At e27, we have kickstarted a new articles series called work-life balance to learn more about tech enablers and executives and their lives beyond working hours.

Surbhi Agarwal is a seasoned technology leader with over 20 years of experience in startups and large enterprises such as McAfee, Intel and Google. At Google, she managed over US$1B of Cloud Data and AI product portfolio.

She currently heads the marketing division of Yellow.ai. She has built a high-performing global organisation to lead all critical go-to-market functions, such as product marketing, demand generation, content strategy, revenue operations, brand, SEO, website, AR, and PR.

Agarwal has an MBA from UC Berkeley and is an Electrical Engineer who has been recognised in the Women in Tech and Women in AI communities for the business impact made in the technology field. She is a DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) Advocate and a sponsor of the Girls Who Code programme. 

She has been regularly contributing article for e27 (you can read her thought leadership articles here). 

In this candid interview, Agarwal talks about her personal and professional life.

How would you explain what you do to a five-year-old?

We want to save time and make the world a smarter place! Hence, we make computers as smart as people to help us with everything, from online shopping, finding our lost toy package, returning something we didn’t like, to even scheduling doctor appointments!

What has been the biggest highlight/challenge of your career so far?

I was fortunate enough to see the birth of AI ten years ago when it was still so nascent. I became fascinated by how it could be used as a catalyst to enable high-growth systems in all industries.

I developed a deep passion for it and created a new category by building a new Deep Learning Accelerator that scaled high-performance computing workloads by 150x. At Google Cloud, I enabled the full power of AI by laying the data foundation and owned the product portfolio of Data and AI, where I led the launch of Cloud TPUs and AutoML.

Also Read: ‘Don’t chase titles; chase curiosity and let it lead you’: Bernadette Cho of Entrepreneur First

With this, I embarked on an AI mission to help businesses solve real-world problems more efficiently and faster. At Yellow.ai, I continue on my AI path with Conversational AI to help enterprises, their customers and employees deliver actionable outcomes daily in every conversation.

How do you envision the next five years of your career?

I believe that building teams that make great products, which in turn make high-growth companies is the future that every leader should invest in. 

Over the next five years, I want to empower this journey by driving organisational efficiency by building high-performing teams across multiple functions which bring forward diverse perspectives and solve business challenges.

What’s something about you or your job that would surprise us?

I have lived and worked on four out of seven continents early in my career, which brought me immense exposure to global cultures.

At 23, I had to live in a small town in Taiwan for six months for a work assignment. As a vegetarian and non-language speaker with no acquaintances was quite hard. It pushed me out of my comfort zone every day and made me adaptable as I had to adjust, learn and integrate into a new culture.

I accepted eating only plain white rice for lunch every workday with my clients. I accepted getting haircuts from someone who couldn’t understand what I was looking for. I accepted talking to local Taiwanese children who wanted to hear a few sentences in English. I accepted the changes around me, and the changes accepted me.

These early experiences have shaped me into a person who takes on new challenges, respects others’ perspectives, and leaps forward with change.

At Intel, I have led corporate retention programmes to build diverse teams. At Google, I led the “I am remarkable” programme to make every voice be heard, and every perspective valued.

What are some of your favourite work tools?

Google Workspace. I cannot imagine my life without it! My organisation spans multiple time zones and operates with a flexible-hybrid model. 

Google Workspace keeps me connected with everything big and small happening every minute of the day. From collaborating with my team and connecting with my customers to keeping my schedule on track and ensuring focus time, Google Ecosystem is a core part of my every day!

Also Read: Failure makes you wiser in your next attempt: Endowus CPO Vinod Raman

Do you prefer WFH or WFO, or hybrid?

Flexible hybrid because it brings the best of both the digital and physical worlds. But flexibility adds another layer of empathy. I like collaborating with my team as much as possible, and the hybrid experience allows that. At the same time, I believe in and support every team member’s flexible choice.

What would you tell your younger self?

Not every aspect of life can be planned to the last iota because life happens when we are busy planning! And the future belongs to those who are passionate about dreaming and believe in their dreams. So dream loud, dream big and dream now!

Can you describe yourself in three words?

Charismatic, visionary, and empathetic.

What are you most likely to be doing if not working?

Listening to relaxing music while lying in my hammock under the redwood trees.

What are you currently reading/listening to/ watching?

I enjoy reading books about astronauts and planets to my four-year-old!

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