My Life in Full

Book excerpt: 'A must-read for working women and the men who work with us, love us and support us' Hillary Rodham Clinton 'Surprising and compelling' Financial Times The much-anticipated and inspiring memoir by Indra Nooyi, the trailblazing former CEO of PepsiCo, offering clear-eyed insight and a call to action for how our society can really blend work and family - and advance women - in the twenty-first century For more than a dozen years as one of the world's most admired CEOs, Indra Nooyi redefined what it means to be an exceptional leader. The first woman, person of color, and immigrant to run a Fortune 50 company - and one of the foremost strategic thinkers of our time - Nooyi transformed PepsiCo with a unique vision, a vigorous pursuit of excellence, and a deep sense of purpose. Now, in a rich memoir brimming with grace, grit, and good humor, My Life in Full offers a firsthand view of a legendary career and the sacrifices it so often demanded. In her book, Nooyi shares the events that shaped her - from her childhood in 1960s India, to the Yale School of Management, to her rise as a consultant and corporate strategist who soon ascended into the most senior executive ranks. The book offers an intimate look inside PepsiCo, detailing how she steered the iconic American company toward healthier products and reinvented its environmental profile without curbing financial performance - despite resistance at every turn. At the same time, Nooyi built a home with her husband - also a high-powered executive - two daughters, and members of her extended family. My Life in Full includes her unvarnished take on the competing pressures on her attention and time, and what she learned along the way. This book, as has her personal journey, will inspire young women everywhere to believe that they, too, can climb to powerful roles without giving up on the desire for a family and children. But, as Nooyi eloquently argues, her story is not a call for women to simply try harder, but is proof of the importance of organised care structures in all of our success. Nooyi makes a clear, actionable, urgent call for business and government to prioritise the care ecosystem, from skilled care networks to zoning policy, to paid leave and flexible and predictable work hours, each so critical to unleashing the economy's full potential and helping families thrive. Generous, authoritative, and grounded in lived experience, My Life in Full is both the story of an extraordinary leader's life, and a moving tribute to the relationships that created it.