Eight Indian CEOs At Big U.S. Companies

                     

Vikram Pandit, the embattled CEO of Citigroup , is the other prominent native Indian in the corner office. Before joining the ailing bank he was president of Morgan Stanley ‘s investment banking, fixed income and capital markets businesses and cofounded and was the chairman of a hedge fund, Old Lane Partners.

The chief executive(CEO) of Pepsi Company would be prominent . The fact that the present one Indira Nooyi is an Indian immigrant  makes her all the more noteworthy. At the age of 53, Nooyi is one of eight C.E of large U.S. corporations with revenues of at least $2 billion

Nooyi, says Herman, is part of a growing trend where U.S. companies are being created, or led, by foreign-born individuals who bring in something special. Herman cites new research from Brigham Young University showing American workers innovate and solve problems faster when working with a ”socially distinct newcomer,” meaning, a person from another culture.

Technology is a field particularly receptive to the foreign born. Kenya-born Francisco D’Souza heads Cognizant Technology Solutions , which outsources IT services for its Western world clients. D’Souza, 40, whose grandparents hailed from Goa in India, joined the company in 1994 when it was founded and within three years had gone up the ranks to become director of North American operations. Shantanu Narayen, 46, is at the helm at Adobe Systems. The diversified software company’s flagship Internet video tool is Flash.

Despite these personal success stories the number of immigrants who are leading corporate America, Indian or otherwise, is still a tiny fraction.

Future CEO candidates might want to look for a tough assignment in order to break through. “Americans are having a tough time dealing with global diversity, Herman adds, “ but just look at who was running the Tarp financial-rescue fund–Neel Kashkari”–an Indian-American who is now joining bond giant Pimco as a managing director.

At least one top boss of Indian descent is plotting a growth strategy. Quest Diagnostics ‘ head Surya Mohapatra has raised $750 million from the capital markets for acquisitions. Apart from diagnostic services through its network of clinics, the company also conducts gene-based tests and clinical trials.