George Kovoor is an Independent Director, strategy advisor, and entrepreneur with 34 years of leadership experience spanning PepsiCo and Unilever across India, China, and global markets. As SVP & GM at PepsiCo India Beverages and a member of PepsiCo's Senior Leadership Team, George was known for turning around underperforming markets and building the teams to sustain that growth. Between 2006–16, he spent a decade in China and is regarded as one of the architects behind the rapid growth of PepsiCo's foods business there. Under his leadership, his marketing team won a Cannes Gold Lion — the only India FMCG team to achieve this recognition in 2024. A Harvard Business School AMP alumnus and hands-on AI practitioner, George now advises CEOs and boards through his consultancy, Ask GeKo & Co., on growth strategy, business transformation, and leveraging AI for competitive advantage. An aspiring Mandarin speaker who considers China his second home, George brings both strategic depth and cultural fluency to every engagement.
Many beverage brands hit a growth ceiling not because of a bad product, but because they try to force "Tier-1 demands" onto lower-tier markets. The reality is that the same drink, once it enters a new market, becomes a completely different business model.