UCLA Anderson School of Management to Honor PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi with John Wooden Global Leadership Award

UCLA Anderson School of Management today announced that PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi, consistently recognized as one of the world’s most successful and influential business leaders, is the recipient of the 2012 John Wooden Global Leadership Award.

Nooyi, who will be honored at a dinner on Nov. 5, 2012, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, was selected as this year’s recipient for her significant business success as chief executive of PepsiCo and for her upstanding leadership that mirrors the same high benchmarks of performance, integrity and ethical virtues set by legendary Coach Wooden.

"Indra Nooyi's leadership and vision go well beyond building a successful global corporation. She also inspires as a positive influence of business on the world. Under Indra’s direction, PepsiCo has achieved strong business results, while also creating a foundation for long-term growth with thoughtful initiatives that are ‘good’ for the planet,” said Judy Olian, Dean of UCLA Anderson School of Management. "Her principle-centered approach to leadership embodies the ideals of Coach Wooden.”

Each year, the John Wooden Global Leadership Award recognizes an individual in corporate America who personifies the extraordinary leadership style as established by Coach John Wooden. Prior recipients include Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz, American Express Chairman and CEO Kenneth Chenault, FedEx Corporation Chairman and CEO Frederick W. Smith and business executive Peter Ueberroth.

Nooyi, who was named PepsiCo’s CEO in 2006, leads a $65 billion global food and beverage powerhouse with a portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. The company’s main businesses – Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola – make hundreds of snacks and beverages sold around the world.

Nooyi was selected as this year’s Wooden Leadership award winner for consistently delivering strong business and financial results while also taking steps to set the company on a course toward sustainable, long-term growth. A key driver of PepsiCo’s success has been its “Performance with Purpose” business strategy, which includes the company’s focus on providing a wider range of foods and beverages for local tastes; finding innovative ways to reduce operating costs and minimize its impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; providing a diverse and inclusive workplace for associates and attracting top talent to the company; and playing a positive role in the local communities where the company operates.

Tickets for the 2012 Awards dinner are available online or by calling (310) 206-9816. Proceeds from the event will fund John Wooden Global Leadership Student Fellowships. This year's recipients are Aviva Altmann, MBA class of 2013, Karla Sarni, FEMBA class of 2013, and Juan Rose, EMBA class of 2013. Each of these students embodies the leadership qualities and values that Coach Wooden embraced and advocated.

About the John Wooden Global Leadership Award

As the most winning coach in men’s college basketball, Wooden's legacy of leadership transcends athletics and spans generations. As a coach, prolific author and inspiring speaker, he dedicated his life to motivating individuals to achieve their highest potential. Wooden instilled in others a sense of pride, a commitment to ethics and a respect for teamwork.

UCLA Anderson extends these fundamental principles and Wooden’s famous “Pyramid of Success” into the classroom through Wooden Global Leadership Program. For more information about the John Wooden Global Leadership Award, fellowships and UCLA Anderson School of Management, visit www.anderson.ucla.edu.

About UCLA Anderson School of Management

UCLA Anderson School of Management is among the leading business schools in the world. UCLA Anderson faculty members are globally renowned for their teaching excellence and research in advancing management thinking. Each year, UCLA Anderson provides a distinctive approach to management education to more than 1,800 students enrolled in its MBA, Fully-Employed MBA, Executive MBA, Global Executive MBA for Asia Pacific, Global Executive MBA for the Americas, Master of Financial Engineering, doctoral and executive education programs. Combining selective admissions, varied and innovative learning programs, and a world-wide network of 37,000 alumni, UCLA Anderson develops and prepares global leaders. Follow UCLA Anderson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/UCLAAnderson, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/uclaanderson.