Thread regarding PepsiCo Inc. (Pepsi) layoffs

It is deeply troubling to see some individuals searching for alternative motives here, especially as numerous colleagues have raised serious concerns about the conduct within S&T and DPA. I fully agree with the comments pointing out that OHS has failed to adequately address the toxic culture. The issues we face are not limited to G-yatri and her ineffective leadership team (most of them should have been gone in last year re-org). The issues run much deeper and require urgent, honest scrutiny instead of unjustified search for alternative motives! There is a reason the post about G-yatri and DPA has drawn so much attention and criticism on this site, far more than any other post about layoffs at Pepsico.

While g..try leaving may bring some relief but the toxic sludge at the top leadership right down to senior directors is beyond lunacy.
I see dark day ahead for this org from where we were.
Sure we could have delivered phenomenonal value but we the workers were not see as assets and are still not treated as such. Instead you have toxic CIO who lies all.over the media while brutalizing her own teams.

Let us really ask the question what value has the Indian hubs or Indians directors provided. Their toxicity brand and backstabbing with zero ethics and racist behavior by using dei to get to their objectives of corporate control is reality.

Impose quotas not tarriffs on Indians. They have taken over all aspects of leadership and top positions. They block progress and opportunities by hiring their own.

While leadership transitions naturally spark commentary, the tone and timing of multiple posts emerging in close alignment raise questions about coordination. It's important we stay vigilant against what appears to be an orchestrated campaign targeting select individuals under the guise of reform.

Constructive criticism is vital for progress, but fairness and integrity must anchor that dialogue. Repeating reputational concerns without substantiation risks undermining not just individuals but the broader credibility of our internal discourse.

Yes, this moment presents an opportunity for a reset—but one grounded in facts, transparency, and respect for due process. Real transformation requires more than just reshuffling roles; it demands thoughtful, inclusive leadership that encourages accountability at all levels—without resorting to innuendo or anonymous targeting.

Let’s focus our energy on ensuring the next chapter reflects both the values of “The PepsiCo Way” and a commitment to building trust, not tearing it down.

G-yatri has departed (almost!), leaving behind a widely criticized legacy across S&T and beyond. That chapter is firmly closed - her exit arguably should have happened last year, or better yet, been avoided altogether through more prudent hiring.
What’s more compelling now is observing which members of her costly and controversial VP team will be next. Several individuals carry at least ´reputational concerns´ not only within their own teams but among many key S&T stakeholders.
This moment presents an opportunity for a meaningful reset - true change must extend beyond the VP level to include senior directors and other leadership tiers. It’s important to address cases where roles have been misused for personal gain, including individuals not based in any official PepsiCo office and with questionable experience and skillset, unfit to lead. OHS survey clearly failed to pick up a lot off concerns raised here by our colleagues!
Let’s hope this re-org is swift and decisive. The 2024 process dragged on far too long, delaying progress. Teams deserve focus and credible leadership aligned with "The PepsiCo Way" values, so they could return their attention to delivering real impact!

While many of the concerns raised here reflect real frustrations and deserve thoughtful attention, let’s also not ignore a different pattern: some of the loudest voices now speaking out were notably silent when things were going well for them—or when poor decisions were benefiting their careers. It's important we don't confuse accountability with opportunism.

Calling out leadership failures is valid. But trying to rewrite personal underperformance or inaction as righteous outrage—after years of complicity—is not just unprofessional, it undermines the credibility of those with genuine grievances. If we want real change, it must come with integrity, not ego-salving vendettas disguised as moral high ground.

Let’s stay focused on rebuilding better—not just burning bridges behind us.

If only G-yatri was let go the same time as Vikram!!! Probably along with some of her questionable VPs!

What happened to the post about leaders engaging in questionable actions? I thought I saw it earlier but can’t find it now. G-yatri is gone—was she the root cause, or is there more beneath the surface? Vikram seemed to take the fall for something when he left—could this be a similar case? It’s also clear Athina has lost control over her leadership team, especially with the way they’re spending company resources

Wow, this post is really gaining traction. I’m curious whether it’s reached Athina and senior leadership - and if so, whether there’s been any reflection on the thoughtful comments shared by our colleagues here. Clearly there are some serious issues across S&T!

I’m not sure who specifically hired or recommended her for such a senior leadership role at PepsiCo, and therefore I’m not looking to assign blame. However, it’s important that those involved are held accountable for the decision and the apparent lack of thorough vetting. The financial cost over the years has been significant, DPA wasted PEP money!, and unfortunately, many talented, devoted individuals were pushed out due to her actions. The absence of integrity and demonstrated leadership competence has left a lasting negative impact — a clear example of the deeper issues currently facing PepsiCo. Athina should really address many of the concerns listed here by our colleagues!

If any company tries to fall for over-promising from G-yatri Narayan again let’s hope they do proper vetting next time and come across those valuable insights from so many PepsiCo colleagues! She might be gone ( soon) but hey poor legacy and damage inflicted will continue to be the pain for many of us! Fingers crossed that some of her VPs will be gone too!

Completely get rid of DPA, there is no clear vision, and it seems like the scope of the project gets wider and wider each day. Nobody truly knows what they are doing! On top of managing a group of stakeholders that also grows by the day. Gheyatri completely fcked this one up!

DPA was a blackhole for money under her watch. There were contractors collecting 500k a year working on ghost projects that could not be accounted for in AOP or any cost center.

There should be a proper independent audit on how G-yatri was hired, who and how she appointed into DPA leadership roles, and how DPA was ‘ spending’ money! Problem was not just G., some of her VPs outrageous with clearly not sufficient skills and experience to ‘lead.’ Hope a proper clean up of the rest of DPA leadership will follow shortly! Some names are already mentioned here in comments, rightly so!

Good riddance to the corrupt and incompetence. If Athina had some honor, she should resign. It is time for a complete reorg of S&T starting at the very top.

Good step forward, considering her poor legacy, how many good, competent colleagues she kicked out of the company, who really cared about their teams, Pepsico values, culture and getting job done! One can only wish that she left over a year ago in the previous re-org ( along with some of her VPs of very poor reputation across Pepsico ). Whats next?

Lot’s of valid points here in comments and clear indication PepsiCo has failed to react in the past to some unacceptable behaviours, practices and failed appointments into leadership roles across DPA. Now positive step that G is gone and likely some of her unfit VPs will follow. Change is needed! Let’s see what happens next?

She's the worst example, but S&T toxicity stems back to Athina herself, since the reorg last year the S&T/IT organisation itself is a festering sess pool of competing egos. Reorg has failed, lets call it as it is and wipe the slate clean on Athina and her directs.

Ajitha is likely next. She is G-yatri 2.0. Nearly every person on her team has complained to HR about her unhinged and toxic behavior and yet Yogesh rewarded her with a promotion.

I agree—there’s excessive spending in Dave’s organization, particularly by Harsha. Significant funds seem to circulate among his leadership team without any oversight. Jenny, Anna, and others appear to travel and entertain freely without accountability. There’s clearly a power struggle at play, and it’s time someone steps in to address it.

Vendors are paying these leaders in kind and it’s so obvious. Golf trip for Santosh. Prashant Arora different league, cruise ships for yogesh. Vacation s etc . Lots to name

Yet the org decided to give G-yatri another chance during last year reorg - probably because she is technically capable and that is the need of hour than amicable PepsiCo ways . Athina herself isn’t caring a dime about PepsiCo ways - Any readout with her someone will walk out crying or with anguish . Infact folks here now vilifying DPA today also decided to stay in the same org , enjoyed the perks and benefits , tolerated the bad behaviors for their growth and when the ship is sinking decided to move on (wise decision ) but look at your self as well and which flag you held over years. If you have so much value for PepsiCo values why not call it out in year 1 why wait till year 4 , No other org has delivered as much as DPA did regardless in terms of outcomes . The ways aren’t ideal but look back on who else amongst Dave Magesh have big achievements other than signing more contracts with deeper holes for PepsiCo in coming years and will be costing your jobs. Anyway time will tell whether this is a positive change for Pepsi or not - the one thing that matters is stock and DPA isn’t even remotely influencing that - Big shots everywhere making poor decisions . Look at the big picture folks - Go deeper on the issues not what you see at the surface ! You can only aim to achieve what GN achieved in her life as a minority women of color with no backing from whoever .

I can understand why emotions are running high, years of frustration and ignoring problems resulting from her, and her leadership conduct, poor planning, etc are all taking its toll here. Yes let’s be respectful here but let’s also call things what those are: how often G told other folks to shut up ( in a polite way) , how often she was disrespectful to other people and allowed that among her VPs? How often she and her leadership disregarded PepsiCo values: voice your opinions fearlessly, act with ownership, Focus and Get Things
Done, think long term, etc. I am aware of at least two Speak-Up investigations in relation to DPA leadership, and I’d be surprised if there were not more!
Years of 'sweeping problems under the rug' are the reason people are venting here. DPA has been a failed project, and its overall impact on Pepsico is more negative than positive! Does not mean there were no positives.
Let’s call things what they are, otherwise we loose a chance to turn things around and change PepsiCo for better! Change is needed!
Most people find her departure from PepsiCo as a step in positive direction, and are hoping some of her VPs will follow!

I know emotions are running high, and venting is totally understandable but let’s be careful not to cross into personal attacks or speculation.

Not everyone being mentioned here has a hidden agenda. A lot of people are just doing their jobs under pressure, often without full context or control over outcomes.

Careers and reputations can be unfairly damaged when we assume the worst or push narratives without facts. You never know who’s reading this or how it’s affecting them.

Let’s try to keep the discussion grounded and respectful. Constructive criticism is fair. Character as----------n isn’t. You could have started on the same team as some of the folks whose names are taken openly here. You can play for the wrong team and lose but that doesnt mean you are not a great sportsperson. Peace out folks and spend your weekends with loved ones !

Don’t forget the elephant in the room DSX . EDF and the big shots like engineering data and digital not being cautious on dollars . Look at DSX ripe with poor management with folks like Prashanth , Venky poring out dollars and vendors . Same with labs god knows what they are producing - Dave’s org has lot of hobby projects Jenny Oh and the whole org is a joke and unnecessary fat with Manish Harsha burning dollars on assessments PWC sure money exchanged hands here . HR looking at this should start up top with Athina and start cracking down with G-yatri Magesh and Dave . GBS is no exception we need 600 people to read reports duh come on

G-yatri exhibited and allowed for abusive behavior for far too long, and her conduct should have been properly investigated, even if HR missed proper vetting process when onboarding her. Good news she is finally gone. Bad news is that the damage she has inflicted on the organisation remains, including some of her incompetent VPs who so far remain in their role.

wow, all those comments here and reactions, are her (GN) greatest legacy and impact she has had on S&T and Pepsico! The departure at least two years too late!

Finally some reasonable news from Pepsico. Any intel what will happen with her DPA org next?

She is another prime example of undeserving people given promotions in DPA. DPA is fraught with such examples

If Athina really wants to turn things around at S&T, this year is her last chance to fire some of those incompetent non leaders pretending to be ‘leaders’ , including most of DPA leadership team!

It is high time to put either a stop on hiring Indians or cap a number. Just fed up with their abuse, racist, bigoted, and petty bs that has resulted in a total degradation of overall services, morale and one side opportunities for their own kind

Finally!

Great news!!!!!!!

Her last day is May 30th, PRAISE GOD!

when is she supposed to depart: Q3? or sooner?

Unlikely DPA will remain by the end of 2025. Some of her direct VP reports will be let go to! Including the infamous UX VP

if Athina is serious about her digital transformation delivering value to Pepsico and real change she may actually get rid of G-yatri and some of her VP leaders! Too much mess, chaos , incompetence, poor planning and canavying behaviour that is only conducive to failure and not progress! In the last two years too many good folks left DPA!

What is DPA?

no wonder, too often I heard her undermine Athina in closed meeting with her DPA leadership team!

not surprised, she was a failure appointment from the very beginning! Not located in any Pepsico hubs, disconnected from company culture, unfit to lead!

I heard that they are also trying to eliminate some other DPA leaders who are simply not a fit with Pepsico and have been unsuited for leadership roles from the very beginning. Some of G-yatri´s appointments had raised serious concerns in the past! But then what can you expect from someone who does not listen, ignores facts and simply plays to her own agenda

Is she taking some of her toxic DPA leadership team with her? Or will it take few more HR complaints before Pepsico get rid of them as well?