At Google, 74% of product managers come from technical backgrounds.
This pattern holds true across many Indian startups too.
But here’s the shift: the belief that only engineers make great product managers is slowly fading.
For context—I’m an engineer myself.
In the early days of my career, people like me were preferred for PM roles because of our structured thinking and documentation skills.
But times have changed.
With AI taking over much of the heavy lifting, traditional PM traits are no longer the most valuable.
The game has changed—structure is no longer king; innovation is.
Just look at hiring patterns at IITs and IIMs. Companies are turning away from consultants and looking for bold thinkers.
They’re seeking people with creativity, entrepreneurial energy, and a drive to deliver real impact.
Today, product management is all about innovation.
And the question every company is asking is:
“How will you solve our real-world problems while driving business outcomes?”
Technical Project Manager with PMP and SAFe | AI & Multi-Cloud (OCI & AWS) | WINNER OF FLUXX Middle East Award | Winner of IT CIO NEXT100 | Core Banking Project Manager | Multidomain Experience
4 months ago
Well said in fact PM + Technical is already on High Demand opposite to what you said I was PM who moved as Technical PM now it’s while I have been doing PM + Technical
Leadership Coach | Coach Educator | Helping leaders make decisions with clarity
4 months ago
PMs actually need a good understanding of the markets and consumer behavior in addition to what you have mentioned. So, I'd really love to see folks with a background in Psychology, esp Behavioral Economics, get hired into those roles.
What’s good for the world can be great for business, if approached with empathy and innovation
We need PMs to build solutions that people use and value, not what they think is of value.