Suggestions
Amit Somani
Managing Partner, Prime Ventures (Venture Capitalist) - LinkedIn TopVoices 2019 & 2018 - Ex-Google, Makemytrip, IBM
Amit Somani is a prominent figure in the technology and internet sectors, currently serving as a Managing Partner at Prime Venture Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Bangalore, India. He has over 25 years of global experience in product and technology leadership roles, including significant tenures at Google, IBM, and MakeMyTrip.
Career at MakeMyTrip
Somani joined MakeMyTrip in January 2010 as the Chief Products Officer (CPO), where he was instrumental in leading the company's online product portfolio and enhancing user experience. He played a key role in the company's initial public offering (IPO) on NASDAQ in 2010. His responsibilities included managing the profit and loss (P&L) for various business segments, including hotels and mobile products. Somani resigned from this position in February 2014 but continued to serve as an advisory board member for the company thereafter.124
Previous Experience
Before his time at MakeMyTrip, Somani was involved with Google, where he led product management for several initiatives, including Google AdWords Keyword Recommendations. He has also worked at IBM, contributing to his extensive background in technology and product development.25
Education
Amit Somani holds a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Varanasi, where he was a gold medalist. He also earned a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.34
Personal Interests
Outside of his professional endeavors, Somani is known for his passion for travel, sports, and cooking. He has been recognized as one of LinkedIn India's Top Voices in both 2018 and 2019, highlighting his influence and contributions to discussions around technology and entrepreneurship.23
Highlights
I recently shared some career advice with several students at top schools who are aspiring investors. I am also sharing that here since it is broadly applicable.
Two that I wish I had known back when I was in my 20s were:
- Follow Smart People - this is the wisdom of the 'smart' crowd. Smart people tend to know what's going on, and when they are flocking to work in certain areas, go to certain schools or companies, or even buy some stocks, you know something is going on. I had several interview requests from Google in the 2003-2004 time frame (just around their IPO), and I did not follow through even though several of my 'smart' friends had joined. Ironically, I ended up joining Google in 2007!
Build a network not by 'networking' but by adding value to people genuinely and without any expectation of return. I have seen many Gen Zs do this now, but not nearly enough.
For those that have been around for a few decades, what are some pieces of career advice that you wish you knew back in your 20s?
Dr Pramod Varma is a true builder at #PopulationScale and has had a tremendous impact on Digital #India. Watch him chat with my partner Sanjay Swamy on this Prime Venture Partners podcast on building IndiaStack for the country, his advice to entrepreneurs, and much more.
