I had to make a big bet on a make-or-break 18 months. I later sold my company for $8 billion but first I had to dive deep into the 'gray area'

Amit Walia (Credit: Amit Walia)

Tech CEOs spend hours in the public eye—at industry events, on earnings calls, engaging the media, communicating via our social channels. Then it’s back to the 24/7 grind in pursuit of innovation and market leadership, a responsibility that is as challenging as it is exciting. 

I worked my way up the management learning curve—at organizations including Intuit, Symantec, McKinsey and Infosys—before taking over as Informatica’s CEO five years ago. I’ve had to think differently about a range of issues: how to nurture talent amid the rise of artificial intelligence, how to make buck-stops-here decisions, and how to drive differentiation and value relentlessly.