Pankaj Garg, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, joins Mala Ramakrishnan for a deep, candid conversation on how Azure was built, how infrastructure innovation really happens at scale, and why AI represents the biggest platform shift of our lifetime.

From writing kernel code and building Hyper-V to helping grow Azure from an early internal project into a global cloud platform, Pankaj shares firsthand lessons on execution speed, enterprise go-to-market advantage, and where startups still have room to innovate alongside hyperscalers.

The episode also explores how AI workloads are reshaping cloud networking, security, and developer productivity—plus what founders should focus on when building in an era of hyper-productivity.

A must-watch for founders, infrastructure builders, and leaders navigating cloud, AI, and platform-scale systems.

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Timestamps

00:00 Intro and Pankaj Garg’s background
01:40 Building Hyper-V and low-level systems
03:10 The early days of Azure (Project Red Dog)
04:40 Competing with AWS in the early cloud era
06:10 Why enterprise trust gave Azure an edge
07:30 Azure’s startup-like speed and execution
09:00 From hands-on engineer to leader
12:10 Where innovation still exists: cost and efficiency
13:40 Security and multi-cloud opportunities
15:00 Azure’s platform-first strategy
18:00 AI as a once-in-a-generation platform shift
21:10 Developer productivity in the AI era
22:30 Advice for founders: ideas, speed, and focus
23:50 Final inspiration and closing thoughts

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🔗 Connect with Pankaj Garg → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ipankajg/

🔗 Connect with Mala Ramakrishnan → https://www.linkedin.com/in/malaramakrishnan

🎧 Subscribe to the podcast

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnL3D6aI60R-cCvypFIkh4A

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Visit our Website: www.malaramakrishnan.com | www.founderscreative.ai

Shanti Iyer, CIO of DocuSign, joins Mala Ramakrishnan to share a candid, inside look at how large enterprises adopt AI with discipline, responsibility, and real business impact.

From growing up in Chennai to spending two decades at Cisco and now leading technology at DocuSign, Shanti explains why great CIOs think business first, technology second.

She breaks down how DocuSign approaches AI adoption, tool sprawl, governance, developer productivity, and responsible AI—without slowing the company down.

This episode goes deep into how enterprises actually deploy AI in production: from rolling out “birthright” AI tools, to building agent-based systems with humans in the loop, to securing budget, managing risk, and earning trust across the organization.

A must-watch for CIOs, CTOs, founders, and operators building AI inside complex, regulated environments.

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Timestamps

00:00 Intro and Shanti Iyer’s background

01:30 Growing up in Chennai and early independence

03:00 Early career, consulting, and joining Cisco

04:40 Finding advocates and asking for bigger roles

06:20 Learning business-first leadership at Cisco

08:00 Running data and gaining a 360° company view

10:00 Cloud, Snowflake, and modern data stacks

12:30 Moving from Cisco to DocuSign

14:00 The CIO challenge: AI tool sprawl

15:40 “Birthright” AI tools for every employee

17:30 Design discovery workshops and prioritization

19:00 Building agent-based AI with humans in the loop

21:00 Measuring AI impact and securing budget

23:00 Developer tools, code quality, and IP risk

25:00 Governance, AI education, and guardrails

27:00 Advice for founders selling to enterprises

29:00 Final lessons on responsible AI and leadership

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🔗 Connect with Shanthi Iyer → https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanthiiyer/

🔗 Connect with Mala Ramakrishnan → https://www.linkedin.com/in/malaramakrishnan

🎧 Subscribe to the podcast

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnL3D6aI60R-cCvypFIkh4A

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Visit our Website: www.malaramakrishnan.com | www.founderscreative.ai

Allen Taylor, Managing Director at Endeavor, joins Mala Ramakrishnan to unpack how Endeavor has spent nearly three decades building high-impact entrepreneurs across emerging and underserved markets.

From Latin America to Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, Allen explains why talent is evenly distributed but access to networks, capital, and trust is not. He shares how Endeavor identifies the top 1% of scale-up founders, why peer networks matter more than mentors, and how long-term thinking creates compounding impact in entrepreneurship.

The conversation also dives into Endeavor Catalyst, its global venture fund, what makes great founders stand out, and why economic empowerment through entrepreneurship can change entire regions over time.

A thoughtful episode for founders, investors, and leaders interested in global entrepreneurship, venture capital, and building long-term impact beyond Silicon Valley.

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Timestamps

00:00 Intro and Allen Taylor’s journey
01:10 Why Endeavor was founded
03:20 Building a global network of trust
04:30 How Endeavor expanded beyond Latin America
05:40 Startups vs scale-ups: Endeavor’s focus
06:50 The International Selection Panel and the top 1%
08:00 Why peer networks matter more than mentors
09:10 From nonprofit to venture fund: Endeavor Catalyst
10:20 How Endeavor funds and LPs work globally
11:30 Patterns in emerging market entrepreneurship

13:50 What makes great founders stand out
15:00 Resilience as the defining founder trait
16:10 Investing through volatility and instability
17:30 Long-term thinking and compounding impact
18:50 Entrepreneurship as economic empowerment
21:30 Luck, skill, and betting on the long term
24:00 Final advice on playing the long game

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🔗 Connect with Allen Taylor → https://www.linkedin.com/in/aktaylor/🔗 Connect with Mala Ramakrishnan → https://www.linkedin.com/in/malaramakrishnan🎧 Subscribe to the podcastYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnL3D6aI60R-cCvypFIkh4ASpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NIDE4cT5fuVjC3HaGbCDK?si=eoSTNmhqQNKHQl9d1Jx0UQApple Podcast: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/show/talking-to-the-leaders-of-ai-the-ceo-series-with-mala/22ad2bae-502b-4eb1-aa74-53bc79754db7Visit our Website: www.malaramakrishnan.com | www.founderscreative.ai

Aysha Khan, CIO and CISO of Treasure Data, joins Mala Ramakrishnan to share a deeply practical view on leadership, cybersecurity, and using AI as a business accelerator—not a distraction.

From growing up across Pakistan, Canada, and the US to leading global security and technology transformations at Oracle, Symantec, and major financial institutions, Aysha explains why exposure builds resilience, why security must be a business enabler, and how AI amplifies either strategy or chaos.

This episode breaks down how modern CIOs and CISOs align with go-to-market teams, unlock new revenue through trust, and build simple, secure systems that scale. A must-watch for enterprise leaders navigating AI, risk, and growth at the same time.

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Timestamps

00:00 Intro and Aysha Khan’s global journey

01:00 Growing up across cultures and building resilience

02:10 Why exposure shapes leadership early

03:20 Curiosity, questions, and career growth

04:30 Emotional mastery and the inner journey

05:40 Choosing engineering to create impact

06:50 Learning from great and difficult managers

08:00 Early cybersecurity and online banking

09:10 Cloud transformation and compliance shifts

10:20 Security vs compliance: why they’re not the same

11:30 AI as an amplifier of strategy or chaos

12:40 Aligning security with go-to-market teams

14:10 Security as a revenue and trust enabler

15:40 Simplifying compliance to unlock new markets

17:20 Leading without titles and focusing on value

18:50 Secure innovation and the “simple and secure” framework

20:30 Measuring AI value: revenue, trust, efficiency, cost

22:00 Risk management committees and decision-making

23:40 Trust, empathy, and collaborative leadership

24:50 Books, mentors, and final advice

25:40 Courage as a muscle and closing thoughts

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🔗 Connect with Aysha Khan → https://www.linkedin.com/in/aysha-khan-77ba9014/

🔗 Connect with Mala Ramakrishnan → https://www.linkedin.com/in/malaramakrishnan

🎧 Subscribe to the podcast

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnL3D6aI60R-cCvypFIkh4A

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Visit our Website: www.malaramakrishnan.com | www.founderscreative.ai

Rohit Jain, CIO and Chief AI Officer, challenges one of the most common fears about AI. That it will eliminate jobs.In this clip, Rohit explains why history tells a different story. From the Industrial Revolution to the digital era, roles evolve but responsibility remains. AI doesn’t erase human work. It reshapes how work gets done and where humans add the most value.His message to leaders is clear.Stop framing AI as job destruction.Start framing it as job transformation. _____________________________________________________________About Rohit JainRohit Jain is a technology executive with 20+ years of experience leading enterprise IT, data, and AI transformations across growth-stage and scaled organizations. He partners closely with CEOs, Boards, and executive teams to ensure technology drives business growth, operational efficiency, and organizational resilience.Rohit has built and led global IT organizations spanning enterprise applications, cloud infrastructure, data platforms, and cybersecurity, managing multi-million-dollar budgets and mission-critical systems in complex, regulated environments.In recent years, his work has focused on moving AI from experimentation to production. He helps organizations establish strong data foundations, governance models, and operating frameworks that enable responsible, scalable AI adoption integrated into core business workflows.Beyond his executive roles, Rohit is an active investor, advisor, and board member supporting startups across North America, Asia-Pacific, India, Estonia, and South Africa. He is also a frequent speaker at institutions including Harvard Business School and the United Nations. 🔗 Connect with Rohit Jain on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jainr_____________________________________________________________About the eventThe AI Innovators Forum is a monthly gathering that brings together 300+ founders, executives, product leaders, engineers, and operators shaping how AI is built, deployed, and scaled in the real world.Each forum blends executive insight with hands-on execution through live demos, practical frameworks, and candid conversations on what it actually takes to operationalize AI responsibly inside modern organizations.👉 Want to pitch, speak, or join a future forum?Apply here: https://forms.gle/mUNH1f8H5ED3pBJe9👉 Stay in the loop for upcoming forums:https://lu.ma/founderscreative📩 Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]

Shibani Sanan, veteran engineering leader and CTO, shares a grounded take on how leaders should approach AI without losing focus on the business.In this clip, Shibani explains why small and mid-sized companies can’t afford to chase AI trends blindly. With limited bandwidth, revenue goals, and product roadmaps to manage, AI must earn its place. It should strengthen the company’s mission, unlock real use cases, or create leverage that didn’t exist before.Her principle is simple.Don’t do AI for the sake of AI.Do it only when it meaningfully moves the product and the business forward.________________________________________________About Shibani SananShibani Sanan is a versatile engineering leader with 25+ years of experience building scalable, high-impact products across fintech and digital advertising. She combines deep technical expertise with strong product intuition and is known for building high-performing teams in complex, fast-moving environments.

She is currently Chief Technology Officer at Ladder, and previously served as Head of Engineering at Plaid. Prior to that, Shibani spent nearly 16 years at Google, including as Vice President of Engineering, where she led global teams building large-scale advertising platforms and AI-driven products.

Shibani believes in creating environments that empower individuals, encourage cross-functional collaboration, and prioritize engineering excellence over hype. 🔗 Connect with Shibani Sanan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shibanisanan/________________________________________________About the EventThe AI Innovators Forum is a monthly gathering that brings together 300+ founders, executives, product leaders, engineers, and operators shaping the future of AI in the real world.Each forum blends sharp executive perspectives with hands-on building. Live demos, practical frameworks, and candid conversations on what it actually takes to ship, scale, and govern AI inside modern organizations.👉 Want to pitch, speak, or join a future forum?Apply here: https://forms.gle/mUNH1f8H5ED3pBJe9👉 Stay in the loop for future events:https://lu.ma/founderscreative📩 Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]#FoundersCreative #AILeadership #FutureOfWork #AIProduct #ExecutiveAI

Aysha Khan, technology executive and strategic advisor, explains why AI transformation without security-first thinking is a leadership blind spot.

With AI accelerating across enterprises, Aysha breaks down why cybersecurity can’t be an afterthought. It must be built into strategy, governance, and operating models from day one. From compliance to trust frameworks, she shares what leaders must get right as AI reshapes how companies scale, innovate, and protect value.

This is about building AI systems that are not just powerful, but resilient, trusted, and ready for the real world._______________________________________________About Aysha KhanAysha Khan is a technology executive, CISO, CIO, and strategic advisor with over 20 years of experience spanning cybersecurity, AI, fintech, healthcare, and enterprise software. She has led transformational initiatives across billion-dollar enterprises and high-growth startups, including IPO and spinoff readiness, operating model redesign, and AI-driven value creation.

Most recently, as CISO and CIO at Treasure Data, Aysha led security and technology strategy for a $170M global customer data platform, securing 450 enterprise customers while positioning the company for profitability and IPO readiness.Her leadership journey includes senior roles at Oracle, Symantec, HP, Bank of Montreal, and CIBC Mellon, where she built trust frameworks and compliance programs across FedRAMP, HIPAA, SOC 2, and ISO standards.

Named Cybersecurity Leader of the Year 2024, Aysha is also an active angel investor and advisor to security, data, AI, and infrastructure startups, and a frequent speaker on AI transformation, next-generation cybersecurity, and conscious technology leadership.She holds a Bachelor of Applied Information Sciences from Centennial College and executive certifications from Stanford University. Fluent in five languages, she brings a global lens to leadership in AI and security.🔗 Connect with Aysha Khan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aysha-khan-77ba9014/_______________________________________________About the EventThe AI Innovators Forum, 2025 brought together executives, builders, and operators to combine strategic thinking with hands-on AI building through live workshops, cross-functional collaboration, and real-time prototyping.👉 Want to pitch, speak, or join a future forum?Apply here: https://forms.gle/mUNH1f8H5ED3pBJe9👉 Stay in the loop for future events:https://lu.ma/founderscreative📩 Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]

Sriram Chakravarthy, Founder & CTO of Avaamo, explains why modern leaders shouldn’t spend time chasing updates like AWS spend, hiring numbers, or operational metrics.

Instead, he’s building an AI-powered dashboard and personal agent. A system that surfaces real-time insights across spend, resources, and operations.
So leadership energy goes into decisions, not status checks.

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About Sriram Chakravarthy

Sriram is the Founder and CTO of Avaamo, a deep learning enterprise software company focused on conversational AI for high-impact enterprise use cases. Founded in 2014, Avaamo builds proprietary AI systems across neural networks, speech synthesis, and deep domain machine learning to enable multi-turn, judgment-intensive conversations at scale.

As CTO, Sriram leads product and engineering with a focus on building systems that work in the real world, not just demos.

🔗 Connect with Sriram Chakravarthy on LinkedIn:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sriramvc/⁠

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About the Event

The AI Vibe Coding Summit, 2025 combined executive-level thinking with hands-on AI building through live workshops, cross-functional collaboration, and real-time prototyping.

👉 Want to pitch, speak, or join a future forum?
Apply here: https://forms.gle/mUNH1f8H5ED3pBJe9

👉 Stay in the loop for future events:
https://lu.ma/founderscreative

📩 Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]

Amr Awadallah, Former Founder & CEO of Vectara, explains why he uses two AI agents in parallel, to compare results, catch hallucinations, and make better decisions.Amr shares a practical mindset for working with AI today: don’t treat it as magic. Learn the tools deeply, understand their limits, and use structure to get more reliable outcomes.A simple tactic with big implications for leaders, builders, and anyone working with AI systems.This clip was recorded at a recent Founders Creative AI Vibe-Coding Summit, 2025.______________________________________________About Amr AwadallahAmr Awadallah is a tech entrepreneur and AI builder with 30 years of experience across large-scale systems, big data, machine learning, and AI.

Most recently, Amr was the founding CEO of Vectara, where he took the company from 0 to 1. He led the development of the Vectara Trusted Agent Operating System, raised $54M, earned Gartner recognition in two Emerging Market Quadrants, and built a high-performing team of ~50. Vectara’s open-weights hallucination detection model reached 5.5M downloads on Hugging Face.

Previously, Amr served as VP of Developer Relations at Google Cloud, was founder and global CTO of Cloudera, VP of Engineering at Yahoo!, and founder/CTO of Aptivia, later acquired by Yahoo.

He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and remains deeply involved in building practical, trustworthy AI systems.

🔗 Connect with Amr Awadallah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/awadallah/______________________________________________👉 Stay in the loop and join us at future events: https://lu.ma/founderscreative📩 Reach out to us at [email protected]#AIVibeCoding #FoundersCreative #AILeadership #FutureOfWork #InsideTheRoom #AIProduct

Mala Ramakrishnan sits down with Abhijit Kakhandiki, SVP & GM, Digital Business Automation at BMC Software and former EVP, Product & Engineering, Automation Anywhere, to unpack what it really takes to build AI-powered products that work in production — not just in demos.

Drawing from years of experience creating the RPA category, scaling to thousands of enterprise customers, and shipping early AI products before GenAI was mainstream, Abhijit shares hard-won lessons on product leadership, AI misconceptions, customer-first design, and why most AI products fail after the POC stage.

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00:00 Intro and Abhijit’s product leadership background
01:10 Early AI and RPA before GenAI hype
02:20 Common misconceptions about AI in products
03:20 Why AI is not a magic bullet
04:20 Starting with user personas and pain points
05:30 Builders vs operators and scaling insights
06:40 When GenAI ideas fail without context
07:40 Learning from Automation Anywhere’s document AI
08:50 Partner vs compete with cloud providers
09:50 Why UX matters more than AI accuracy early
10:50 Thin AI veneers vs deep product differentiation
11:50 How AI changes the PM role
12:50 New responsibilities: bias, ethics, and accuracy
14:00 Why original thinking beats AI-generated content
15:10 Removing the AI “wow factor” from strategy
16:20 Gross margins, OpenAI costs, and real value
17:30 Revenue funnels and when AI actually helps
18:50 Retention, expansion, and customer readiness
20:10 Why production-grade AI is hard
21:20 Measuring AI success with business metrics
22:40 Why most AI POCs fail in production
24:00 Selling AI to CIOs, not just users
26:00 Automation as the gateway to enterprise AI
28:30 Business outcomes over model metrics
30:00 Closing thoughts on AI product leadership

____________________________________________________

🔗 Connect with Abhijeet Kakhandiki → https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhijit-kakhandiki/

🔗 Connect with Mala Ramakrishnan → https://www.linkedin.com/in/malaramakrishnan

🎧 Subscribe to the podcast

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Website: www.malaramakrishnan.com | www.founderscreative.ai