Breaking Barriers: Women Leading the Future of Tech – A Women’s Day Special with LinkedIn’s Prashanthi Padmanabhan

As the Vice President of Engineering for LinkedIn Talent Solutions (LTS), Prashanthi Padmanabhan is at the forefront of transforming the hiring and learning landscape through AI-driven innovation. In this exclusive interview with Express Computer, Padmanabhan sheds light on groundbreaking advancements, the evolving role of engineering leadership, and her vision for gender equity in the tech industry.

Championing women in tech leadership

As we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th, it is essential to recognise and address the barriers that continue to hinder women’s progress in tech leadership. While diversity hiring is a crucial first step, organisations must move beyond it to foster an environment where women can thrive, lead, and innovate.

Prashanthi emphasises the power of mentorship, sponsorship, and community-building in shaping the future of women in technology. She leads LinkedIn’s Women in Tech (WIT) group, a platform designed to connect, inspire, and support women technologists. By creating spaces where women can engage with role models, gain guidance, and develop leadership skills, such initiatives pave the way for greater female representation at the top levels of tech.

“Strong mentorship programs provide a psychologically safe space where women can seek advice, explore growth opportunities, and build confidence in their abilities. Sponsorship, on the other hand, plays a critical role in career advancement by actively advocating for talented women and connecting them to key opportunities,” she says. 

In addition to mentorship and sponsorship, continuous learning and upskilling are essential. Prashanthi encourages women to actively pursue technical and soft skill development, take on diverse roles within their organisations, and step outside their comfort zones. She highlights the impact of initiatives like LinkedIn’s WIT Conference, which showcases the expertise of female technologists and provides them with a platform to share their knowledge and experiences.

Confidence and self-advocacy are also crucial for breaking barriers in the tech industry. “Imposter syndrome is a common challenge many women face, but building strong networks, engaging in public speaking opportunities, and consistently showcasing technical expertise can help overcome these self-doubts,” adds Prashanthi.

Innovating hiring with AI-powered assistants

Since stepping into her leadership role at LTS Engineering, Prashanthi and her team have been focused on leveraging AI to streamline hiring processes. A key milestone has been the launch of the LinkedIn Hiring Assistant, an AI-powered agent that automates time-consuming recruitment tasks such as job postings and candidate searches.

By integrating AI into the hiring process, recruiters can focus more on strategic and human-centric responsibilities, ensuring that the best talent is identified based on skills rather than traditional credentials. Organisations such as Siemens have already reported significant efficiency gains, reducing sourcing time and enhancing hiring effectiveness.

At the core of this AI transformation are two groundbreaking technologies:

1. Agent Orchestration Layer: This technology enables large language models (LLMs) to manage multi-step, asynchronous tasks, allowing recruiters to streamline hiring workflows.
2. Experiential Memory: A feature that personalises recruiter interactions by learning from past engagements, ensuring a more refined and customised hiring experience.

Empowering learning with AI coaching

On the learning front, LinkedIn has expanded AI-powered coaching in LinkedIn Learning, particularly for developing human skills at scale. AI-driven learning tools now provide interactive, real-world scenarios, personalised feedback, and voice/text-based coaching to help professionals refine their leadership and communication skills.

Organisations like the Gates Foundation are already leveraging AI-powered learning to train their leadership teams, demonstrating the vast potential of AI in professional development.

Balancing engineering excellence and business goals

Prashanthi believes that engineering excellence must align with business objectives. “While innovation and craftsmanship are fundamental, they must be balanced with speed to market and user impact. The criteria for engineering excellence evolve based on the product lifecycle—early-stage experimentation may prioritise agility, whereas large-scale deployment requires robust, scalable solutions,” she asserts. 

The evolution of engineering leadership

Reflecting on her career journey, Prashanthi highlights how engineering leadership has transformed beyond traditional technology roles. “Today, engineering leaders must act as co-GMs of their business lines, integrating technical expertise with business acumen, UX sensibilities, and customer empathy,” she points out. 

Creating an organisational culture that promotes critical thinking, rapid experimentation, and balanced execution is essential for fostering innovation and driving meaningful impact.

The rise of skills-based hiring

LinkedIn champions a skills-first hiring approach, which shifts the focus from traditional credentials to competencies. By leveraging AI-driven tools, hiring managers can identify candidates based on both explicit indicators (work history, certifications) and implicit indicators (volunteer work, projects), expanding opportunities for a more diverse talent pool.

Shaping the future of women in tech

Achieving gender equity in tech requires systemic change. Organisations and leaders must take deliberate action to create an inclusive environment where women can thrive.

Key priorities for the future:

1. Encouraging young girls to pursue STEM education: Inspiring the next generation of female technologists by fostering an early interest in technical fields.
2. Creating workplace flexibility: Ensuring women have the support and balance needed to sustain long-term careers in tech.
3. Investing in upskilling and mentorship programs: Providing continuous learning opportunities and structured mentorship to foster career progression.

As a leader, Prashanthi remains committed to building inclusive, high-performing teams and leveraging AI to revolutionise hiring and learning experiences. Her insights offer a compelling vision for the future—one where technology, talent, and inclusivity drive meaningful transformation in the workforce. By championing initiatives that empower women in tech, she is paving the way for a more equitable and diverse industry.