BAVAN SARVENDRAM
Senior Vice President/General Manager, Walmart U.S. Customer Team, PepsiCo
Bavan Sarvendram was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, but spent most of his early childhood in Zambia. Educated at an international school, he grew up with a host of friends from all over the world. When Bavan was 14, he and his family moved to Boston, which was the first time he ever saw snow. He went to college in Chicago and lived there for many years working in consulting. Bavan then started working for PepsiCo in New York, where he met his wife Elaine. They have two twin boys, Neelan and Kalyan. In 2019, they moved to the Plano, Texas, area and then moved to Northwest Arkansas in 2022. Bavan loves the nature in the area, especially the trails and lakes in Bella Vista.
Education:
B.A. Public Policy, University of Chicago
M.B.A. University of Georgia
Have you stayed on a straight path to your career goal?
Even though I have had a 22+ year career with PepsiCo, it has been in several different functions. I have worked in insights, strategy, finance, ecommerce and now core sales, so while I have been with one company for two decades, it hasn’t been a traditional career path by any means … I have always loved learning and new challenges – the different stops have provided me those.
Best part of your job:
Working with great people, great brands and the world’s biggest retailer – it’s a pretty cool trifecta.
If you won the lottery, what cause/organization would you support?
Causes that support kids, especially kids who haven’t been given a fair shake in life. It is so hard to overcome a disadvantaged childhood, so giving all kids a fair shot is very important to me and my family.
Personal Mantra:
“Drive don’t ride.”
Best advice you’ve ever received:
No one says, “I should have spent more time at the office,” when reflecting on their life – ensure you prioritize your family and friends. A senior mentor told me this when I was young and spending all my time at work, and he said it won’t make sense now but remember this and prioritize it when it makes sense. As my kids grow up and my wife and I get older, the quote makes more and more sense now.
Do you still seek out mentors or mentees?
Yes, but now I actively seek out reverse mentors – folks earlier in their career who can help me understand technology, social media trends and more – given how fast things move, I need all the help I can get.
Most used app on your phone:
Waze, Spotify and New York Times Games – I love Spelling Bee.
What’s the best trait you got from your parents?
Curiosity and love of learning