Harjyot Singh Arora gets fizzy APAC promotion at PepsiCo

GURUGRAM: Pop the cap and pour one out—Harjyot Singh Arora has just landed himself a promotion that’s anything but flat. After six years of navigating PepsiCo’s labyrinthine beverage empire, the marketing maven has been crowned head of media, digital and investments for the entire Asia-Pacific region. It’s the kind of career trajectory that would make even Mountain Dew enthusiasts feel caffeinated.

Arora’s ascent through PepsiCo’s Bangkok headquarters reads like a masterclass in corporate agility. Since joining in 2019, he’s ping-ponged between roles with the energy of a shaken fizzy drink. His previous stint as sector lead for media, data and commerce capabilities saw him juggling everything from consumer analytics to thought leadership—presumably without dropping the ball, or the bottle.

But it was his 17-month spell as category lead for flavoured carbonated soft drinks that really showcased his mettle. Leading the charge for 7UP and Mountain Dew across Asia’s business unit, he shepherded innovation pipelines and propped up profit-and-loss statements from Thailand to Timbuktu (or at least the parts of Asia that matter to PepsiCo’s bottom line). Before that, he piloted the launch of functional juices in south-east Asia.

His pre-PepsiCo CV is equally colourful. Stints at Kansai Nerolac Paints, Mahindra Group and Starcom MediaVest Group gave him the chops to tackle brand strategy, media buying and consumer engagement. He even flogged ice cream for Allanasons’ London Dairy brand—proof that selling frozen treats in Mumbai’s sweltering heat requires a cool head.

Now ensconced in his new perch, Arora will oversee how PepsiCo splashes its cash across advertising, digital channels and strategic investments throughout APAC. It’s a role that demands equal parts data wizardry, strategic nous and the ability to keep multiple brands bubbling along nicely. With his track record of squeezing results from tight margins and fizzy categories alike, PepsiCo has clearly bet on the right bottle. Cheers to that.