Sanjeev Chadha (PEPSI) & Radha Chadha at the ISB

Amidst all the happenings this weekend from midterm results, to quizzes, to assignments, I attended the talk by Sanjeev Chadha, Chairman, PEPSICo, India and Radha Chadha, a Consultant & Author. Being MBA grads they could empathize with the ISB crowd and delivered informal yet powerful talks.

Radha spoke about Luxury brands and the immense opportunities India has in marketing some of our cultural heritage as luxury brands.

Sanjeev spoke about how Pepsi, just a 19 year old company has grown to be the fourth biggest FMCG in India. Indian consumption of the packaged drinks is way below even our Asian neighbors, and he spoke about the immense growth potential India has in the packaged drinks segment. Sanjeev raised a rather interesting view that time is becoming one of the scarcest resources these days, and hence Pepsi seeks to provide convenience to its customers.

As in any event the ISB crowd had a variety of questions for the presenters. Some of them are:

What are the most important things in making a successful brand?
“Sharp consumer insight and product differentiation.”

Is the growth that Pepsi has enjoyed in the recent years sustainable?
“The stability of prices, market-based initiatives, and the new product/brand mix have given Sanjeev the confidence that Pepsi can sustain such growth in the years to come.”

What did you both learn at B-school that has helped you the most in your career?
“Decision making, group exercises (dynamics) and getting a 360 degree view of the problem before attempting to solve it.”

by Mohit Gupta – Class Of 2010