Pepsico VP: ‘Every FMCG role will evolve into a tech-based one’

Pavitra Singh, Vice President & People Leader at PepsiCo India & South Asia, speaks to Careers360 on the current hiring trends, evolving job market in the FMCG sector, essential skills for candidates, and the unique work culture at PepsiCo India. Edited excerpts from the conversation:

What are the key skill gaps you observe among fresh entrants or young candidates?

Every industry today is witnessing a few clear shifts:

• A significant uptick in technology adoption

• A stronger need to thrive in collaborative ecosystems

• The need for agility

Young people bring a lot to the table, they have enormous energy, they are tech savvy and are articulate in their own lingo. The energy of the young people has to work with the wisdom of the institution to do well.

In the past we hired for hard skills and trained for soft skills, now we hope a lot more for soft skills.

If I had to advise young people, I would say, amp up the soft skills. Focus on collaboration, communication, influence, and negotiation – these are real differentiators in today’s workplace.

In an era where technology and market dynamics evolve rapidly, how is PepsiCo India aligning its upskilling programmes?

We have done a lot, but need to do more since the pace of change is rapid. At PepsiCo India, we have been actively using AI across various areas. For instance, we have used it in basic farm practices to help thousands of farmers improve their yield. We have used AI as our frontline sales force and in our digital marketing efforts. In the function I represent, we are leveraging it in recruitment, onboarding, learning, development, and even performance enablement.

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We use AI and blockchain solutions to help students be job ready and frontline talent in sales and operations; also be career ready through upskilling programmes and certifications.

Being future ready is about skill set and the mindset – both are important. You could have a PhD and be skill-set ready, but still may not be prepared if you don’t have the mindset. So we have to nurture and give people opportunities to display their mindset towards higher responsibilities and growth. A mindset is about trying, learning, sometimes failing, but succeeding too. We need that balance in the current world.

Given the current volatility in the job market, what is your outlook on hiring trends for fresh graduates in the FMCG sector over the next one-two years?

I think we will see every role in FMCG evolve into a tech-based or a tech enabled role. India has a large pool of talent- engineers, social sciences, CAs – you name it and we have the talent.

The FMCG space itself is changing fast. Every tech platform is now a competitor in some way. It’s not just about traditional rivals anymore.

Communicating with the consumer is a new game all together. We need young talent who can think about five-second reels to tell the brand story, not a one minute commercial. We need talent that pushes us to be edgy without being silly, creative without losing clarity and bold while still being brand smart.

Beyond technical capabilities, what behavioral or soft skills do you believe are most important to thrive at PepsiCo India?

The world economic forum says that one needs three key skills for the next five years. They are:

• Critical Thinking
• Complex problem solving and
• Creativity

To that list I will definitely add collaboration, communication and co-creation. These soft skills are becoming more important than ever. Because the idea of a lone star carrying an entire company to success is outdated. It just doesn’t work like that anymore . Leaders at every level need to carry the people around them, building on each other’s strength and growing as a team. Leaders at every level play a key role in creating that culture.

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And, one thing stands out for that to happen – authenticity and the ability to show up as who you are day in and day out. At PepsiCo we strive to be a more authentic lot, a company that lets you be you.

This piece first appeared in the 200th issue of the Careers360 magazine, published in August 2025.