Indra Nooyi has joined Amazon as director. She has been granted 549 shares of common stock, which will vest in three equal annual installments beginning on May 15, 2020. She is the second woman to be named to the e-commerce giant’s board this month. Earlier this month, the company named Starbucks’ chief operating officer Rosalind Brewer as director, the second black woman to serve on its board.
Indra Nooyi comes to Amazon from Pepsi. Nooyi, who will be part of the audit committee of Amazon's board, stepped down as the CEO of Pepsi in October 2018 and as the chairman of the beverage-and-snack maker earlier this year. Amazon’s 11-member board now has five women including Nooyi, Brewer, Jamie Gorelick, Judith McGrath and Patricia Stonesifer.
Amazon has a new policy of increasing diversity on its board. Last year, facing an employee backlash and public criticism from black and Hispanic members of Congress, Amazon adopted a new policy to consider a slate of diverse candidates, including women and minorities, for future openings on its board. The company said at the time that it was merely formalizing its existing practice.
Corporations are increasingly being called upon to increase board diversity.
