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For the first time, the annual meeting of PepsiCo’s Executive Committee is being held this month in India – an indication of the growing importance of the subcontinent in Pepsi’s future growth plans.

The Executive Committee is Pepsi’s highest decision-making body below the Board of Directors, overseeing the company’s global food and beverage business.

The annual meeting is traditionally held in a different country every year, last year’s venue being Mexico.

The 2008 meeting will be held in New Delhi on 22-23 September, chaired by PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi.

Other top Pepsi officers who will be flying in for the Executive Committee meeting include: Michael White, CEO and Vice-Chairman of PepsiCo International; Larry Thompson, Senior VP and General Counsel of PepsiCo; Salman Amin, President of PepsiCo UK; Zein Abdalla, President (Europe) of PepsiCo; Saad Abdul-Latif, International President for South Asia, the Middle East and Africa; Mehmood Khan, Chief Scientific Officer; and John Compton, CEO of PepsiCo Americas Foods.

Business awards After the PepsiCo committee meeting, on 24 September, Nooyi will chair the judging panel for the annual business awards of the Economic Times of India.

She will also join a panel of top CEOs for a discussion organised by the Economic Times on 'Slowing Global Economy: Challenges and Opportunities for India.'

With its relatively low per capita consumption of soft drinks, and fast-growing economy, India presents tremendous opportunities for PepsiCo.

However, both Pepsi and arch rival Coca-Cola have been hit by negative publicity on the subcontinent, largely revolving around allegations of excessive water use and questions about the purity of their Indian-made products.

PepsiCo is currently in dispute with workers at its Frito-Lay snacks plant at Sangrur in the northern state of Punjab.