Arvind Batra will soon be celebrating his 3rd Rubrik anniversary! Before joining Rubrik, he obtained his undergrad degree at Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology in New Delhi India, and a Master’s Degree from Georgia Tech in computer science. Arvind has a unique professional background in running his events and activities discovery platform startup, EventsHigh. 

Before deciding to join the Rubrik team, and since joining, he has leveraged his entrepreneurial spirit to drive results, build teams, and mentor future generations of engineering talent as a Director of Engineering in our Bangalore, India office. Let’s get to know him a little better and learn about his experience on the Rubrik Engineering team.

Q: A few years ago, you were running your own startup. How has that prepared you to be successful in your current role at Rubrik?

A: In so many ways. We went through many ups & downs in my startup and it has helped build a lot of resilience. I often remind myself that there will be a high after the current low phase blows over. We need to just focus and execute. 

In addition, being a founder trained me to pay attention to activities such as product feedback and support engagement, focus on metrics (always measure what you build), dedicate bandwidth to hiring and building teams, always anticipate what can go wrong, to name a few. I also learned the value of effective communication - setting things in context, knowing your audience, and being transparent about how things are - whether good or bad.

Q: What is your favorite memory at Rubrik?

A: Back in 2019, I got the opportunity to attend Eng-camp. 2019 was an interesting year when Rubrik was trying to solve some fundamental organization-wide challenges like release timelines, and things around developer productivity. Eng-camp was a 3-day huddle event where different folks presented solutions to problems followed by a discussion with active (and lively) participation. 

Eng-camp planted the seed for many new fundamental process changes in the organization. For example, we adopted the OKR framework for planning, and the Closed Loop Analysis process was institutionalized across all teams. 

For me, it was also a great opportunity to meet the broader org and witness such amazing discussions. More importantly, it reminded me of how deeply determined this team was to challenge the status quo and do the right thing. It has been great to see Rubrik’s transformation since then. 

Q: Why did you join Rubrik?

A: People, impact potential and radical transparency!

The quality of people at Rubrik was clear to me early on. I enjoyed my interview experience. Not only were the questions real fun but my interviewers seemed passionate and happy with what they were building. Rubrik had (and still has!) huge impact potential. Coming out of my own startup, I was very mindful of joining a company that was in its growth phase and had a large opportunity to create change and make a huge impact in the industry moving forward.

I continue to be impressed on how Rubrik has evolved to increase its scope by venturing into Data Security. Cybersecurity and data security are top of mind for businesses globally and Rubrik is truly delivering the ultimate peace of mind for our customers.

The radically transparent culture was another thing that drew me in. Coming from my own start-up, our CEO, Bipul’s, radical transparency resonated with me deeply and made me feel like I was a decision-maker in the company. A company with such a core value is bound to have an open culture. 

Lastly, during my interview process, a colleague of mine gave me a no-nonsense rundown of Rubrik over a lunch discussion, in his own style, and I was excited about what I heard.
 

Q: What has been the most fulfilling thing you've done at Rubrik?

A: Building the platform charter out of India has been a great journey so far, and it continues to grow. There were four of us when we started the first platform component 2.5 yrs ago and now it has grown into three different areas, each one driving high impact projects within Rubrik. I am passionate about hiring and am proud of the team that we have now. There have been challenges along the way but I have got great support from my manager and the entire eng-leadership team.

Q: You’ve also dedicated a lot of time to share your knowledge through the Engineering Mentorship Program at Rubrik, why did you choose to get involved? 

A: The power of mentorship is very strong. I have benefited a lot from it. With a mentor, I like that I can be open and candid without being judged. I have discussed some good ideas, some really bad ones and have received constructive feedback regardless. So, when I saw that Rubrik is also planning to provide such a platform and is looking for volunteers, I signed up immediately.

Q: What is the best thing about your team? 

A: This is a difficult one, to be honest, I enjoy everything about working with my team. If I have to choose one best thing, I would say candor. As a manager, in a high-growth environment, you are always trying out new things, trying out a new process, and in general, making decisions that are likely to have an impact on the team. 

Often, there is uncertainty on whether it was the right decision or not. I have been grateful to the team for being transparent about the changes and candidly sharing feedback - both good and bad. This has resulted in quick iterative cycles to move in the right direction. I appreciate the trust they have in me and in each other. 

Rapid-fire Questions

Q: First job?
A: Software Engineer at Trilogy in Bangalore 

Q: Hidden talent?
A: I am a reasonably good cook. Signature dish - hummus! 

Q: If you could have any actor play you in a movie, who would it be?
A: Is Daniel Day Lewis available? If not, I am a big Richard Schiff fan from The West Wing

Q: Favorite Slack channel?
A: #pun-dits

Q: Beach or Mountains?
A: Mountains

If you are interested in tackling big problems with your even larger ideas, join the Rubrik engineering team as we pioneer some of the most innovative technologies in data security, ransomware mitigation, and cyber resilience. See what positions are available here.