Rathi Murthy is CTO for Verizon Media. Recognized as a transformative technology executive, Rathi oversees Verizon Media’s global technology strategy, leading the company’s continued innovations in 5G while also managing the platform technology and infrastructure. Previously, Rathi was Senior Vice President and CTO for Gap, Inc. Rathi has held senior technology leadership roles at some of the world’s best technology companies including American Express, eBay, Inc., Yahoo, Sun Microsystems and WebMD. She is from 1988 Electrical Engineering batch.
Team Sampada: We’d like to hear a quick introduction from you.
Rathi Murthy: After graduating from UVCE, I got married and came to the US to complete my Masters in Computer Engineering, in Santa Clara University. I started my career at Informix as a Software Engineer. During that time, I was influenced by several women leaders who showed me the path to lead teams effectively and gave me several opportunities to actually lead large projects early in my career. This paved the path for my passion of leading large and complex organizations and driving transformation. I pivoted into leadership roles pretty early in my career.
I have dabbled at both large companies and startups such as WebMD and Metreo Inc, where I was one of the first Tech leaders in the company. These experiences helped broaden my expertise across all aspects of technology including Engineering, Architecture, Network, Data Center Operations and Customer Service. I also learned how to run technology end to end, drive design thinking and innovation as part of the engineering culture.
Over the course of my career I have been very fortunate to have strong mentors, and sponsors who always taught me to dream big, demonstrated confidence in my capabilities and gave me the opportunities to try my hand at new things.
TS: You have been in this field for over a few decades now. Would you elaborate on that?
RM: Over the last 20 years, I have been fortunate enough to work at some large brand name companies. I have built a passion to lead and drive large scale transformation across People, Process, Tools and Technology. This has enabled me to build a brand for myself as a Digital transformation leader.
I have led technology and operations across several industries including Healthcare, eCommerce, FinTech, Retail and Media. This has allowed me to truly drive Business Transformation across several verticals by leveraging technology. My mantra in driving transformation has mostly been helping companies get Faster, Smarter, Better while staying Secure. Prior to Gap, I was the CIO for Enterprise Growth at American Express, where I managed end-to-end platform technology, infrastructure and operations for the suite of American Express prepaid products. While at American Express, I was named Top Woman in Cloud Innovation in 2014, and Most Influential Women in Payments in 2015.
Currently, as the CTO for Verizon Media, I am recognized as a transformative technology executive, and I oversee Verizon Media’s global technology strategy, leading the company’s continued innovations in 5G while also managing the platform technology and infrastructure.
TS: How has UVCE played a role in your career? How has it shaped your professional life?
RM: UVCE provided us with a broad engineering foundation that I could build on. It taught me to be resourceful and build confidence in myself. There were times when we didn’t have professors show up to all our classes. This really made us all more resilient to adapting to situations. We all helped each other come up to speed with the basics and supported each other. This is a skill that has truly built the teamwork spirit that I continue to cherish. I also found some of my best friends for life at UVCE. These friends have continued to motivate me and inspire me to be my best self at work.
TS: How are things in your field in the current scenario? What is the next big thing as per your knowledge in this domain?
RM: Our parent company Verizon is building the best-in-class 5G network, and 5G will have a massive impact on how we live, learn, work and play. 5G will usher in the fourth industrial revolution, paving the way for unprecedented innovations that will reshape the world. Autonomous cars, smart communities, the industrial Internet of Things (IoT), immersive education will all rely on 5G, and in terms of media, consumers can look forward to better, more immersive experiences.
Fueled by 5G, Verizon Media Immersive and our production house RYOT is powered by a team of content creators, producers and engineers. That is a unique combination and one we believe will be key to building and transforming future experiences for consumers.
At Verizon Media, 5G lets us animate experiences in real-time. The technology allows us to render actors’ body movements, experiment with new XR formats, and integrate interactive backdrops for a more immersive entertainment environment, changing the way consumers can engage with their favorite artist, sports team and the issues that matter to them.
TS: What advice do you have for students or young alumni who want to grow in this field?
RM: The field of technology is constantly changing and evolving. Keeping a growth mindset with a zest to learn is key. Never become stagnant. Always look at new opportunities that continue to challenge you and push you to learn new skills. Dream Big and let your passion lead the way!
Here is an interview of Rathi Murthy Ma’am by UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering for their lecture series. The video touches upon many aspects of her journey and is very inspiring. Click here for the LINK.
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