1985 - B.Tech - Mechanical Engineering President & COO @ Frito-Lay North America, PepsiCo, Inc., USA
Shri Vivek Sankaran’s career illustrates how perseverance, taking risks, a mindset of learning forever, and leading with humility has led to professional and personal growth and success.
Shri Vivek Sankaran graduated from IIT Madras in 1985 with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He obtained his Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1988. In 1993, he obtained his MBA from the University of Michigan.
Shri Vivek Sankaran is the CEO of Frito-Lay North America of PepsiCo. He was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer, Frito-Lay North America, effective April 2016. Prior to that, Shri Sankaran was Chief Commercial Officer, North America from 2014 to February 2016; Chief Customer Officer for Frito-Lay North America from 2012 to 2014; Senior Vice President and General Manager, Frito-Lay North America’s south business unit from 2011 to 2012; and Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Development from 2009 to 2010. Prior to joining PepsiCo in 2009, Shri Sankaran was a partner at McKinsey & Company, where he advised Fortune 100 companies with a focus on retail and high tech. He also co-led North America’s purchasing and supply management practice for McKinsey. Before working for McKinsey, he served as a Service Engineer for Xerox and a Manufacturing Engineer for Bekaert.
Shri Sankaran serves on the board of Safe Water Network, a non-profit organization that develops sustainable water solutions in India and Ghana. He has been elected to the board of Guardian Insurance and as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), a leading trade association of the $2.1 trillion food, beverage and consumer products industry in July 2018.
For showing excellence in management and for reaching a senior leadership position at PepsiCo, IIT Madras and its alumni are proud to confer this award upon Shri Vivek Sankaran.
