Three Indians among WSJ top 50 women to watch for this year

NEW YORK: Led by Pepsico Chief Indra Nooyi, three Indians have made their way into the Wall Street Journal's global list of 50 women to watch for this year.

Cisco's Chief Technology Officer Padmasree Warrior and INX Media's Chief Executive Indrani Mukerjea are the other two women who made the cut.

Ranked at second spot, snacks and beverages major Pepsico Chief Nooyi is the lone Indian in the top 10. Warrior and Mukerjea are ranked at 31st and 41st positions, respectively.

At the top of the heap is Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chairman Sheila Bair. Barbara Desoer, who is the President, Mortgage, Home Equity & Insurance Services, at the Bank of America, is placed at the third position.



Writing on Nooyi, the publication said that confronted this year by high commodity prices, a downturn in US beverage sales, and other consequences of the souring economy, the Pepsico Chief did not shy from some bold steps.

"She has been pushing the Purchase, NY, company in new directions since arriving 14 years ago as head of corporate strategy.

"Her drive to get Pepsi to buy Tropicana and Quaker Oats helped shift the company's soda-and-potato-chip-dominated portfolio toward healthier drinks and snacks," WSJ said.

Others in the top 10 are People's Bank of China's Deputy Governor Hu Xiaolian (4th), French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde (5), Kraft Foods' Chief Executive Irene Rosenfeld (6), Temasek Holdings' Chief Hon Ching (7), DuPont President Ellen Kullman (8), Xerox Chairman Anne Mulcahy (9) and Laura Tyson (10), who is the Professor of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.