I grew up in a small town in India, where my fascination with technology began at the age of 12. It all started when my dad took me to an ATM for the first time. Watching money come out of a machine left me awestruck, and I was eager to understand how it all worked. My dad explained that it was all controlled by computers, which sparked my curiosity and set me on a path to learn more about the world of technology.
Determined to delve deeper, I pursued an undergraduate degree in Computer Science. My career began as a software engineer, and I worked my way up to becoming an Engineering Manager at India’s largest company by market capitalization – Reliance Jio. During this time, I realized that my passion for technology was matched by a keen interest in finance and making money.
This dual passion led me to the United States for my MBA, with an initial plan to join a technology-focused venture capital firm. However, a chance encounter with a Director of Product at eBay changed my course. He saw potential in me for a role they were hiring for, and I decided to give it a shot. I loved the team, got the job, and embarked on a new path in product management.
As I delved into product management, I developed a deep interest in payments. I was fascinated by how payments work and why companies like MasterCard and Visa are such robust businesses. My curiosity and passion for payments grew as I learned more about the industry.
A few years later, I received an offer from Google and joined their Payments Platform team. Think of us as a mini Stripe, but exclusively for Google. We handle payments across Ads, Cloud, and Workspace. Currently, I lead the Enterprise Risk team, tackling a optimization problem worth $700M.
Outside of my professional life, I run a small hedge fund, KatariaKapital, for friends and family. I also enjoy being an Airbnb host and practice Muay Thai to keep me in shape.
The Opinionated Investor™ blog is a space where I share my experiences, insights, and the knowledge I’ve gained over the years in technology, finance, and beyond. I hope you find my posts informative and inspiring.