From Mumbai to Momentum

My Chase Journey of Growth, Grit, and Transformation

By: Varun Awasthi, Lead Software Engineer, Chase

• Varun Awasthi’s journey with Chase has opened new opportunities not only in career advancement, but also geographically.
• Cross-functional roles and taking charge of his own path fueled his growth.
• Here’s his advice for technologists aiming to expand their skills and grow their careers.

If someone had told me when I first joined JPMorganChase as an Automation/Database Validation Engineer in Mumbai, India, that one day I’d be driving innovation across multiple business lines in the U.S., I might’ve smiled politely — but deep down, I would’ve found it hard to believe. Yet, here I am, looking back at a journey filled with learning, opportunities, resilience and a deep sense of gratitude.

Let me take you on that journey.

The Beginning: A Step Into the Unknown

After earning my master’s degree in computer applications, I began my professional career at Accenture, where I gained experience and built my skills in software testing during a few formative years. It was a great learning ground, but in 2010 a new door opened — one that would define the next chapter of my life. I joined JPMorganChase in Mumbai as a software tester.

At the time, my role was focused on automation and manual testing within the Asset and Wealth Management (AWM) division, specifically supporting the Equities platform. I came in with strong testing fundamentals, but what I didn’t know then was how Chase would challenge me to continuously evolve.

Chase, for me, was like discovering a treasure chest of possibilities. Every challenge presented a new learning curve — and every learning curve presented a new opportunity to grow. I quickly realized that Chase wasn’t just a place to work; it was a place where you could reinvent yourself — as long as you were willing to take the initiative.

From Execution to Expertise: Becoming a Platform Specialist

Over time, I moved beyond testing. I began to understand the ecosystem of trading applications we were supporting — how batches ran, how platforms integrated, how data flowed across systems. This shift from being a task executor to a systems thinker was a defining moment in my journey.

I leaned into cross-functional learning. I supported complex batch processes, participated in release planning, and slowly became a subject matter expert on key applications. This wasn’t by accident — it was the result of staying curious, asking questions others didn’t, and saying “yes” to responsibilities that initially felt outside my comfort zone.

And then came the game changer — Global Mobility.

A Big Leap: Moving to the U.S.

After more than three years in Mumbai, I was selected to relocate to the U.S. through Chase’s global mobility program. This was a proud and emotional moment for me and my family. It wasn’t just about flying across continents; it was about stepping into a world of bigger challenges and broader impact.

In the U.S., I was part of the in-house transformation efforts, particularly focused on replacing third-party vendor tools with internally built applications. The challenge was complex — migrating, modernizing, and scaling an application while ensuring seamless functionality and reliability.

I didn’t want to just keep the lights on — I wanted to make things better. So I took the initiative to automate workflows, reduce testing cycles, and improve confidence in releases. I introduced end-to-end test automation frameworks that made deployments faster, smoother and more reliable.

That’s when it hit me: Impact is not about title — it’s about initiative.

A Decade of Growth in AWM: Building, Automating, Innovating

In AWM, I spent nearly a decade evolving — not just in terms of role, but also in mindset. I worked on projects tied to data migration efforts, batch optimization, and performance engineering for our multi-asset trading platform. Each project was an opportunity to innovate — to reduce manual dependencies, improve release cycles, and drive business value.

What kept me going was the culture. At Chase, leaders empower you. They trust you. They support you when you want to experiment, and they give you a platform to grow. I found mentors who challenged me, teammates who collaborated with me, and a system that rewards innovation.

But after 10 years, I knew I was ready for a new domain. I wanted to stretch my boundaries once again.

A New Chapter: Consumer & Community Banking (CCB)

I made a bold move, shifting from Asset and Wealth Management to Chase’s Consumer and Community Banking (CCB) business. It was a different world — new tools, new products, new priorities. But that’s what made it exciting.

Here, I dove into modern cloud-native development, automation in agile pipelines, and even integrated AI tools like coding assistants, which have been game-changers in accelerating code quality and productivity. I also worked on cutting-edge solutions in real-time payments and Request for Payment (RfP) — transforming how customers experience speed and flexibility in digital transactions. Working in CCB has exposed me to scalable architectures, customer-facing platforms, and real-time performance tuning — all in a fast-paced environment where innovation is the default.

What I love about CCB, and Chase in general, is that it never stops evolving. Every day brings a new challenge and with it, a new opportunity to learn and contribute.

Culture, Leadership and the Spirit of Innovation

Throughout my journey at Chase, one thing has remained constant: a culture that nurtures growth, supports ambition, and celebrates innovation. Chase doesn’t just support innovation, it cultivates it. From hackathons and internal challenges to mentorship and knowledge-sharing sessions, we’re continuously encouraged to bring ideas to the table and apply our creativity to solve real-world problems.

The belief that “great ideas can come from anywhere” isn’t just a slogan. It’s embedded in how we work, grow and build for the future. Some of our most impactful projects and even patentable innovations began as simple hallway conversations and evolved into working prototypes with full leadership support.

Chase has given me the freedom to explore, the support to excel, and the encouragement to fail forward. Behind every project or promotion, there’s been a leader cheering me on and a team backing me up. It’s rare to find a place where you feel seen, heard and valued at every stage of your career. For me, Chase has been that place and the catalyst for my evolution as an innovator.

Advice for Others: Grow Where You Are Planted

To anyone just starting out or feeling stuck in their career, here’s what I’ve learned:

· Stay curious. Learn not just your job, but how your job fits into the bigger picture.

· Say yes to challenges. Growth never comes from your comfort zone.

· Automate what you can. Time saved is opportunity earned.

· Find mentors. And be one when the time comes.

· Celebrate progress, not perfection.

What’s Next?

I don’t know exactly what the next chapter holds, but I know I’ll be ready because in my time at Chase I’ve learned how to evolve, how to lead, and how to keep moving forward with confidence.

From Mumbai to Manhattan, from test cases to transformation strategies. From curious learner to named inventor — this journey has been about so much more than career growth. It’s been about discovering my potential, expanding my horizon, and living out the belief that opportunity is everywhere if you’re willing to grab it.

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