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Ananya Prasad Joshi –Product Manager at AI Centre of Excellence in Jio Platform
The defining moment in my career was in the early part of my time at GE. I participated in a CEO Challenge, where we could submit our product ideas. “Submitting my own product idea and seeing it well-received, appreciated, and selected for the next level ignited a curiosity that forever changed my professional path.“ A moment like this, along with a discussion I had with my husband, made me realize truly what product management was all about.
The world of product management is unlike anything that I have ever experienced. I have worked in the technology field for more than 15 years, and I can tell you that it is ever-advancing and changing. This tale of mine is precisely about adopting frameworks and then working in a field for the better. This is a trek I would like to take you on, my advancement from ‘Agile Delivery Manager’ to ‘Deputy General Manager’, mastering product management along the way.
“I share the reasons behind my career choices and advice for aspiring product leaders.”
Before fully embracing product management, the rest of my career at GE was confined to the technology industry. The CEO Challenge revealed my ambition to innovate, even if it wasn’t formal product management. Like many in technology, my role was at the centre of projects. However, I felt I was being pulled to a more strategic, user-focused, and market-orientated approach to development. The word ‘challenge’ was not a “struggle” but a recognition of the fact that I was passionate about innovative products.
A major part of the reason for my transition was the progress my product idea was attaining at GE. My husband brought to my attention that product management was an emerging field. He explained how the field was new and attracting interest, which stood out to me. I wanted more than just product development and wanted to be a part of the defining and delivering line of the product. This wish to impact strategy and the product lifecycle drove the change for me.
“To formally transition into product management, I sought a program that offered both academic rigour and practical relevance.” A colleague of my husband, a trusted friend of Pinkesh, recommended a specific program. Recommendations from one’s close circle weighed heavily in one’s decision. Having said that, the curriculum of the program was just too perfect. The Product Management program was flexible so that I could pursue it while working and, importantly, it projected an image of product management from the practitioner’s point of view, not from the purely academic one. This mixture of practical insight with flexible learning represented precisely what I needed to shift gears.
The best part about the product management course was that it focused on domain-agnostic skills that can be used in any field. It gave me a “template” for product management that I could use for any product or sector. My career has benefited greatly from this. Over the past four years, while at Reliance, I’ve had the opportunity to apply these learnings across a wide array of domains: initially in hydrocarbons and petrochemicals, then healthcare, briefly touching upon retail and e-commerce, and most recently, in the telecom industry. This adaptability, enabled by the course, has allowed me to appreciate its value even more.
Apart from academics, the product management program supported the existence of a highly active alumni network. Being part of this community and staying connected with peers and mentors enriched my journey and reinforced the program’s credibility.
“Today, I am a Deputy General Manager at the AI Centre of Excellence within Jio Platforms, responsible for product and project management aspects.” This job arose out of my endeavour to resume product management skill upgrades and apply product management across different challenges. The learnings of the course have further enabled me to cherish this learning for the past four years, having worked and contributed to various industry companies within Reliance. The knowledge of understanding the user needs, including the technical aspects and business requirements, has been the backbone of my career development.
The greatest distinction I have learned is that of product management being a domain-agnostic framework. Applying the same framework across products and industries make you versatile and employable. This practitioner’s perspective, emanating from my program, continuously keeps me grounded in real-world application.
My advice, especially to women who may be considering this profession: women are naturally endowed with product management skills. We know how to prioritize work, multitask, and handle daily emergencies. We hold the “gel” that binds family and work together, which is a trait that product managers carry in binding up the technical aspects of a product to the user, understanding frequency from the user’s perspective, and also business demands. If you are passionate about exploring a product deeply, eager to figure out what the user really wants, and then technically journeying through building a product, your career choice has never been so boldly ushered in for you. Nothing is stopping you! “The demand for skilled product managers is projected to grow by 10% over the next decade.”
My pathway from identifying a passion during a GE challenge to becoming a Deputy General Manager at Jio Platforms is a testimony of how structured learning, along with repeated application, has a life-changing effect. Product management is not merely a job; it is a thought process enabling an individual to effect change through innovation and to develop awareness of end users’ needs. Should one have the passion and the burning desire, the tools and opportunities are available for you to construct a truly rewarding career.
Ananya Prasad Joshi is currently working as the Deputy General Manager at the AI Centre of Excellence in Jio Platforms, where she heads product and project management. With an experience of over 15 years in the technology industry, including contributions across hydrocarbons, healthcare, retail, e-commerce, and telecom, Ananya is an authority in driving high-impact solutions by imparting domain-agnostic product management strategies. Her career shows the importance of continuous learning in attaining leadership roles.
