From Windows Kernel to AI-Native Platforms: Scaling Engineering Teams and Systems with Puneet Saraswat

In this special season 3 finale of ShipTalk, host Dewan Ahmed sits down with Puneet Saraswat, VP of Engineering at Harness, for an inspiring conversation about engineering leadership, system design, and the evolution of software delivery.

What You'll Learn:

Career Journey: Follow Puneet's path from discovering programming in a hot computer lab in North India to building Windows 7 kernel components at Microsoft, then transitioning to Azure's distributed systems, and finally joining Harness as one of their first 15 engineers.

Production Systems at Scale: Get insights into building reliable systems that serve millions of users, including lessons learned from Windows kernel development, Azure's global infrastructure challenges, and the evolution from monolithic to distributed architectures.

AI-Native Software Delivery: Explore how AI is transforming the software development lifecycle beyond just code generation - from automated pipeline debugging to intelligent remediation and best practice recommendations.

Engineering Leadership: Discover strategies for scaling engineering teams, balancing velocity with security and compliance, and transitioning from individual contributor to management roles.

Beyond the Code: Learn about Puneet's passion for indoor climbing 🧗‍♂️ and how lessons from physical challenges apply to navigating corporate growth and continuous learning.

Key Takeaways:

• Why fundamental computer science concepts matter more than ever in the age of rapid technological change
• How to build "cellular architectures" that prevent regional failures from cascading globally
• The importance of hiring generalists with strong analytical skills and growth mindsets
• Strategies for managing the balance between AI-accelerated development and production reliability
• Practical advice for engineers considering the transition to management

Perfect for software engineers, engineering managers, DevOps professionals, and anyone interested in the intersection of AI and software delivery platforms.

Guest Bio: Puneet Saraswat is VP of Engineering at Harness, where he leads platform engineering and SRE teams. With over 15 years of experience, he previously spent nearly a decade at Microsoft working on Windows kernel development and Azure infrastructure. He holds a degree from IIT Kanpur and is passionate about building scalable systems and developing engineering talent.