PepsiCo Asia Pacific CEO Says Curiosity Ranks Above Experience When Hiring Junior Staff

Anne Tse, CEO of Asia Pacific Foods at PepsiCo, said the company places curiosity above other traits when assessing junior workers. Business Insider reported that Tse, who oversees operations across Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, and Greater China, views prior experience as less relevant than the capacity to adapt quickly.

She said consulting backgrounds often indicate curiosity because those roles emphasize aptitude over accumulated experience.

"It's all about the aptitude, the speed, the agility to learn," Tse told Business Insider. Tse added that staff must learn, unlearn, and relearn as technology advances and consumer demands shift. "When people are curious, they want to learn.

When they're curious, they also are willing to unlearn," she said. Tse, who previously served as an associate partner at McKinsey, noted that a mentor advised employees to take ownership in defining their roles. PepsiCo owns brands including Poppi and Lay's.