Indra Nooyi, the chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, today said that challenges faced by India were inter- connected which demands solutions and leadership.
"We still face complex challenges like inequality, climate change, and resource scarcity, that demand solutions and leadership. Making these challenges even more complex is the fact that they are all interconnected. You cannot dive into one issue without touching another," Nooyi said at the 50th annual convocation of IIM Calcutta here today.
She said though India has made a lot of progress over the last four decades, the country has a long way to go.
"At the same time, no issue can be contained within a particular country. Most issues you will deal with are global. You will have to learn how to take off your blinders, think expansively, and realise that you are part of a global ecosystem," she told the passing out management students.
"It is critical that you take this responsibility seriously, because you are the problem-solvers and leaders, we need to overcome our world's most serious challenges," she contended.
Recalling her days at the institute, Nooyi said during their times, convocations were held in a small tent and there were only four hostels.
"In terms of electronics gadgets, we had access to a four- function calculator and there was only one IBM 360 computer," Nooyi said.
"Life now has definitely changed for the better", she said.
Nooyi suggested that the old maxim of "learn, earn and return" should be changed to "learn and earn in return at every stage of career".
According to the head of a Fortune 500 company, business success nowadays was measured on the quarter-on-quarter or year-on-year basis.
"Most successful businesses are those which focus on long-term. The most successful companies are the ones that create value over the long term for employees, for shareholders, and for the greater community," she said.
"We're working every day to build a more balanced portfolio, to conserve natural resources, and to create diverse, inclusive workplaces, because we understand that long-term growth is contingent upon a healthy relationship between a company, its community, and its consumers," Nooyi said.
Signing off with the lyrics of a Bob Dylan song, Nooyi said, "One thing you may not know about me is that back in my college days, I had my own rock band--the LogRhythms.
