Jagrut Kotecha, a seasoned veteran of PepsiCo, has navigated a remarkable three-decade journey, beginning in 1994. His dedication, work ethic, and ability to identify market trends put him on the fast track and he became the Regional Sales Manager and held the position of Marketing Manager for Western Snack from 1999.

On the back of successes in Western Snack marketing, Jagrut soon moved on to international assignments at PepsiCo, which included his role as the Director of sales based out of Thailand between 2000 and 2002 and, a stint as the Commercial Director in the Philippines from 2003 to 2005. Jagrut also served as the General Manager in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Pacific, and Mongolia from 2006 to 2010.

He has held several key positions including General Manager - Country Manager in Thailand (2011-2016), Vice President the snacks Category for the India Region (2016-2019), where he oversaw the innovation and transformation of the company's snack product folios – Lay's and Kurkure, to turn them better suited for Indian consumers, and led the launch of Doritos, in 2017. In 2019, he took a wider responsibility as the Vice President of Global Affordable Platforms – Foods. Since January 2020, he has served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for AMESA.

Jagrut is known for his belief in philanthropic endeavors and commitment to giving back to the community. He recognizes the importance of personal well-being and is an advocate of work-life balance. Outside of his corporate responsibilities, he enjoys playing golf and incorporates various activities into his routine to stay recharged, fit, and focused. With a strong strategic acumen and unwavering commitment to excellence, Kotecha continues to shape the future of one of the world's most iconic companies while leaving a lasting mark on the food & beverage industry.

Ashok Rai joined PepsiCo India as Senior Director – India Market Supply Officer. With extensive experience across procurement, supply strategy, and operations, Ashok is responsible for leading market supply for India, driving efficiency, resilience, and alignment with business priorities.

Prior to this role, Ashok led the Grains Commodities Center of Excellence for AMESA, where he delivered strong productivity outcomes, strengthened governance and control frameworks, and advanced the organization’s PEP+ agenda. He has also served as Director, Procurement Operations in PGCS, where he established and scaled procurement operations across multiple markets and led key global strategy deployments.

Earlier in his PepsiCo journey, Ashok was the Ingredients Lead for the India business, consistently delivering productivity and OCF targets while strengthening supplier partnerships to support sustainable growth.

Nitin Bhandari has recently taken over the role of leading PepsiCo’s beverage business in India and South Asia. Based in Gurugram, he oversees operations and drives growth across the region. A PepsiCo veteran with nearly 20 years of experience, Nitin has held pivotal leadership roles across India, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific, managing both food and beverage portfolios.

In his previous role as Vice President and Chief Growth Officer for PepsiCo India, he spearheaded strategic initiatives across India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Renowned for his transformative leadership, Nitin has a stellar track record of turning around market performances and achieving sustained growth.

Savitha Balachandran is the Chief Financial Officer - PepsiCo India & South Asia. She leads the finance function, driving financial strategy, governance, and long-term value creation for one of PepsiCo’s key markets.   

Previously, she served as Chief Financial Officer at Tata Technologies, where she played a key role in shaping financial strategy, enabling profitable growth, and leading the company’s landmark IPO in 2023. Earlier, she held multiple senior finance roles at Tata Motors, building a strong track record in disciplined growth and transformation. 

Yashika joined PepsiCo India in 2023 as Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and Sustainability Head, PepsiCo India and South Asia. With over 2 decades of diverse experience, Yashika is responsible for leading the team in mitigating policy and stakeholder risks and garnering opportunities, to promote business growth at the company.

Prior to joining PepsiCo India, she was associated with Pernod Ricard India as the Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Communications. She has also worked as the Country Manager at Speyside Group in the past.

Yashika served as the co-chairperson of ISWAI, the nodal industry association for the alcohol beverage sector. She has previously co-chaired the Economic Affairs Committee at the PHDCCI. Yashika is also associated with the eminent think tank, Centre for Social and Economic Progress as Visiting fellow, carrying out research in public policy issues. Additionally, she has been associated with various committees including Reserve Bank of India’s Technical Advisory Committee, CII Western Region Economic Affairs Committee, Economic Policy & Corporate Strategy Committee at the Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Yashika is an alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University and has done her Masters in Economics. She enjoys reading, writing, cooking, and traveling in her free time, loves to entertain friends and family at home.

Rinkesh Satija began his journey with PepsiCo India as Associate Director – SC Operations at the Kolkata plant, where he served as Plant Head. Today, he is the Vice President – Supply Chain Operations, PepsiCo India & South Asia. With over two decades of experience, he leads the end-to-end supply chain for the foods business, covering agri-sourcing, manufacturing, planning & logistics, quality, EHS, and Continuous Improvement.

He has deep expertise in operational excellence and network optimization, and has led large-scale initiatives including capacity expansions and agri programs, while advancing PepsiCo’s pep+ agenda through sustainability and digital transformation.

Prior to PepsiCo, Rinkesh has worked across industries including foods & beverages, paints, petrochemicals, and power plant engineering.

Nishant Gupta is currently the Vice President – Strategy and Transformation, PepsiCo India & South Asia. He is an experienced transformation leader, driving strategic impact across businesses through revenue growth, cost optimization, and digital transformation. His expertise spans supply chain, sales and distribution, e-commerce and quick commerce models, and customer experience enhancement.

Prior to PepsiCo, Nishant has worked with organizations such as Nestlé, Tata Consultancy Services, Accenture Strategy, and KPMG, and has also co-founded a D2C premium dairy business. He has led large transformation teams globally and was recognized among the Top 25 Retail and Consumer Consulting Leaders in 2022.