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From Celebration to Impact: How Monika Gupta Is Building a Legacy at Microsoft and Empowering the Next Generation of Tech Leaders
As Partner General Manager of Engineering at Microsoft, Monika Gupta has spearheaded some of the company’s most mission-critical programs, setting a gold standard for how technology can fuel both operational excellence, employees’ experience, and cultural transformation. In today’s interview, Monika reflects on her 19-year journey at Microsoft, her approach to leading high-impact engineering teams, and how her values of curiosity, collaboration, and care for quality have shaped her leadership. She shares a personal story of mentoring a fellow working mother through one of the toughest moments in her career, exemplifying Monika’s belief that legacy is built not only through innovation, but by lifting others as you rise.
Her work goes beyond systems and scale: Monika is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of leaders and shaping a more equitable technology field.
You can find more about Monika on the Women in Cloud #empowHER50 Spotlights Campaign.
Women in Technology (WiT): Can you share your background and college major with us? Also, what sparked your interest in working in technology?
Monika Gupta: Yeah, of course! I majored in Computer Science. I was a science student all along, I did my bachelor’s in Mathematics and Physics, and then went on to pursue a Master’s in Computer Science.
What sparked my interest in technology? Honestly, it started back in high school. At the time, computers were an emerging field, and I was always intrigued by how machines could perform such complex calculations. That curiosity naturally led me to pursue a Master’s in Computer Science, which only deepened my interest. I started to see how I could actually solve real-world problems using technology, and that’s what truly motivated me.
I started as a hardcore developer, working on things like Windows kernel programming and low-level machine code. Over time, I transitioned into building productivity tools, like software designed for users who might not have a deep technical background but still wanted to create solutions. That shift made me think more about business challenges. I began asking myself, “How can we use software to solve real business problems?” This curiosity led me into the IT services industry, where I worked with various clients to understand their issues and design tech-based solutions.
WiT: Can you tell us more about that growth?
Monika: Well, I was learning a lot, but across multiple domains and different areas of technology. After a while, I felt I was growing quickly, but at the same time, I was becoming a jack of all trades, hence I wanted to get back into developing deeper skills. So, when the Microsoft opportunity came along, I was happy to join as an individual contributor with a clear focus on going deep into the areas I was working on.
I’ve been with Microsoft since 2006, almost 20 years now, 19 to be exact. Over that time, I’ve worked in various teams, in different roles, and across several disciplines. I’ve learned so much along the way, and that’s one of the things I truly appreciate about Microsoft: the opportunity to constantly grow and pursue what you’re passionate about, as long as you have the curiosity and drive. That’s how I’ve stayed at Microsoft for 19 years.
That’s one of the things I truly appreciate about Microsoft: the opportunity to constantly grow and pursue what you’re passionate about, as long as you have the curiosity and drive.
WiT: What do you currently do at Microsoft?
Monika: Currently, I lead an engineering team within Microsoft Digital. Our focus is on transforming employee experiences and building solutions that help with employee productivity and operational excellence. We work across multiple areas, including security and governance, data insights, and modern platforms.
WiT: How are you and your team transforming employee experience?
Monika: We focus on four or five major areas. The first one is building smart workplace solutions, or what we call the digital workplace. These are intelligent systems designed to enhance the employee experience on campus. For example, we use IoT and other smart technologies to make things more seamless when employees come into the office. Instead of wasting time trying to find information or navigate the campus, they can focus on their work. It’s all about creating a smoother, smarter work environment.
The second key area is security and compliance. We closely partner with our Digital Risk, Security, and Compliance team to ensure that the implementation of software and products within Microsoft is secure and compliant. This is a major part of our work, and it’s critical in a company of this size and enterprise scale.
The third area is enhancing everyday employee experiences. We’re building solutions that simplify daily tasks and make the overall work life easier and more efficient. One example of our work is an app called MyHub. We built it on a mobile platform to bring together everything employees need from a corporate perspective (HR, finance, expenses, commuting around campus), all in one place. It was designed to streamline the day-to-day tasks employees handle throughout their workday. We’ve also integrated AI into these experiences. One of our newer developments is an Employee Self-Service Agent, which leverages AI to make employees’ work lives even easier by providing quick and intelligent support for common needs.
The fourth area we focus on is device and asset management across Microsoft. We’re responsible for managing the end-to-end lifecycle of thousands of devices company-wide.
Along with this, we provide critical, intelligent data insights that can help with operational excellence as well as enhance Microsoft products and services, and help with adoption and usage both internally within Microsoft and externally with customers.
WiT: Thank you for breaking that down. Hearing about the impact your team is making on employee experiences leads perfectly into something I’ve been curious about. What are some of the key principles you follow to ensure quality, resilience, and service excellence, especially when you and your team are working in these high-stakes environments?
Monika: I have this little plaque that always sits on my desk. It says: “Quality only happens when you care enough to do your best.” That’s really been a guiding principle for me throughout my career.
I always ask myself and encourage my team to do the same: How can I do this better? How can I approach this differently? Just because something is working doesn’t mean it’s the best it can be. Challenging the status quo and striving for continuous improvement leads to better results and gives you personal satisfaction. When everyone on the team thinks that way, the collective impact is huge, and I believe that’s how we achieve excellence, through consistent focus on quality.
Challenging the status quo and striving for continuous improvement leads to better results and gives you personal satisfaction.
Another key principle is curiosity. At Microsoft, we often talk about our “learn-it-all” culture, and that’s something I fully embrace. Curiosity drives innovation. It pushes us to ask: Why is it done this way? Is there a better approach? Why is someone reacting this way? Whether it’s related to the work itself, or relationships and collaboration, curiosity is essential.
Which brings me to collaboration. We can’t do anything truly impactful in isolation. You have to bring people along with you. I often refer to the African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Building strong partnerships and working closely with others is how we scale impact.
Lastly, I cannot stress enough the importance of measuring progress. A few years ago, I asked myself and my leadership team: How do you know if we’re doing well as an engineering team? Are we good, great, or the best? And how do we measure that? Because what you measure is what you improve. Setting clear metrics and continuously tracking them is fundamental to how we maintain quality, resilience, and excellence, especially in high-stakes environments.
WiT: You’ve been with Microsoft for almost 20 years, which is remarkable. With Microsoft approaching its 50-year milestone, I’d love to hear your perspective: what does it mean to you, both personally and professionally, to be part of that legacy?
Monika: Personally, I feel incredibly proud. I’ve been at Microsoft for 19 of its 50 years, and it feels amazing to know I’ve contributed to some really critical areas within the company. I started in Enterprise Commerce, where we were responsible for Microsoft’s revenue processing systems. That work was important, from a company standpoint, and from our customers' and partners' point of view, because those systems were foundational to Microsoft and our customers'/partners' financial operations. Later, I moved into Product Release and Security, where we were responsible for making sure all the products that Microsoft releases to the market are done in a very secure and compliant manner. That was another deeply impactful area. Now, I’m focused on employee experiences, work that directly improves the day-to-day lives of Microsoft employees, and influences our customers. A lot of the solutions we build internally are actually things our customers want too, so it’s incredibly rewarding to see how our work has both internal and external impact. We are not just building internal applications but are co-engineering products for Microsoft customers as well.
To me, this journey has always felt meaningful and exciting. I’ve had the chance to be part of some very critical programs at Microsoft, but beyond the work itself, what really fulfills me is the opportunity to support others, both inside and outside of Microsoft, in their growth and development.
There’s a quote I often share, one that I also mentioned in the #empowHER50 campaign, about the legacy that you leave behind. In my mind, the legacy is the number of people that we help to grow within or outside the work paradigm.
I believe everyone needs a helping hand. Everyone benefits from feeling like they belong, like they have someone to turn to.
WiT: I love that! You’re certainly building that legacy, Monika. Would you like to share a story of a leader that you have mentored in the past?
Monika: Yes. There was a woman I mentored, and this story is very close to my heart. I’m a mother of two, and as I was growing in my career, I was also growing in my personal life. That came with its own challenges. The work environment 15–20 years ago was very different from what we have today. It’s more inclusive now, with more support and resources for working mothers. Back then, we didn’t even have remote work as an option.
This particular mentee was really struggling to balance her career with her responsibilities at home. As we know, many women end up doing two full-time jobs: one at work and another at home. She was overwhelmed and on the verge of giving up, not just on career growth, but on continuing her career altogether. She truly felt she couldn’t keep going.
I worked closely with her to help her reframe that mindset. One of the biggest challenges we discussed was the pressure many women put on themselves to be perfect in every role: at work, at home, as a mother, as a partner. I helped her see that it’s okay to let go of that perfectionism. There will be weeks when you feel like you’re not doing great as a mom, or your house is messy, and that’s perfectly fine. There will also be times when work has to take a back seat for family, and that’s okay too. The key is persistence, not perfection.
One of the biggest challenges we discussed was the pressure many women put on themselves to be perfect in every role: at work, at home, as a mother, as a partner. I helped her see that it’s okay to let go of that perfectionism.
She took that to heart. She stuck with her career, slowly built a support system around her, and learned to give herself more grace. Eventually, she left Microsoft and moved on to another company, where she made a significant leap in her career. What touched me was that she reached out later and sent a heartfelt message. She said, “If it weren’t for your support, I probably would have given up. But I didn’t, and now I’m thriving.” We still keep in touch, and seeing where she is today reminds me why mentoring matters so much. That is what we must do, uplift others and sometimes all that means is being there to listen or provide encouragement and being an advocate for them when the opportunity arises.
WiT: Thank you for sharing that story. It highlights your impact as a mentor and shows a more personal side of you, as a mother, and as someone who brings empathy into leadership. To wrap up our conversation, if you could give a piece of advice to your 30-year-old self, what would you tell her?
Monika: I’d tell her: don’t be so serious! Just have more fun. I was very focused on work, on my home, on my kids, and I was trying so hard to do everything as best as I could, all the time. Over time, I realized that it’s just not worth it to aim for that kind of intensity and focus on every aspect. For me, it manifested in affecting my health or relationships.
So yes, do your best, because, like I always say, “quality only happens when you care enough to do your best”, but don’t get stuck on it. Relax a little. Let go when you need to. Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. That’s what I’d tell my younger self: lighten up and enjoy the journey a little more.
Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.
WiT: As Microsoft marks its 50th anniversary, what legacy do you hope to leave for the next generation of women technologists and engineers?
Monika: I hope to leave two things behind. First, recognize those who came before you. The environment we have today, like the progress in inclusion, flexibility, and culture, it didn’t just happen. It came from women before us who stood up for what was missing, who paved the way. I recently had dinner with women from the #empowHER campaign, and we had women there who joined Microsoft in the ’80s, the ’90s, the 2000s. Each decade brought new challenges, and each generation moved the needle forward. So recognize that legacy and have gratitude for those people.
Second, uplift others as you go, so that we continue this momentum. I call this generational impact. That’s what the #empowHER50 campaign is about: honoring the past while building a better, more inclusive environment for those who come after us. That’s the kind of legacy I hope we can leave behind for our daughters and sons.
That’s what the #empowHER50 campaign is about: honoring the past while building a better, more inclusive environment for those who come after us.
WiT: Thank you so much, Monika! We truly appreciate your time.
Do you know a current or former Microsoft woman leader who has been instrumental in democratizing access to technology, empowering communities, or driving innovation? We are calling on you to help us recognize and celebrate their achievements.
To nominate a remarkable woman leader, please fill out this nomination form.
Your input will help us highlight those who are making significant strides in creating a more accessible and equitable world.
About the #empowHER50 campaign: The #empowHER50 campaign celebrates women leaders at Microsoft, past and present, who have been instrumental in democratizing access to technology, opportunity, and growth. By honoring their contributions over the last half-century, this campaign highlights stories of resilience, innovation, and inclusivity. Through digital spotlights, a commemorative coffee table book, live recognition events, and more, the campaign inspires collective action toward achieving equitable societal goals.
About Women in Cloud: A community-led economic development organization dedicated to taking collective action to generate $1B in new net economic access for women entrepreneurs and professionals by 2030 through global partnerships with corporations, community leaders, and policymakers. All of these are united by the ESG and UN Sustainable Development Goals that are driven by job creation, diversity and inclusion, technology innovation, and sustainability, giving women a powerful platform to accelerate as industry leaders.
