Engineering Leadership That Scales Startups

I help startups and scale-ups build high-performing engineering organizations, establish platform strategies, and drive operational excellence through proven leadership and hands-on experience from Google, LinkedIn, FireEye, and beyond.


Experience at leading companies

Google - LinkedIn - FireEye - Pantheon - AppOmni

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About me

From Pune to Silicon Valley—A Journey Through Tech's Evolution

My engineering journey began in India and led me to Silicon Valley, where for over 20 years I've built and scaled products and organizations at companies that shape how the world works—Google, LinkedIn, FireEye, Pantheon, and most recently AppOmni.

I've lived every stage of the engineering leadership spectrum—from hands-on individual contributor to executive leader responsible for platform, data, and product organizations. I've built and scaled globally distributed teams, including growing a 70-person platform engineering organization at Pantheon and establishing the Data Layer organization at AppOmni to 30 engineers in under a year. My work with AI has spanned both product innovation and operational leverage—building AI-driven capabilities into customer-facing platforms and embedding AI across the end-to-end engineering delivery lifecycle to materially improve speed, quality, and predictability, including a 90% reduction in SaaS integration delivery time.

What differentiates my approach is a focus on compounding impact. I bring deep pattern recognition from scaling systems and teams across multiple companies to help organizations move faster, operate more efficiently, and make smarter technology bets—including where and how to apply AI for real business outcomes. I'm most energized by building high-performing teams, developing strong engineering leaders, and establishing cultures of accountability, clarity, and continuous learning. Whether the challenge is platform scale, operational excellence, or organizational transformation, I bring experience from having done it—successfully—many times before.

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Great engineering isn’t just about code—it’s about people, process, and purpose working in harmony.

Flexible Engagements, Real Impact

Every startup is different. That's why I offer multiple ways to work together—from deep embedded partnerships to lightweight advisory relationships.

Services I Offer

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Fractional Engineering Leadership (VP/Director)

Embedded senior leadership to drive strategy, execution, and scale. I bring Senior Director–level experience across platform, data, and product engineering to help organizations execute with clarity, speed, and accountability.

  • Engineering strategy & execution

  • Org design, hiring, and team scaling

  • Platform & data leadership

  • Cross-functional alignment with product and business

  • Leadership coaching & mentorship

Ideal for: Growth-stage startups and PE-backed companies needing senior engineering leadership without a full-time hire

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Platform & Cloud Modernization Strategy

Strategic guidance to design, modernize, and scale platforms that accelerate product delivery. I help organizations transition legacy infrastructure to modern, cloud-native platforms while maintaining reliability, customer trust, and delivery momentum.

  • Platform org design & operating models

  • Legacy-to-modern transition strategy

  • Cloud-native architecture & migration sequencing

  • Developer productivity, reliability, and cost efficiency

Ideal for: Companies modernizing legacy infrastructure, migrating to the cloud, or building durable platform foundations at scale

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Engineering Org Transformation & Operational Excellence

Hands-on leadership to improve execution, reliability, and predictability—especially in complex or inherited systems—while building cultures of ownership and accountability.

  • Engineering org design & team topology

  • Delivery lifecycle optimization

  • KTLO reduction & reliability improvement

  • Engineering operating rhythms & prioritization

  • Leadership development, culture, and performance management

Ideal for: Companies experiencing execution drag, reliability challenges, or rapid growth-related complexity

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AI & Technology Strategy Advisory (Founders, Execs, VC/PE)

Executive-level guidance on applying AI and modern technology where it delivers measurable business and engineering impact—without distraction or hype.

  • AI-powered product and platform strategy

  • Applying AI to engineering delivery & operations

  • AI adoption roadmaps tied to business outcomes

  • Engineering org assessments & maturity reviews

  • Founder, executive, and portfolio company coaching

Ideal for: Founders, CTOs, and VC/PE firms navigating AI adoption and technology-driven transformation

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Deep Expertise in Platform & Leadership

From building tools at Google and LinkedIn, to leading cybersecurity engineering at FireEye, to directing platform organizations at Pantheon and AppOmni—I bring hands-on technical depth combined with proven leadership at scale.

I’ve learned that great engineering leadership is about creating the conditions for teams to do their best work—clear strategy, operational discipline, and a culture where people grow and deliver impact together.

Platform Engineering

  • Cloud-Native Infrastructure

  • Kubernetes & Containers

  • SaaS Integration Platforms

  • Distributed Systems

  • CDN & Edge Computing

Operational Excellence

  • Reliability Engineering

  • Technical Debt Reduction

  • Process Improvement

  • Agile & Scrum

  • Data-Driven Decisions

Engineering Leadership

  • Org Scaling & Transformation

  • Leadership Coaching

  • Global Team Building

  • Performance Management

  • Culture Development

Strategic Execution

  • Engineering Strategy

  • Cross-functional Collaboration

  • Customer-Centric Delivery

  • Change Management

  • Risk Mitigation

20+
Years of Experience
From IC to Senior Director

100+
Engineers Led
Across Global Teams

5 -> 70
Team Growth
Platform Org at Pantheon

90%
Faster Delivery
Integration time reduction

What Leaders Say

I measure success by the success of the companies I work with. Here's what some of them have to say.

“Manisha is a visionary engineering leader who combines empathy, organizational excellence, and a passion for innovation. Under her leadership, engineering teams scaled globally, execution became more efficient, and the organization delivered meaningful business impact across revenue, margins, and product innovation.”

Sunil Bopardikar Technology Executive & Advisor B2B SaaS Platform Company

“Manisha has an exceptional ability to tackle complex challenges with calmness and clarity. She consistently distills intricate technical issues into actionable solutions, enabling productive discussions and swift decision-making even under pressure. Her servant-leadership style empowers teams to perform at their best while maintaining a high bar for excellence.”

Tim Wooten Customer Support & Operations Leader SaaS Platform Company

“Manisha led platform and cloud engineering teams with the company's best interests always in mind. She built high-performing, energetic teams and was generous with her time and knowledge. Her leadership and support made complex transitions smoother and enabled teams to deliver with confidence.”

Timothy (Tim) Dzierzek Data Protection Professional Cloud & Security SaaS Company


Experience at leading companies

Google - LinkedIn - FireEye - Pantheon - AppOmni

Let’s Talk

Ready To Build Something Great?

Whether you're facing a specific challenge or just want to explore how I might help, I'd love to hear from you. Book a free 30-minute call or send me a message.

Free Strategy Call - 30 mins, no strings attached

Let's discuss your engineering challenges, organizational goals, and how I might help. No pitch, just a real conversation about what you're building.

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