PepsiCo's former Chairman, Suman Sinha passed away

Suman Sinha, also known as PM Sinha, the former chairman of PepsiCo India, passed away on Wednesday 22nd December, 2022.

Sinha was the second chairman of PepsiCo India. He served PepsiCo for about a decade. When Sinha left PepsiCo, he had the farewell of farewells – attended by Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.

He then joined Bata as Chairman in 2004.

PM Sinha started his career from HUL, where he was the head of government relations for several years.

On his demise, Lloyd Mathias, Angel Invester and Brand Strategist said, "He was the original cola warrior triggering off the cola wars in India in the nineties. After spending over 2 decades in Hindustan Unilever, PM Sinha, better known as 'Suman' Sinha took charge as Chairman & CEO PepsiCo India in 1992.

He further added, "A hard-driving, but caring & people oriented manager, Suman mentored many careers many of whom went onto lead companies in India and overseas. A leader who always lead from the front and never fought shy of standing up for what is right. And boy, did he believe in 'working the markets', where even the minutest execution errors didn't escape his attention. And of course telling off the teams in no uncertain terms."

Sanjeev Agrawal, Co-Founder, 02n Growth Enablers said, "I have had some interaction with Mr Sinha. Firstly as a summer trainee at Unilever when he was a director. He tore me apart on the first slide and my boss had to come to my rescue. I must have done something good for me to get a PPO. Then many years later i met his socially in Sri Lanka when he was on a visit for PepsiCo. To the best of my memory, he loved his single malt."

Samar Singh Sheikhawat, Business Consultant recalled, "We all have so many Suman Sinha stories. Not the least was the call he made to the then UP CM on the condition of the roads leading up to the Bazpur plant when he travelled there on a unit visit. He used to call and fire me on the state of our presence at various places in FOBO 1 and 2 while he was on a personal trip in those places, even after he retired. I remember at an AOP marketing presentation Vibha asking for higher budgets on account of our consumers expecting newer, bigger and better things from us all the time. Suman turned around and said to her - and you have created that situation and expectation, Vibha:) Incredible man and a true old guard legend."