This Uber engineer became senior director in 6 years and now earns three times his starting salary

A 39-year-old senior director of engineering at Uber, based in Mountain View, California, has climbed the corporate ladder much faster than most professionals in the tech industry.

Madan Thangavelu progressed from a senior software engineer to a senior director in just six years at the company. Today, he earns nearly three times what he made when he first joined Uber.

In many major technology firms, employees who step into middle-management roles tend to remain there for several years before advancing to senior leadership. However, Thangavelu’s journey followed a much quicker trajectory.


Early career and joining Uber
Before joining Uber, Thangavelu worked as a software engineer at two smaller companies. In October 2014, he joined Uber as a senior software engineer.

During his time at the company, his managers began noticing his leadership potential. Within two years, he was considered for a management role, even though he did not yet hold the official title.

At that stage, he was given additional responsibilities such as monitoring project progress, mentoring engineers, defining project scope and providing updates on ongoing work.

Rapid promotions within the company
In March 2017, Thangavelu formally stepped into his first management role, leading a team of five engineers at a single location. A year later, he was promoted to the next level in management.

By September 2019, he became a senior manager, overseeing a team of 59 engineers spread across three locations.

His career continued to advance as he was later promoted to director of engineering. By 2022, he was managing 165 engineers working across four locations. In March 2023, he was elevated to the role of senior director.

Currently, Thangavelu oversees the Rider app and the fulfilment platform, the system responsible for matching riders with drivers, determining ride pricing, dispatching drivers and completing ride requests in real time. He now leads a global team of about 530 engineers across seven locations.

Taking initiative to stand out
According to Thangavelu, he did not wait for an opportunity to become a manager. Instead, he focused on solving problems proactively and taking responsibility beyond his formal role.

Even when certain tasks were not officially assigned to him, he helped with project coordination, mentoring colleagues and supporting team members.

"I didn't do those things with the goal of becoming a manager; in fact, I was surprised when I was asked to step up. I performed those because it was second nature for me," he said.

"As a senior engineer, when you do large-scale projects, other engineers collaborate with you. You can choose to delegate management-related duties to your manager or do them yourself. I chose to do them myself to ensure the success of the project," he added.

Building strong relationships with managers
Another factor behind his rapid rise was building strong professional relationships with his managers. Instead of frequently switching teams or looking for different leadership, he remained within the same setup and worked on building trust.

"I've experienced firsthand how effective management support can significantly impact growth and learning. At times, my progress has plateaued due to misalignment, while at other times, supportive managers have helped accelerate my trajectory," he said.

Today, as a senior leader himself, Thangavelu tries to extend the same support to his own team members. He believes that encouraging unconventional ideas can often lead to innovation.

The importance of timing in leadership
One of the key lessons he learned during his career is understanding the importance of timing when presenting ideas.

If an idea is introduced too late, it may seem like the problem was not understood early enough or that someone else has already solved it. On the other hand, presenting an idea too early may result in a lack of support.

Over time, he realised that ideas are most effective when introduced at the moment when the organisation truly needs a solution.

"Even great ideas can fail if the timing isn't right. Identifying the right solution at the right moment is what sets leaders apart and helps you move up in your career as a manager," he said.