Coke vs Pepsi is one of the business world’s biggest rivalries. Yet, there is no contest between the companies’ CEOs. As the world’s highest paid businesswoman, the Indra Nooyi net worth blows the competition away.
Indra Nooyi has ranked on the list of ‘World’s 100 Most Powerful Women’ nine times. Likewise, she was also selected as ‘CEO of the Year’ in 2009. With a decade of hard work and success behind her as the CEO of PepsiCo, Nooyi is now the highest-paid businesswoman in the world.
The businesswoman reportedly took home $46 million in 2016. That figure includes her base salary, residuals and endorsements. Although, her biggest earner is stock awards. With Pepsi’s share price climbing, so too is the Indra Nooyi net worth.
As one of just 27 women CEOs at Fortune 500 companies, Nooyi has beaten the odds to reach the top of the business world. But how did she do it?
Indra Nooyi net worth: Who is the PepsiCo CEO?
Nooyi was born in Chennai, India to a fairly well off family. She received a quality education in her home country, graduating with bachelor’s degrees in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Yet, after leaving university, she decided to move into business management.
She worked at a number of big companies, before moving to the United States to study for a Master’s degree at Yale. That would eventually lead her to PepsiCo.
Nooyi joined the company in 1994 and rose to the position of Chief Financial Officer after just seven years. In the position, she oversaw the acquisitions of Tropicana and Gatorade, which moved Pepsi into the non-fizzy and energy drink markets.
Gender inequality was rife in the business world. However, she refused to let her male colleagues mistreat her. This confidence is what earned her the CEO position in 2006.
Nooyi has been very successful in the role. She isn’t afraid to make changes, regardless of backlash and has an eye for noticing and reacting to market trends early. For example, with consumers becoming more health conscious, the brand quickly moved to cut the amount of sugar and calories in its soft drinks.
Under Nooyi’s leadership, PepsiCo has seen its market cap grow by more than 50% to $167 billion.
Keen to keep their star CEO on board, the soft drink brand has rewarded her for her hard work with a hefty salary. As a result, Indra Nooyi has amassed a fortune of $145 million.