PepsiCo vs Wipro: Founders, CEOs and History
PepsiCo was founded in 1965 by Caleb Bradham, Donald M. Kendall, Herman W. Lay and is led by Ramon Laguarta. Wipro was founded in 1945 by Mohamed Hasham Premji and is led by Srini Pallia.
Company facts
Founders
PepsiCo
Caleb Bradham
Caleb Bradham created "Brad's Drink" at his New Bern pharmacy in 1898, renamed it Pepsi-Cola and incorporated the Pepsi-Cola Company in 1902.
Donald M. Kendall
Donald M. Kendall led Pepsi-Cola and engineered its 1965 merger with Frito-Lay to form PepsiCo, which he ran as CEO until 1986.
Herman W. Lay
Herman W. Lay (1909-1982) started his career as a snack food salesman. In 1932, he opened a snack food operation in Nashville, Tennessee, eventually purchasing the manufacturer and renaming it H.W. Lay & Company.
Wipro
Mohamed Hasham Premji
Mohamed Hasham Premji incorporated Western India Vegetable Products Limited in Amalner, Maharashtra in 1945 to produce vegetable oil.
CEOs and their tenures
PepsiCo
- D. Wayne Calloway1986–1996
Chief Executive Officer
He more than doubled PepsiCo's revenues during his tenure and heavily invested in the restaurant division before it was later spun off.
Source - Roger Enrico1996–2001
Chief Executive Officer
He dramatically simplified the company's structure, allowing it to focus resources on its core grocery and convenience store distribution networks.
Source - Steven Reinemund2001–2006
Chief Executive Officer
He oversaw significant international expansion and revenue growth, setting a strong operational foundation before handing leadership to Nooyi.
Source - Indra Nooyi2006–2018
Chief Executive Officer
Under her 12-year tenure as CEO, PepsiCo's revenue grew by more than 80%, and she fundamentally reshaped the company's identity from a junk-food purveyor to a diversified global food and beverage giant.
Source - Ramon Laguarta2018–present
Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer
He sustained strong organic revenue growth and protected operating margins through historically challenging supply chain conditions, while committing the company to major sustainability and packaging reduction goals.
Source
Wipro
- Rishad Premji2019–present
Executive Chairman
As Executive Chairman, he enforced a strict return-to-office mandate and publicly cracked down on employee moonlighting, prioritizing utilization rates over aggressive headcount growth.
Source - Thierry Delaporte2020–2024
CEO and Managing Director
He decentralized Wipro's operating model into four massive strategic market units, though he struggled to match the organic growth rates of rivals like TCS and Infosys before stepping down.
Source - Srini Pallia2024–present
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
Leads Wipro's push for large deals, consulting-led selling, and AI-enabled delivery.
Source
Timeline: PepsiCo and Wipro side by side
1898PepsiCo
Pepsi-Cola Invented in North Carolina
Caleb Bradham formulated the original digestive cola syrup in his drugstore.
1945Wipro
Incorporated as Western India Vegetable Products
Mohamed Hasham Premji sets up a vegetable oil business in Amalner, Maharashtra.
1965PepsiCo
Historic Merger of Pepsi-Cola & Frito-Lay
Donald Kendall and Herman Lay created PepsiCo, uniting snacks and soft drinks.
1966Wipro
Azim Premji takes over
After his father's death, 21-year-old Azim Premji leaves Stanford to run the company.
1975PepsiCo
Launch of the Pepsi Challenge
National blind taste tests shook Coca-Cola's market dominance and redefined advertising.
1997PepsiCo
Restaurant Business Spun Off
PepsiCo spun off its restaurant businesses (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC) as Tricon Global Restaurants, now Yum! Brands, in 1997.
1998PepsiCo
Acquisition of Tropicana ($3.3B)
Acquired chilled orange juice leader Tropicana to dominate morning beverages.
2000Wipro
NYSE listing
Wipro lists American Depositary Shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker WIT.
2001PepsiCo
Acquisition of Quaker Oats & Gatorade ($13.4B)
Acquired Quaker Oats, adding sports hydration pioneer Gatorade to the portfolio.
2006PepsiCo
Indra Nooyi becomes CEO
Indra Nooyi became CEO of PepsiCo in 2006. Chief executive of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2018.
2007Wipro
Acquired Infocrossing
Wipro Limited acquired Infocrossing for $600 million.
2011PepsiCo
Wimm-Bill-Dann Acquired
PepsiCo completed its acquisition of the Russian dairy and juice company Wimm-Bill-Dann in 2011.
2013Wipro
Non-IT businesses demerged
Consumer care, lighting, and infrastructure engineering businesses move to the unlisted Wipro Enterprises.
2018PepsiCo
Acquisition of SodaStream ($3.2B) & Ramon Laguarta Appointed CEO
Acquired SodaStream to pioneer eco-friendly dispensing; Ramon Laguarta took over as CEO.
2019Wipro
Rishad Premji becomes Executive Chairman
Azim Premji retires from the executive role and his son Rishad Premji takes over as chairman.
2021Wipro
Capco acquisition completed
Wipro completes its $1.45 billion acquisition of financial services consultancy Capco.
2022PepsiCo
Strategic Distribution Alliance with Celsius ($550M)
Secured master global distribution for fast-growing energy brand Celsius.
2022Wipro
Acquired Rizing
Wipro Limited acquired Rizing for $540 million.
2024Wipro
Srini Pallia named CEO
Srini Pallia succeeds Thierry Delaporte as CEO and Managing Director in April 2024.
2025PepsiCo
poppi Acquisition and Elliott-Backed Plan
Closed the $1.95 billion poppi deal and announced a North America cost and pricing reset in December.
2026PepsiCo
Price Cuts on Core Snacks
Lowered prices on major Frito-Lay brands by up to 15% to recover US volumes.
2026Wipro
Rs 150 billion buyback approved
Alongside FY2026 results in April 2026, the board approves a Rs 150 billion share buyback.
Acquisitions
PepsiCo
- poppi2025$1.9B
- SodaStream International2018$3.2B
- The Quaker Oats Company (including Gatorade)2001$13.4B
- Tropicana Products1998$3.3B
Wipro
- Harman Digital Transformation Solutions2025$375M
- Rizing2022$540M
- Capco2021$1.4B
- Appirio2016$500M
- Infocrossing2007$600M
Questions about PepsiCo vs Wipro
Who is the CEO of PepsiCo, Inc. and Wipro Limited?
PepsiCo, Inc. is led by Ramon Laguarta and Wipro Limited is led by Srini Pallia. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was PepsiCo, Inc. founded vs Wipro Limited?
Wipro Limited was founded in 1945 — 20 years before PepsiCo, Inc., which was founded in 1965. Wipro Limited's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger PepsiCo, Inc..
How many employees does PepsiCo, Inc. have compared to Wipro Limited?
PepsiCo, Inc. employs approximately 306,000 people, while Wipro Limited employs approximately 228,000. PepsiCo, Inc. has the larger workforce at 306,000 employees, compared to Wipro Limited's 228,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are PepsiCo, Inc. and Wipro Limited headquartered?
PepsiCo, Inc. is headquartered in United States and Wipro Limited is headquartered in India. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded PepsiCo, Inc. and Wipro Limited?
PepsiCo, Inc. was founded by Caleb Bradham, Donald M. Kendall, Herman W. Lay. Wipro Limited was founded by Mohamed Hasham Premji.
Which company has a longer operating history — PepsiCo, Inc. or Wipro Limited?
Wipro Limited has been operating for approximately 81 years, making it the more established of the two companies. PepsiCo, Inc. has been in operation for around 61 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the PepsiCo vs Wipro overview