Open to opportunities

Varun Ramakrishnan

@varunramakrishnan

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Experienced Head of Product & Design with a passion for customer-centric products and team leadershi

India

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What I'm looking for

Looking for a role that allows me to leverage my skills and experience to drive customer-centric products and teams, while providing opportunities for growth and learning.

As a seasoned product leader with over 15 years of experience in the B2B2C SaaS space, I have a proven track record of building and scaling high-performance teams and crafting user-centric products that balance performance and aesthetics. My expertise spans across product management, design thinking, customer experience, and employee experience. I am known for my empathetic leadership style, ability to coach and mentor teams, and passion for giving back to the community.

Currently, I am the Head of Product & Design at Keka, where I am responsible for building and scaling the product and design culture, coaching and managing a team of 60+ professionals, and charting a global expansion strategy. Prior to this, I have had stints at Vajro, Ally.io/Microsoft, and Lister Digital, where I have led product and design teams, built and scaled products, and driven customer success.

I am a lifelong learner, always on the lookout to learn, unlearn, and relearn. I thrive on the mantra of 'learn, unlearn, and relearn' and believe in giving back to the community through mentoring and coaching product and tech enthusiasts.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Head of Product & Design

Current

Keka

Jan 2023 - Present (2 years 5 months)

Leading product and design management at Keka, India's top HR-Tech platform. Responsible for building a high-performance culture and managing a team of over 60 professionals. Focused on global expansion and enhancing employee experience through AI-driven solutions.

Product Management Team Leadership Customer Experience Product Analytics Agile Methodologies Coaching

Head of Product & Design

Vajro

Apr 2022 - Jan 2023 (9 months)

Built and scaled the Product and Design teams at Vajro, implementing a product-led approach with clear mission and vision. Focused on crafting OKR-based roadmaps and fostering a fail-fast culture.

Product Development OKRs Customer Feedback Go To Market Strategy Data Driven Decision Making Agile Practices UX Research Product Launches Leadership

Leader, Product & Program Management

Ally - A Microsoft Company

Nov 2019 - Apr 2022 (2 years 5 months)

Transitioned to Microsoft as a Product Management leader post-acquisition. Oversaw product integration and managed a growing team, focusing on enhancing user engagement and retention.

Integration Customer Engagement User Experience Product Management Stakeholder Management Strategic Planning

Senior Manager - Products, Engineering & Solution Consulting

Lister Digital

Sep 2009 - Aug 2019 (9 years 11 months)

Incubated and scaled a CX analytics platform, leading a cross-functional team. Established partnerships with Fortune 500 companies and contributed to strategic business decisions.

CX Team Leadership Product Strategy Partnership Development Data Analysis Business Engineering Management Customer Success

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

SASTRA University

Bachelor of Technology, Electronics and Communication

2005 - 2009

Grade: First Class with Distinction

Activities and societies: Head of Culturals

Completed a Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communication with First Class with Distinction. Recognized as the Best Outgoing Student and served as Head of Culturals.