Analytics India Magazine

In our weekly column A Day In The Life Of, we are trying to step into the shoes of awesome techies from various organisations and sectors who are working in emerging tech areas like big data, data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and the internet of things, among others. This week Analytics India Magazine got in touch with Ramki Gaddipati the CTO and co-owner of Bengaluru-headquartered Zeta. As a health nut, Gaddipati starts his day with a healthy dose of his favourite workout, pilates. Being an entrepreneur in a city like Bengaluru, he is used to the daily routine of traffic, followed by the ups and downs of a dynamic corporate environment. However, Gaddipati does find a way to have fun. “We are a startup, and I started with a very close friend of mine. And then more friends joined us to get it where it is today. So yes, when I look at my social life it is very active, as I am always around friends at work,” he says, chuckling. When asked about what his daily work consists of, Gaddipati says that when one is setting up a company, one cannot escape from additional work like management, hiring, funding, sales and more. However, he is very passionate about coding and cherishes those moments when his work involves coding. Gaddipati and his team are currently working on a few global launches of which US is the predominant one. Earlier this year, Zeta and Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services (BRS) India, merged their corporate and meal benefits operations into a single entity. Through the merger, Zeta has been pushing their business into the Sodexo family for a minority share in the new entity, which will retain the Sodexo branding. The company will also get a board seat in the merged company. Zeta had also hived off its technology entity, which now operates as a separate unit based out of Bengaluru. When asked about the current challenges that Gaddipati faces as a CTO, he replies promptly, “The current challenge I’m facing is hiring the right talent for the right team.” But the best part about his workday is when he’s solving problems with his team. “Anytime we are solving technical problems or having a general technical discussion is the best part of my day. So primarily any technical huddle is what I enjoy the most and given my schedule this is usually 5 – 6 days times a day, making the day better for me,” he says laughing. However, the most tedious of his day is when he has to “translate” the same problem for different teams. “One of the most challenging parts of my day is modifying my conversations for a different set of audiences. For example, explaining a product to a technical team and then to a sales and marketing team. The topic remains the same, but the challenge is to make both the audience understand it,” he says. As a techie working in FinTech, Gaddipati says that the contribution that a tech person can make to a company never really ends. “I will continue to innovate with my team and come up with products that not only will expand our reach but will also establish us as one of the preferred partners for all its existing and potential customers,” he says.