There is a lot of internal chatter regarding the decision to have the CSTO lead LATAM Foods while maintaining the S&T lead. With a direct report structure of nearly 30 people already, many are asking how this serves the business rather than just consolidating power.
The Financial Questions
The S&T era under Athina’s direct leadership—along with Vikram and G-yatri—has seen a staggering level of spend.
• ROI Gap: Many within the org feel the billions spent on "transformation" haven't materialized into frontline efficiency.
• There is significant frustration over the lack of business justification for the heavy reliance on specific global tech and consulting partners.
The Offshore Oversight Issue
The "India and Mexico Hub" model - While local teams face budget freezes, we see:
• Lavish travel and spending from global hubs.
• A perceived lack of productivity, with local leads often picking up the slack for offshore teams working limited hours.
Culture & Leadership
Is the "PepsiCo Way" being applied at the top? The leadership style and treatment of partners during this spend-heavy era have been widely criticized internally. Instead of an audit into the financial results of S&T, we see a promotion to a CEO seat. How does this align with our goals of being a lean, accountable organization?