Makkar had joined Microsoft as its CMO in 2013 and in December 2016, she became the head of marketing at HMD Global India. She started her career in 1992 at JWT an advertising agency now known as Wunderman Thomson. In 1998, Makkar moved on to cola giant PepsiCo where she led beverages and snacks brands: Pepsi, 7 Up, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, Nimbooz, Kurkure, Lehar and Uncle Chips. After completing a 10-year-stint, she moved on from PepsiCo as executive vice president.