I sat down with Aditya Rajagopalan, a seasoned tech and business leader who’s lived and worked across three continents from suburban Chennai to the United States and now Australia. With over 15 years of leadership experience at Amazon and Salesforce, Aditya has built a career rooted in respect, kindness, and impact, values shaped by his global journey and passion for helping others grow.
📍Q: You’ve lived across three continents. How did that shape your leadership style and core values?
Aditya: “I grew up in suburban Chennai for the first 20 years of my life. I had the choice to take a placement or go to the U.S., and I chose to create my own path. It was scary, but it got better, moving abroad made me realise I could build my life from scratch. You have to create a personal brand, reinvent yourself, and adapt. Working in the U.S. for 15 years taught me confidence, to jump into the deep end and swim.
My leadership foundation came from Amazon, where I learned to think fast, make judgment calls, and lead in ambiguity. Moving to Australia was about being closer to family, but it didn’t scare me, I’d done it before. The culture here is more collaborative and grounded, and that’s where kindness comes in: recognising we’re all a work in progress.
Impact came from my dad, he always believed in giving back to the community. I decided that’s the legacy I want: to leave a dent in the world that benefits others.”
📍Q: In an uncertain market, how should candidates sequence their job hunt, targeting, proof assets, networking, interviews?
Aditya: “There’s no silver bullet, but there are tested methods. Networking is huge, build relationships and be strategic. Don’t ‘spray and pray.’ I’d rather apply to 10 jobs and get one callback than apply to 50 and hear nothing. Be thoughtful, reflect weekly, and adjust. And don’t forget to rest, your brain needs recovery time to perform at its best.”
📍Q: What advice do you give mid-career professionals stuck between specialising and going broad?
Aditya: “What mattered to me in my 20s doesn’t matter as much in my 30s or 40s. It’s about self-discovery, asking what excites you, what skills you enjoy, and where you see yourself in 3–5 years. Don’t box yourself in. Find your ikigai, the intersection of what you’re good at, what you love, and what fulfills you. For me, fulfillment is a balance of health, wealth, and time, in the right proportions.”
📍Q: One message for the world
Aditya: “Growth happens when you leave home, and by home, I mean your comfort zone. That’s where you truly thrive. And wherever you go, leave the place better than you found it.”
✨Key Takeaway:
Aditya’s story reminds us that reinvention is a lifelong process shaped by courage, reflection, and kindness. His journey from Chennai to the global stage shows that growth comes from stepping into the unknown, and creating impact with purpose.
