13 February 2010 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
Beverage giant Pepsico’s Asia-Pacific division will be managed by a Turkish director, Ümran Beba.
She will oversee the mergers and acquisitions processes for operations in 18 countries, including markets in which the company is registering the highest growth rates, such as China and India. Other burgeoning markets, such as Japan, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia and South Korea, are among the other countries for which Beba will hold responsibility. Pepsi has over 6,000 employees in its operations in the Asia-Pacific region. Beba’s career in Pepsi began in 1994 as marketing director for Turkey. Some Turkish observers say Beba’s increasing prominence within the company could help her someday attain Pepsi’s highest post. Pepsi’s current CEO is Indra Nooyi, an Indian woman.