GM, Sales Director New Business, PepsiCo
Chokshi, a 2017 Minority Business Leader honoree by the Dallas Business Journal, credits his business success to both hunger and curiosity, two things he has continued to hone at PepsiCo during the past 15 years. His PepsiCo journey has spanned roles in supply chain, strategy, mobility, insights and innovation and now has him leading new business development. It also has resulted in seven Chairman’s Awards. Chokshi credits these experiences, along with his time spent at the Naveen Jindal School of Management, with helping him discover his passion and purpose, which is to give back and help others succeed. His recent DBJ award is a testament to that spirit.
Tell us the highlights of your professional career. What are your proudest achievements?
At PepsiCo, I had the opportunity to build a team from scratch, grow a business to $200M+, receive two U.S. patents and earn external awards for PepsiCo’s PepsiCo Asia Network. My night and weekend passion for giving back via PepsiCo Asia Network helped me grow personally and professionally and prepared me for my current role collaborating with the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA). Working with the field sales teams has led to a 3 percent increase in market share and sales via multiple go-to market channels, including e-commerce.
What brought you to UT Dallas?
The outstanding faculty! I came to the U.S. in 1999 with an undergraduate degree in computer engineering. My brother was in California at the time and I expected I would eventually end up in Silicon Valley. This is why I wanted to explore a graduate school somewhere else. I took note of the faculty members at UT Dallas and the research. The continued growth of the school and improved rankings means I made the right choice.
What is your favorite UT Dallas memory?
There are many memorable moments. I recall watching the World Cup at midnight with professors, organizing cricket matches for them on the weekends and attending my first ice hockey game with Dr. David Springate.
Who was your favorite professor and/or what was your favorite class and why?
Hard to name favorite professors as I have very fond memories with Dr. B.P.S Murthi, Dr. Diane McNulty, Dr. Milind Dawande, Dr. Vijay Mookerjee, Dr. Radha Mookerjee, Dr. Syam Menon and many more.The soft skills I learned at UT Dallas, especially those that resulted from interaction with professors outside of the classroom, were incredibly important. Dr. John McCracken taught me the importance of “taking a risk in others.” Dr. Springate taught me to never lose my cool as he was always calm and collected. The relationship building skills I learned from my professors, who are now friends, helped me hone my skills of collaborating and influencing to get things done.
What advice do you have for students hoping to succeed in the business world?
iCARE: Initiative, Curiosity, Awareness, Respect, Enthusiasm. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Build relationships, not contacts. Be a lifelong student.
What makes an effective leader?
An effective leader needs that hunger to learn new things. A leader is also continuously looking for ways to improve. You must have patience, passion and persistence. And never forget to remain humble.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Doing good and creating memorable moments with my wife, Avani, who is an entrepreneur, and two boys – 10-year-old Dhruv and 8-year-old Krish. At the end of the day, I believe it is more about making sure my boys are good, contributing members of society and are happy!
