I am not sure if there is any connection with these two things but I just realized some oddly interesting facts -
The largest beverage maker is run by a man of Muslim faith - Muhtar Kent with a Turkish heritage is COKE CEO while the second largest company Pepsi is run by a Hindu -Indra Nooyi who is of Indian heritage.
Both run soda companies that make products which appeal to global tastes but both companies are American.
Changes like that are happening in many big American corporations with the appointment of another Indian born chief to head the operations of Citigroup worldwide. Mastercard too happens to be run by a Sikh of Indian origin.
Then there is talk of the venerable institution called Berkshire Hathaway which might find a new leader who happens to be a Jain from India. One of his cousins it appears already runs a large German bank.
I think what this trend underlines is that hard work and a bunch of lucky accidents do pay off big regardless of religion, faith, alignments, age and gender.
I attempted to read this book by author Chuck Klosterman backward to forward but it started hurting my brain so I decided to stop and do it like any other publication in the English language. Start from page 1 and move to the right. Witty, caustic and thought provoking this is a book you want to read if you believe that the status quo might, just might be wrong. At times bordering on being contrarian about most things around us it tries to zero in on the notion of what makes anything believable and certain in our minds. The fact that there is a fact itself is ironic. Something analogous to the idea that you can never predict the future because there is no future. Many books and movies have tried to play on this concept - best that I recollect (I think I am) was 'The Truman Show'. This book by Klosterman attempts to provoke the reader to at least contemplate that what they think they know may be wrong. He uses examples like concept of gravity, and how it ...
By a coincidence, Muhtar's name came up in a meeting with Coke's VP at IMT Ghaziabad last week, because I think he is visiting India soon. I have been off soft drinks for a while now, but I think Americans may have severe withdrawal symptoms if they do that! Just my guess.
ReplyDeleteBeing off soft drinks is not a hard choice given the availability of hard drinks that are soft on the budget stateside..I have stuck to the potent stuff with an occasional beer thrown in to mix things up
ReplyDelete