Padmasree Warrior is a name known for change. From transforming Motorola’s R&D to defining Cisco’s innovation vision, taking NIO from startup to IPO, to now running Fable – her career is a guided study in reinvention. With a background in chemical engineering by schooling, a tech evangelist by job, and an inventive individual by instinct, Padmasree Warrior has a history of regularly pushing the edges in every business she’s been a part of.
Born in Vijayawada, India, Padmasree Warrior’s path started with an enormous fondness for both science and technology. With a Bachelor’s degree from IIT Delhi and a Master’s from Cornell, she ventured into the tech field as a research engineer at Motorola. She was the only female engineer in the room, a situation she would encounter numerous times on the job.
But Padmasree Warrior filled more than space—she commanded it. In five years, she became the Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO). She directed investments in billions of dollars in R&D, generated hundreds of patents, and earned membership on the list of winners by the U.S. National Medal of Technology. Thinking back to her early days, Warrior recalled, “When I took my first job, I was among only a handful of women. It was isolating at times. My love for technology kept me going.”
Warriors’ skill of combining technical skill with strategic outlook was unmatched. Fortune took notice, putting her on its Most Powerful Women list of rising stars in 2006.
By 2007, Silicon Valley was calling. Padmasree Warrior joined Cisco as Chief Technology & Strategy Officer (CTSO), overseeing global engineering and directing the company’s tech investments. Cisco was already a networking giant, but Warrior saw an opportunity to expand beyond hardware. She championed cloud computing, cybersecurity, and IoT (Internet of Things)—technologies that now define modern enterprise infrastructure.
At Cisco, she was not just managing innovation—she was setting the agenda. She led major acquisitions and venture investments, ensuring Cisco stayed ahead in a rapidly shifting landscape. Her leadership at the intersection of technology and business made her one of the most influential women in Silicon Valley.
After nearly a decade at Cisco, Padmasree Warrior could have taken a comfortable executive role elsewhere. Instead, she took on an entirely new challenge—electric vehicles. In 2015, she joined NIO Inc. as U.S. CEO and Chief Development Officer, a Chinese startup aiming to disrupt the EV market.
Warrior understood that the future of mobility wasn’t just about electric cars—it was about autonomous driving, AI, and a user-first experience. She played a critical role in securing investor confidence and positioning NIO as a serious Tesla competitor. By 2018, NIO went public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: NIO), raising $1 billion in its IPO. In just three years, Warrior had helped transform NIO from an ambitious startup into a Wall Street success story.
After conquering telecom, enterprise tech, and automotive, Padmasree Warrior’s next move was unexpected—but deeply personal. In 2019, she founded Fable, a digital reading platform designed to foster mental wellness through social reading.
At first glance, launching a book club app seemed like a departure from her tech-driven career. But for Padmasree Warrior, Fable was a way to blend technology, storytelling, and well-being. The platform curates book recommendations, facilitates community discussions, and encourages mindful reading habits—something Warrior believes is essential in today’s hyper-digital world.
Fable has already raised over $28 million in funding and is steadily growing in influence. It’s a testament to Warrior’s ability to spot emerging trends and build technology that serves a human purpose.
Even as she builds Fable, Padmasree Warrior continues to shape the global tech industry from the boardroom. She serves on the boards of Microsoft and Spotify, advising on technology strategy and future growth. Her previous board roles include Gap and Box, further proving her ability to navigate diverse industries.
Her impact hasn’t gone unnoticed. She has been featured multiple times on Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” list, named by Business Insider as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Wireless, and honored by Fast Company among the 100 Most Creative People in Business.
Padmasree Warrior’s career defies convention. She has transitioned across industries with ease, driven billion-dollar innovations, and championed women in STEM along the way. As she builds Fable and advises global tech leaders, one thing is certain—Warrior isn’t done yet.
The question is not what she has accomplished. It’s what she will disrupt next.
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