“Shift roles periodically and be persistent in approach”

MANISH BHARTI, PRESIDENT, INDIA AND SAARC, UiPATH

Manish Bharti

Q: What was the problem you were grappling with?

A: I started as a software developer fresh out of college in 1995. While I enjoyed being able to create solutions for complex problems, my interests diversified. I wanted to go beyond coding. So, there were questions about when to move, what to do, and whether it was the right move from a career standpoint.

Q: Who did you approach and why?

A: I have always been fortunate to have mentors and managers guide me. During that period, I reached out to my manager Pankaj Kathuria at my then employer Digital Domain. I shared my aspirations candidly. He acted as my bouncing board and helped me think with clarity in choosing the next steps in my career.

Q: What was the advice you received?

A: He had observed me during my tenure at Digital

Domain. He was also someone who understood the dynamics of the industry deeply. He advised me to consider two changes to further my growth — move to a customer-facing role to get an end-to-end view of business, and move to global assignments to broaden my exposure. The advice helped me get a new perspective. I moved from the role of a systems and software engineer to consulting and sales. I also moved to overseas territory.

Q: How effective was it in solving your problem?

A: I was still in my early 30s, and the shift was not easy. But I persisted. Soon, I was able to find my ground. I started managing large global projects sitting across the table with C-suite leaders of Fortune 100 clients, including Nestle, DHL, J&J, Cisco, and Cardinal Health. As I worked through them, I gained confidence, started seeing success and enjoyed the impact I was able to create in my role.