MUMBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has named PepsiCo chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi as its first independent female director. Her appointment is likely to cause some ripples given that PepsiCo has tied up with the ICC for a multi-year global partner deal.
PepsiCo and ICC’s deal lasts till 2023 while Nooyi’s term with the ICC is for two years and can be extended twice, taking it to a maximum of six consecutive years of service. Her appointment is likely to run concurrently with the council’s partnership with the global FMCG behemoth thereby raising the question of conflict of interest.
An ICC release stated that she was selected after due diligence from both the Independent Ethics Officer of the ICC and PepsiCo’s general council. There will be a clear framework for managing any potential or perceived conflicts of interest that may develop in the future.
The introduction of a female independent director was approved by the ICC in June 2017 as part of a wide-ranging constitutional change aimed at improving the governance of the sport. Nooyi will join the board in June 2018 to align with the term of the ICC independent chairman following the unanimous confirmation of her appointment at a meeting held on Friday, an ICC release said.
ICC chairman Shashank Manohar said, “Adding another independent director—particularly a female—is such an important step forward in improving our governance. To have someone of Indra’s calibre is fantastic news for the global game. We undertook a global search looking for the right candidate who would complement the existing skills and experience already on our board. A cricket enthusiast with experience in the commercial sector and independent of the ICC, any member or state or associated organisation were the primary criteria and in Indra we have found an exceptional new colleague and we look forward to working with her in the future.”
Expressing delight at her appointment, Nooyi said, “I love the game of cricket. I played it as a teenager and in college, and to this day, I cherish the lessons the game taught me about teamwork, integrity, respect, and healthy competition. I am thrilled to join ICC as the first person to be appointed to this role. And I look forward to working with my colleagues on the board, ICC’s incredible partners, and cricketers around the world to grow our sport responsibly and give our fans a new reason to follow every ball and shot.”
At PepsiCo, Nooyi is responsible for a global food and beverage portfolio that includes 22 brands generating more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales, including Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola.
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