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Anurakta Mohanty – Platform Product Manager at A.P.MOLLER, MAERSK
I’m Anurakta Mohanty. I’ve spent over 11 years in IT. My career started as a software engineer, then moved through an MBA into a Business Analyst role, and now into Product Management. I’ve worked at Atlassian and today I’m a Platform Product Manager at A.P. Moller Maersk.
Outside work, I’m a certified coach and author of A Step Back to Run Faster and Father. I enjoy working with people, understanding users, and helping teams build better products. This post shares how I moved from business analysis into product leadership, and what helped me make the shift.
After my MBA I became a Business Analyst. I liked connecting with users and the tech team, gathering requirements, and shipping features. It was rewarding work, but I wanted to get closer to users and their problems.
I wanted to understand user problems directly and be part of building solutions. As a Business Analyst I participated in certain components, but I wanted to see the full cycle from problem discovery to delivery and impact. That quest led me toward Product Management. The change came naturally to me.
When I decided to pursue Product Management, I researched programs. My criteria were simple. I wanted:
I found all of this at the Institute of Product Leadership (IPL). Their Product Management program covered product-market fit, problem discovery, solution validation, Agile, and UI/UX design.
Applying Skills Through Practice The program focused on practice. One exercise was building a paper prototype for a travel app in a small team. These kinds of projects opened my thinking and helped me prepare for product interviews.
The IPL community was another big benefit. I connected with peers, mentors, and leaders who challenged me and kept me inspired. That network still supports my growth.
I now work as a Platform Product Manager at A.P. Moller Maersk. My earlier experience and the structured learning I invested in made this possible. This role lets me apply my passion for solving user problems and shaping products at scale.
My journey has shown me that stepping into Product Management is more like a marathon than a sprint. It really requires a lot of patience and determination. Some lessons I’d share:
“The global product management market, worth about USD 28 billion in 2023, is expected to reach nearly USD 49 billion by 2031, a sign of how quickly organizations are investing in product practices and leadership.”
The biggest lesson I learned is the need for clarity. Before making a transition, ask yourself what you really want. Programs and courses can help, but your own direction matters most.
My advice for anyone moving into product roles:
“According to ValuesPost, product management roles have grown by 25% annually over the past five years, and 70% of companies expect demand for product managers to increase in the next five years.”
Focus and consistent learning have been necessary to become a Platform Product Manager. Understanding people, identifying issues, and creating meaningful products are the goals of the work. Anyone who is driven to make the change can follow this road with perseverance and the correct assistance.
Anurakta Mohanty is a Platform Product Manager at A.P. Moller Maersk with over 11 years in IT. She has worked as a Software Engineer and Business Analyst, including at Atlassian, and holds an MBA. She is a certified coach and author of A Step Back to Run Faster and Father. Anurakta is passionate about team collaboration, solving user problems, and continuous learning.
