Zankar Thakkar
Technology Executive (Most recent: Group Engineering Manager at Microsoft)
Leading AI-powered Teams Meetings Copilot and meeting lifecycle features at Microsoft.
Intro
I’m Zankar Thakkar, a Technology Executive with a career built on the intersection of 'big tech' scale and 'scrappy' startup innovation. Most recently, I served as a Group Engineering Manager at Microsoft, where I led the 40-person team that brought the AI-powered Teams Meeting Copilot from concept to launch in just ten months. Before returning to Microsoft, I co-founded two successful companies, including Marketly, which achieved an 8-figure exit, and VONLY, a SaaS BI platform for the entertainment industry. I am deeply passionate about people-first leadership, psychological safety, and responsible AI. My goal is to connect with global leaders to help shape the future of technology by combining engineering excellence with a customer-centric mindset. Whether it's scaling platforms for 150M users or mentoring the next generation of women in tech, I focus on driving thoughtful, sustainable action that delivers real value.
Networking
What I can offer
- ›Expertise in scaling AI products
- ›Experience building high-performing global teams
- ›Blend of big-tech executive and startup founder perspectives
- ›Board advisory and strategic planning
What I'm looking for
- ›connecting with global leaders to help shape the future of technology
- ›exploring mutual opportunities in high-profile technology and startups
Best fit for
Focus
Current interests
Core competencies
Background
Career
Progressed from Software Design Engineer at Microsoft to a two-time founder (Marketly and VONLY) before returning to Microsoft as a Group Engineering Manager for Teams AI.
Education
The Stanford LEAD Online Business Program (Stanford GSB); M.S. in Computer Science (Colorado State University); B.E. in Computer Engineering (Gujarat University).
Achievements
- ›Led Microsoft Teams Meeting Copilot from concept to launch in 10 months with 70+ CSAT.
- ›Led Marketly to an 8-figure acquisition.
- ›Scaled VONLY to a seven-digit business with 1000% revenue growth in two years.
- ›Managed platforms serving over 150M monthly active users.
- ›Improved Microsoft employee satisfaction by 17% in six months.
Opinions
- Psychological safety and genuine connections are essential for sustainable business growth.
- Engineering excellence must be grounded in direct customer engagement to unblock revenue.
- Breaking down organizational silos is necessary to address customer pain points.
Personality
Communication style
Professional, authoritative, and highly structured with a visionary-meets-operator narrative.
Formality — 8/10
Vocabulary