Kirthiga Reddy’s legacy is built on bold decisions and breaking barriers. Defying cultural norms, she became a top engineering graduate in a society where her mother was denied an education. After moving to the U.S., her career soared, until she took a 40% pay cut to join a startup. That gamble led her to become Facebook’s first employee in India, scaling revenues to millions. She later made history as SoftBank Investment Advisers’ first female partner. Now, as CEO of web3 startup Virtualness, she proves that reinvention and boldness drive transformative growth. In this episode, Kirthiga joins Ilana to reflect on her career transitions and the power of embracing challenging ventures.

Kirthiga Reddy is a technology leader and growth-stage investor with over 20 years of experience. She was the first female Investing Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers and served as Managing Director of Facebook India.

In this episode, Ilana and Kirthiga will discuss:

(00:00 ) Introduction 

(02:01 ) Excelling Academically Despite Limited College Options

(03:37 ) Turning Gender Bias Into a Drive for Tech Empowerment

(05:37 ) Moving from India to the US to Further Her Education

(07:58 ) Landing a Job in Silicon Valley

(10:24 ) Choosing a 40% Pay Cut for the Big Picture

(15:21 ) Joining Facebook India as Its First Employee

(18:40 ) How Kirthiga Helped Drive Facebook’s Global Expansion

(23:13 ) The Transition from Facebook Exec to Venture Capitalist

(30:33 ) Transforming WeWork Into a Profitable Business

(32:12 ) Redefining Digital Verifications with Verix

(35:57 ) Living by a “No Regrets” Policy

(38:15 ) Kirthiga’s Relentless Drive for Growth

(40:16 ) Why Bold Career Moves Are Worth the Risk

(42:20 ) How to Get 100 Free Verix-Verified Certifications

(44:11 ) The Power of Lifting Others as You Rise

Kirthiga Reddy is a technology leader and growth-stage investor with over 20 years of experience. She is the CEO of Virtualness, an AI-powered blockchain platform, and served on the Board of Directors for WeWork. Kirthiga was the first female Investing Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers, managing a portfolio of over $5 billion. She also served as Managing Director of Facebook India, scaling operations across South Asia and emerging markets.

Connect with Kirthiga:

Kirthiga’s Website: https://kirthigareddy.com/ 

Kirthiga’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirthiga 

Resources Mentioned:

Verix’s Website: www.verix.io 

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