In my wide-ranging conversation with Rajesh Ganesan, CEO of ManageEngine, he shares a grounded, long-term view of enterprise IT at a moment of rapid disruption. He explains why AI is already delivering real business value—but only if paired with strong guardrails around cybersecurity, compliance, and ethics.
Ganesan also pushes back on the idea that vibe coding will replace enterprise software companies, arguing that true enterprise systems require deep architecture and domain expertise. Beyond technology, he highlights the leadership challenge of bridging internal barriers between teams, and outlines ManageEngine’s distinctive hiring philosophy: investing patiently in people outside major tech hubs. Throughout, his message is consistent—stay close to customers, stay hands-on with systems, and balance innovation with responsibility.
Key Themes and Takeaways
• AI is transforming IT into a more strategic function.
• Enterprise software can’t be built “in a weekend”—it requires deep expertise and robust architecture.
• Responsible AI depends as much on business ethics as on model transparency.
• Great leadership means bridging silos, nurturing talent, and staying close to customers.
Important Quotes
AI Needs Guardrails to Deliver Real Value
“When we talk about AI, we talk about the technology having arrived already. It is delivering value, solving real problems for businesses. But at the same time, AI applied in the context of business does need a lot of guardrails… You have to let your workforce leverage AI, but not make any compromise when it comes to cybersecurity, data protection, compliance. It is a fine balance.”
Vibe Coding Won’t Replace Enterprise Architecture
“In a weekend of vibe coding, you get the 0.01 version, but for it to really deliver value, it takes more than a weekend… It was never only about the code that was generated. It’s about architecting, deep understanding of the domain, how the system scales gracefully, how intuitive it is, and how it incorporates user feedback.”
Responsible AI Starts With Responsible Businesses
“AI shouldn’t be a black box. It should be a true colleague at work—transparent, accountable… But beyond all this, you can only make AI so responsible. Fundamentally, the business should be responsible with their practices, their ethics, and how they define their business models serving their customers.”
ManageEngine’s Long-Term Philosophy on Hiring and Talent
“We don’t expect people to come and start contributing from day one… We believe it is our responsibility to teach and nurture people. We have long-term thinking when it comes to the company, and we apply that to people… That’s more important than fighting for talent in the top cities.”
