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EEE Alumni Stories: Raja Saggi
Meet Raja Saggi, a UCL alumnus who completed a BEng Internet Engineering in Electronic and Electrical Engineering and now has a career as a technology leader.
17 October 2024
Introducing Raja Saggi, an Electronic and Electrical Engineering BEng alumnus who has built an impressive career in marketing, product development, and leadership at global tech companies. In this Q&A, Raja shares his journey from UCL to Silicon Valley, offering insights on scaling businesses, the impact of AI in B2B marketing, and strategies for success in today’s fast-changing tech landscape. With over 25 years of experience, he advises students and entrepreneurs on the importance of continuous learning, cross-functional expertise, and adaptability.
What inspired you to study Electrical Engineering at UCL, and how has your degree shaped your career?
I chose Electrical Engineering at UCL for practical reasons - Singapore’s electronics sector was booming, and I excelled in Physics and Maths. UCL’s strong academic reputation and diverse offerings allowed me to explore various subjects, including Computer Science and French. This led to a second-year internship at Motorola’s R&D, where I worked on a hardware and software project. My final-year project, a neural network simulation for BT, solidified my passion for computing and technology.
With over 25 years of experience in marketing and business development, what are the most important lessons you've learned while leading global teams and managing large-scale projects?
My engineering background has been a real asset, helping me connect with product teams as a partner. But I've had to learn some crucial lessons along the way. I remember a project we had with a team in Asia - we thought their work was ‘substandard’ at first. After sending a US-based consultant to work alongside them, we realised that we were not giving them detailed enough specs. It was a real eye-opener about the importance of clear communication and understanding cultural differences.
That experience taught me that success isn't just about technical skills. It's about creating a common language for your team, no matter where they are in the world. Now, I always make sure we have a standardised project methodology and prioritise over-communication. It's amazing how much smoother things run when everyone's on the same page especially when working on large-scale projects.
You’ve had an impressive career at Google and beyond. Can you share how you transitioned from a technical background in engineering to a leadership role in product marketing?
I regularly take stock of my career and ask if I am among the best at what I do. Working in Silicon Valley 2 years after graduating from UCL, I was putting in 12-14 hour days, but some superstar programmers could do the same job much quicker. I realised I was better at being the bridge between our developers and the customer, and asked my CEO at the time, for opportunities in project management and business development. I liked the work, and applied and undertook an MBA, 5 years into my career, which allowed me to pivot into commercial roles. At each subsequent company I worked in, I tried my hand at adjacent roles - from presales, to partner sales, business development. Google offered me a career in marketing, which I thoroughly enjoyed. This career diversity is one of my strengths, giving me knowledge and empathy of cross-functional teams, enabling me to get work done.
As a board advisor for UCL’s Department of Electrical Engineering, how do you see the industry evolving, and what advice do you offer students looking to build successful careers in tech and marketing?
Electrical engineering is advancing rapidly, especially in semiconductors, sensors, AI, and sustainable technologies and becoming more interdisciplinary, requiring collaboration across various domains. For students, having a curious mindset, building in time for continuous learning, and honing one’s communication skills is key. Engineers should also have a high-level understanding of how to commercialise products, from marketing principles to IP protection and contracts. Finally, be open to career pivots - exploring different specialisations early on will help you identify your passions and carve out a niche in the evolving tech landscape.
You frequently mentor entrepreneurs and innovators. What common challenges do you see among startups today, and what advice would you give them to overcome these hurdles?
The biggest challenge facing startups in the UK today is the lack of patient capital and achieving scale quickly enough versus their US competitors (given the smaller size of the UK market). To counteract this, successful UK startups often go global very early in the journey, scaling into the US market, by doing series B or C rounds with US investors, and replicating a product, sales and marketing team based there, while keeping engineering in the UK. Onfido, a startup I mentored did this and was acquired a year ago by Entrust at a rumoured $650M.
What are some of the biggest trends and innovations shaping the future of B2B marketing, particularly in the tech industry?
AI is the biggest ‘general purpose’ disruptive force. It’s revolutionising everything from market research, where it can analyse social media to track trends, to content creation and personalisation. In the past, creating tailored content for large audiences was time-consuming, but AI now allows us to personalise content on a large scale. Predictive analytics also lets us forecast outcomes like customer churn or lead conversion, while AI-powered tools enable real-time campaign optimisation to maximise impact. The UK and UCL have a great track record in this space, with DeepMind and other great companies incubated here. I regularly blog about this - check me out on LinkedIn here and feel free to connect.
You’ve spoken at numerous high-profile events like TEDx and the Digital Marketing Show. How has public speaking and engaging with the broader tech community influenced your career?
Once, while leading a major Google event, I found the EMEA MD practising his speech at 6 am on the morning of the talk. His dedication to perfecting his presentation left a strong impression on me. Over time, I learned that the best public speakers invest hours in making their presentations flawless. As an introvert, public speaking wasn’t easy for me, but it became necessary in sales and marketing roles. I took every opportunity to improve, offering to speak at events across Europe. With practice, I grew comfortable presenting to thousands of people. In corporate environments, public speaking is an essential skill, and even seasoned speakers must work hard to perfect it.
What advice would you give to current UCL students or prospective applicants who are interested in pursuing careers that could one day lead to tech leadership?
The next generation of tech leaders will work in industries yet to be created. Early in your career, it’s good to work for a big corporate but then to be open to taking risks in newer industries. For example, when FinTech got going, people who entered early ended up getting more responsibility and career growth than if they had stayed in more mainstream industries.
My advice is to work on the bleeding edge of technology, with the smartest people you can find, and focus on learning rather than income. Be prepared to diversify if you are not the best at what you do, so you can discover what is truly your metier.