Leading With Empathy And Intelligence: Snehil Pandey On Tech, Mentorship, And Inclusion

​Snehil Pandey is a woman leader in data engineering and AI, known for her technical expertise and dedication to fostering diversity and mentorship within the tech industry. Her journey from earning a Computer Science degree at Kamla Nehru Institute of Technology to her current role as Field Engineering Leader at Databricks exemplifies resilience, adaptability, and forward-thinking. Snehil is passionate about leveraging international experiences to bring a global perspective to problem-solving and team leadership. She thrives on complexities and views the rapidly evolving fields of data and AI as prime opportunities for growth and innovation.​

Her personal ethos includes embracing change and continuous learning, fostering diversity and inclusion, maintaining a healthy work-life balance, and valuing international experiences and cultural understanding. Professionally, Snehil leads with vision and empathy, drives creative thinking in data and AI, mentors the next generation of tech professionals, and advocates for gender diversity.​

Snehil aspires to be recognized as a leader who not only excels in technical domains but also champions diversity and mentorship, bringing a whole new dimension to her work.

Could you describe your professional journey? Please highlight key challenges and achievements that might inspire other tech professionals in their careers. Start with your background and the obstacles you've overcome.

Snehil Pandey: I'm currently based in Gurgaon. Having grown up in a military family, my father served in the Army's Signals Corps. My family relocated every three years throughout my childhood. This experience fostered adaptability and resilience, as I continuously had to establish new connections and redefine my identity in different environments.

I earned an Engineering degree in Computer Science from Kamla Nehru Institute of Technology, Sultanpur, in 2013. Upon graduation, I got campus placement thus beginning my career in data and artificial intelligence. My professional journey started at Tata Consultancy Services, where I started as a data engineer for a major Fortune 500 company, constructing complex reports for global financial services.

Subsequently, I moved on to join JPMorgan Chase, where I contributed to significant migration projects that generated substantial cost savings. Throughout my career, I've worked in multiple Indian cities—Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai and Pune and abroad—Sweden and Hong Kong. In 2018, I joined Boston Consulting Group as a technical consultant and data engineer, working with European retail clients and a major telecommunications company. I later supported a Pan-Asian retailer specializing in food, health, and beauty products.

My work has encompassed various data optimization scenarios, including personalization, cross-selling and upselling strategies, SKU optimization, recommendation systems, and inventory management.

I joined Databricks in 2020, totaling over a decade of experience in the data industry. I began as a solutions architect, supporting enterprise clients across India. One notable project involved transitioning a client from a traditional data warehouse model to our Digital Intelligence Platform. I've assisted numerous clients in democratizing their data while maintaining appropriate governance frameworks including Tata 1mg, Air India and FMGC companies like Parle.

Could you outline your career progression?

Snehil Pandey: I have 11 years of professional experience. I began at Tata Consultancy Services, then moved to Amdocs in Pune, followed by JPMorgan Chase in Bangalore. I subsequently joined Boston Consulting Group in Gurgaon, primarily working on-site in Sweden and Hong Kong, before accepting my position at Databricks.

Which locations did you live in during your childhood? How has your experience of growing up in smaller towns influenced your professional outlook?

Snehil Pandey: I resided in numerous locations including Kota, Alwar, Mathura, Ranchi, and Jabalpur, among others. This experience has provided both advantages and challenges, though I believe the benefits significantly outweigh the difficulties. The necessity to establish new relationships and adapt to different environments every few years developed my resilience and adaptability-skills that have proven invaluable in my professional life.

For instance, at Boston Consulting Group, I maintained a demanding schedule of three weeks in Europe followed by one week in India throughout an entire year. The frequent transitions between time zones, cultures, and work environments did not diminish my effectiveness because I had developed these adaptive capabilities early in life.

Does adaptability facilitate your adjustment to unfamiliar environments? Or it prevents complacency and drives you towards new challenges rather than becoming too comfortable in any single role.

Snehil Pandey: Precisely. This applies particularly to professional roles and technological competencies. Many professionals resist transition from established positions or legacy technologies because it requires rebuilding expertise. My background has made me more receptive to necessary changes and continuous professional development.

Your current position involves travel within India, but your previous role included international assignments. Could you elaborate on that experience?

Snehil Pandey: Databricks maintains a rapid pace of innovation and I lead field engineering for Databricks in India, working with Indian business organisations that involve travel within India. Previously at BCG, my global responsibilities involved extensive international travel. Through professional obligations and personal initiative, I've visited 25 countries, including 22 within a two-year period. Much of this travel was independently undertaken, which significantly enhanced my self-sufficiency and decision-making capabilities.

What insights did you gain from your international experiences, particularly regarding safety considerations as a woman traveling alone?

Snehil Pandey: For each destination, I conducted thorough research on women's safety, consulted relevant publications, and participated in networks for women travelers to gather practical advice. My experiences across these diverse locations revealed significant cultural variations, particularly in workplace practices between Eastern and Western regions.

European professionals demonstrate exceptional work-life integration. There is also greater emphasis on health maintenance through regular physical activity while maintaining professional productivity. Their approach emphasizes focused work during designated hours-typically 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM-followed by dedicated personal time.

After sustaining a knee injury requiring extended recovery, I gained appreciation for this health-conscious perspective. I aspire to see similar balance implemented in the Indian professional environment, where sales teams particularly experience significant pressure and extended working hours.

Women often report facing additional professional challenges. They describe working harder for equivalent recognition and encountering dismissive attitudes in professional settings. How do these dynamics affect your leadership approach?

Snehil Pandey: I lead a team of 9-10 professionals and prioritize gender diversity, including talented women in technical leadership positions. I maintain open communication channels and provide both professional and personal support.

The sales environment inevitably creates pressure that can compromise work-life balance, which can disproportionately impact women. I emphasize effective delegation to manage these demands.

Additionally, I serve in leadership for our women's network at Databricks, organizing professional development initiatives globally. We coordinate mentorship programs and educational sessions on various topics, including financial management, and invite executive speakers to share career advancement strategies.

During particularly demanding periods of balancing professional responsibilities with a young child, I've briefly contemplated it. However, my career ambitions and concerns about technological currency have outweighed these considerations.

Throughout my career, I've pursued accelerated advancement and achieved early responsibility, including representing organizations in executive steering committees when I had only 5-6 years of experience. While I initially worried about credibility as a young woman in these contexts, I established my expertise through performance, maintaining professional relationships with those executives to this day.

What professional guidance would you offer women seeking to advance their careers?

Snehil Pandey: Self-confidence is foundational-without it, even mentorship provides limited benefit. For technology professionals, continuous education is essential; current proficiency in emerging technologies like generative AI is non-negotiable.

Women must often exceed performance expectations. Beyond technical competencies, develop complementary skills such as presentation techniques and public speaking. If your role involves client interaction, invest in professional development opportunities to enhance these capabilities.

In my management capacity, I distribute opportunities equitably, including public speaking engagements at marketing events, which builds confidence and visibility. These approaches have proven effective in my professional development.

How did you address the emergence of generative AI, particularly during your absence?

Snehil Pandey: During my maternity leave, the advent of ChatGPT dramatically shifted industry conversations. Client inquiries rapidly evolved toward generative AI capabilities-text-to-SQL generation, voice analytics, and call center automation.

We responded by enhancing our platform to infuse GenAI capabilities and making it much more intelligent i.e. Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. I completed specialized training in both general GenAI principles and Databricks-specific implementations to ensure I could effectively address client requirements upon my return.