PEPSICO'S NOOYI TO HEAD INDO-US TRADE COUNCIL
By Parveen Chopra, New York, January 23, 2008 (IANS)

Soft drinks giant PepsiCo's Indian-born chief Indra Nooyi has been elected chairperson of the US-India Business Council (USIBC), a leading Washington-based advocacy group seeking stronger commercial ties between the two countries. The first woman to head the USIBC, established in 1975, Nooyi takes over from Charles 'Chip' Kaye, co-president of Warburg Pincus, a private equity firm in New York.

The USIBC currently represents 250 of the largest US companies investing in India and 12 of largest Indian global companies. Nooyi, chairman and chief executive of PepsiCo, joined the USIBC board of directors last year. With Nooyi at the helm, the council is now expected to play a more crucial role in taking the trade ties between India and the US to a new level and resolving some of the contentious trade issues between the two countries.

Under Kaye, the USIBC had launched several bold initiatives, including supporting the civilian nuclear deal, clean energy, improved public health, environmental technology transfer, besides more robust trade.

On Nooyi's appointment, USIBC president Ron Somers said, "That someone of Indra's stature and grace has stepped forward to advance the progress of the council so effectively implemented by Chip Kaye is not only a testament to Chip's leadership, but speaks volumes of the exciting opportunities associated with these two dynamic economies."

Nooyi said in a statement: "We are indebted to Chip Kaye for his dedication to USIBC over the past three years. His contribution to USIBC and, more importantly, to India sets a benchmark deserving of our gratitude and respect."

Before Kaye, Rajat Gupta, senior partner worldwide at McKinsey & Co, chaired the organisation.

The USIBC is headquartered at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., with presence in New York, California and New Delhi.