What leadership lessons emerge from driving product-first transformations?

In this Industry Connect session, Kiran B R, Vice President of Product & Engineering at Rakuten, will delve into the leadership lessons gained from steering organizations through product-first transformations. With over 25 years of experience spanning AI/ML, SaaS, platform engineering, and semiconductors, Kiran brings a rare dual lens of product and technology leadership.

He will share how challenges—ranging from shifting legacy engineering mindsets to aligning global cross-functional teams—become powerful catalysts for building stronger, more resilient leaders. Through real-world stories, Kiran will unpack how failures, setbacks, and roadblocks can be transformed into opportunities that drive empathy, clarity, and long-term impact.

The session will also explore how embedding customer-centricity, unifying product and engineering priorities, and fostering trust-driven cultures are essential to scaling outcomes in today’s fast-evolving digital landscape.
​3 Key Takeaways:

• ​Navigating the hurdles of organizational transformation.
• Turning challenges into opportunities for leadership growth.
• Building alignment across product, engineering, and GTM functions.