PepsiCo Ram Krishnan, CEO of Beverages North America, relies on a versatile approach to time management to juggle his responsibilities leading some of the world’s leading beverage brands.
Speaking in Assets‘S “Champion mentality” In “The 40 Fingers” series, Krishnan, who is responsible for brands such as Pepsi, Mountain Dew and Gatorade, spoke about the strategies that have guided him throughout his 18-year career at PepsiCo, emphasizing his systematic approach to balancing professional demands and personal growth.
His career path reflects the broader focus of the company. Culture of leadership development.
PepsiCo, the 91 billion dollars annual turnover in 2023—27 billion US dollars of which came from the North American Beverages division – has become a driving force in developing top leaders thanks to a system for identifying and developing high-performing talent from within its own ranks.
Chris Kempczinski from McDonald’sEd Bastian from Delta Air Linesand Brian Cornell from Goal are just a handful of former PepsiCo graduates who Fortune 500 Company.
It’s no surprise that top managers need to find efficient ways to get the job done, but Krishnan shared his innovative method for making the most of his waking hours.
“I identify my time management with colors,” said Krishnan.
“I look at a pie chart and check every two months how I’m spending my time and whether I need to course correct.”
He explained that his time is divided into five main areas: leading the company, focusing on people and culture, long-term strategy, learning and relationships.
“I don’t think you’re going to get a perfect, even split,” he cautioned. “But I think you should be clear about, ‘Oh, I didn’t realize the last few months, this is how I spent my time. Do I need to correct my course?’ It’s more about hopefully getting to a healthy balance by the end of the year.
“I think the most important advice I can give people is to be conscious of how they use their time.”
Plan your learning journey
Krishnan, who has led several business units at PepsiCo, including a stint in Shanghai where he was responsible for the Asia-Pacific region, emphasizes the need for conscious learning.
“By Christmas I’ll be planning what I’m going to learn next year,” he said, pointing out that his approach is not about superficial learning but about diving deep into specific topics. “It’s not just about being exposed to different topics on a device, but really focusing on one or two topics for 12 weeks.”
Looking back on his journey, Krishnan spoke about the defining moments of his career, particularly in China, where he transformed PepsiCo’s operations. “Growth had shifted from East and South China to Central and West China. We had to refocus our go-to-market strategy, our manufacturing footprint and our talent approach,” he said, adding that this transformation ticked all the boxes for a successful career – solving complex problems, inspiring talent and leaving a legacy. “The business has taken off since then and now local talent is running the operations,” he said proudly.
The higher you go, the more mentors you need
Krishnan stressed the importance of authenticity and consistency as leadership traits that characterize successful leaders. “I am one of those people who have developed the habit of coming to every meeting prepared, with a hypothesis and ready for an engaged dialogue,” he said. He also stressed the importance of being fully present, noting, “I don’t multitask in meetings. I am there, in the moment.”
Krishnan cited mentoring as a key factor in his professional development. “I’ve had great mentors throughout my career. And honestly, the higher you go, the more you need them,” he said, pointing out that senior-level leaders often lack candid feedback from their teams. “Mentors provide perspective and wisdom.”
Despite his successes, Krishnan recognized the lessons to be learned from mistakes, especially those related to experimentation. “You have to be willing to experiment, and that, by definition, means making mistakes,” he said, adding that it’s important to conduct “debriefings” to evaluate what worked and what didn’t. “The key is to be self-critical while showing empathy to the team so they feel safe to experiment.”
Looking back, Krishnan admits that certain career priorities have shifted over time. “Titles are much less important than I once thought,” he said. “You rent them for a while, but they don’t define who you are.”
As for the future, Krishnan’s main focus remains forward. “One thing I could do better is stopping to celebrate,” he reflected. “Sometimes I get too caught up in what’s next, but enjoying the moment is something I need to work on.”