The Career Edge

The Unwritten Rules of Success

Real Leadership Lessons from a Global Business Leader at PepsiCo India

The Career EdgeA Summary

Drawing from a rich, three-decade-long global career, this book is a practical, no-nonsense guide to building a sustainable and fulfilling professional journey. Through relatable stories and hard-earned wisdom, the author demystifies the complexities of corporate life, offering insights across three pivotal areas of self-development, collaboration and building resilience to deliver results. Whether you’re a beginner finding your footing or a seasoned executive looking to sharpen your edge, The Career Edge is a treasure trove of actionable lessons. This isn’t another dry management textbook―it’s a practitioner’s guide, brimming with real-world anecdotes and transformative takeaways to help you conquer challenges and thrive at every stage of your career.

Read on

Kaushik MitraVice President & CFO, PepsiCo India & South Asia

Kaushik Mitra is the Vice President & CFO at PepsiCo India. With over 30 years of experience, he was in multiple roles across several industries and companies such as RPG group, Tata group, GE, Reckitt Benckiser, and PepsiCo.

At PepsiCo, Kaushik is responsible for overseeing financials for PepsiCo’s Foods, Beverages and Nutrition business in India and South Asia. He has been associated with PepsiCo for past 24 years and donning many hats since then. He was actively involved across PepsiCo’s foods and beverages operating businesses in India, Planning and Strategy in Asia-Middle East-Africa sector based in Dubai.

Adding on to his roles and responsibilities, he has also served as CFO at Suntory PepsiCo JV, Vietnam and Vice President & CFO at PepsiCo Asia Pacific Region, based in Hongkong.

Over the past thirty years, Kaushik has lived and worked in Kolkata, Delhi, Gurgaon, Chennai, Dubai, Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong.

Kaushik has been a strong supporter of the D&I agenda in PepsiCo increasing women representation in his roles in South East Asia and now in the India Finance Leadership team and as a speaker on the Break Ceiling touch the sky forum.

Kaushik is an active contributor to the industry and has been authoring articles in IMA CFO Connect magazine. Besides that, he is a regular speaker at Economist events in Singapore. Currently he speaks at Universities, Management and Technology institutes on leadership lessons from the Corporate world.

In addition, he has also authored two fiction novels under the “Crossing over” trilogy and a business self-help book The Career Edge all published by Penguin.

Kaushik is an alumni of St. Xavier’s Kolkata, an MBA in Finance from the Indian Institute of Management Kolkata and a qualified Chartered Accountant from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Kaushik is a keen musician with his own YouTube channel and enjoys travel, reading and writing. Kaushik lives in Gurugram with his wife Reetika and they have a twenty four year old son Arjun.

Read on

Reader's Viewssome reviews from the readers

From the Oxygen Chamber to the Career Edge (Oxygen Book)”

This book is a rare gem. I’ve been fortunate to experience some of Kaushik Mitra’s insights firsthand at the workplace — and seeing them captured so thoughtfully in this book feels like having a mentor in print. We call his office cabin as "Oxygen Chamber" where ideas and energy are instantly revived.The blend of personal stories and practical lessons around self-development, collaboration, and resilience makes it deeply relevant — whether you’re early in your career or looking to rediscover your edge as a leader.This isn’t just another “career advice” book — it’s a mirror that helps you reflect on your own journey and habits. A must-read for anyone serious about building not just a successful, but a meaningful career.
Abhishek

Inspiring read.

A mix of personal and practical approaches of building your career from scratch. The most important thing about this book is that it's not only preaches but explains through real succes stories and it gives a complete new perspective about do's and don't of career building. The book revolves around three main themes: self-development, collaboration, and resilience. It explains ghat advancing one's career isn’t solely about technical skills or expertise, it’s also about being adaptable, emotionally intelligent, and capable of fostering relationships that yield results. The stories are sharp and relatable, reflecting both successes and setbacks with sincerity. The narrative resonates with readers at any career stage, whether you’re a newcomer just starting out or a seasoned manager looking to reinvent yourself.A must read.
Sneha Prakash

Practical guide book

This is a practical guide book suitable for professionals who want to advance in their careers.The author shares lessons learned from his long corporate journey, focusing on three key areas – building yourself, working together with people, and staying flexible.This book is filled with real experiences and offers clear advice for dealing with workplace challenges.This book is primarily useful for early and mid-career professionals who want to understand the "unwritten rules" of success.The author offers some suggestions that may sound familiar, along with examples and insights that make it relevant and practical.Overall, this is an easy-to-read book and perfect for professionals working in corporate or large organizations.
Aastha Goel @rainbow_salt_reads