.), snack foods (Frito-Lays) and Tropicana branded juices. For the 36 weeks ending September 2, 2000, net sales fell by 4 per cent to $14.03 billion. Net income rose by 1 per cent to $1.57 billion.Company revenues have generally risen over the last decade with a small downturn in the year ending 1999. At the end of 1999, revenues stood at $20.4 billion.
