From Startup Engineer to Trailblazing Leader at Salesforce India

As the first engineer in his family, Ganesh Kumar Dendukuri had to navigate choices without a roadmap. Following his upbringing and education in a small town, his first job at a startup exposed him to the depth and breadth of engineering. "Those initial 3.5 years were transformative," Ganesh recalls. "I was thrown into the deep end, solving complex problems, and that experience still fuels my approach today."

Afterward, he spent nearly eight years at Oracle, further honing his technical and leadership skills in the telecom domain. But the urge to explore a new frontier brought him to Salesforce — a decision that would define his career.

Ganesh joined Salesforce as an individual contributor, immersing himself in engineering for four years before transitioning into management. "Ramesh Ragineni, our Executive Vice President, gave me the confidence to try management," Ganesh shares. "He said, 'If it doesn’t work out, you can always go back to being an IC.' That trust changed everything for me." Hesitant but intrigued, Ganesh decided to try his hand at leading teams. His first major project as a manager? Loyalty Management — a product he not only delivered successfully but one that also set records, achieving rapid traction within its first quarter.

Today, as Director of Engineering for Salesforce’s Life Sciences Cloud, Ganesh, along with his team, is spearheading a groundbreaking product that aims to redefine how life sciences companies operate from "molecule to market." His team is navigating uncharted territory, working on tight deadlines while using Salesforce's platform and AI capabilities. For Ganesh, this isn’t just engineering, it’s innovation with purpose.

Staying the Course: Lessons in Patience and Growth

Ganesh’s journey is also a testament to the value of commitment. In an era where job-hopping is common, Ganesh’s long tenure at Salesforce stands out. His advice to younger professionals is simple: stay.

“It’s in the long stints that you truly become a domain expert and understand the pulse of an organization. Networking becomes natural; you know exactly who to approach, reducing friction and delays. When I joined, there were about 77 employees in the India team. Today, there are over 15,000. Knowing who to approach makes all the difference.”

Networking is an integral part of Ganesh’s daily routine as well. “A big part of my day involves connecting with people. I spend time with my engineering teams across regions as well as cross-functional partners—product managers, designers—to ensure we are aligned on goals and face no roadblocks.”

Leadership Built on Salesforce Culture

Salesforce’s values- trust, innovation, customer success, sustainability, and equality- deeply influence Ganesh’s leadership style. "Trust is the foundation," he says. "I try to create an environment where my team feels safe to take risks and share ideas, knowing they will be supported. Whether I am mentoring a team member or leading a larger meeting to celebrate milestones, my goal is to ensure everyone feels empowered and inspired to deliver their best work." He’s equally passionate about diversity, noting that building teams with varied backgrounds drives richer ideas, innovative solutions and better outcomes.

Ganesh also champions AI-driven tools like Einstein and CodeGenie to enhance team productivity and innovation. By automating routine tasks, these tools enable engineers to focus on designing scalable solutions, aligning with Ganesh’s early passion for efficiency and automation.

Balancing Leadership and Life

While these tools have helped him push the boundaries meet the demands of his high-pressure role, he attributes much of his success to Salesforce’s culture of flexibility and support. "The flexibility here is unmatched," he says. "It’s about outcomes, not rigid schedules. This allows me to focus on what matters — both at work and home.” He also values how Salesforce prioritizes wellbeing, with initiatives like mental health days and open conversations about taking paid time off, “fostering a culture where people feel genuinely supported and empowered.”

And as a leader, Ganesh doesn’t just preach this balance — he practices it, often urging his team to take time off to recharge, whether it’s for family, rest, or simply to reflect. He does the same, treating weekends as sacred times to switch off from work and reconnect with his loved ones, head out, or watch thrillers — his guilty pleasure.

Meditation is another favorite, helping him truly unplug in a world constantly connected. “Taking a digital detox is so important,” he says, recalling a colleague who, when he felt burnt out, took Ganesh’s advice to lock away his devices for the weekend and focus on himself. The impact was transformative: his colleague returned refreshed, brimming with ideas that eventually became award-winning solutions. “Sometimes, stepping away is the best way to move forward,” Ganesh reflects.

Looking Ahead

Ganesh Kumar Dendukuri’s story is a reminder that the journey matters as much as the destination. Whether it’s mentoring the next generation of engineers or driving innovation, he combines empathy with an insatiable drive for progress to make a lasting difference. “Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about listening, learning, and trusting your team to build something incredible together,” he says. And for Ganesh, that journey is just beginning.

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