Jayshree Ullal, President and Chief Executive Officer of Arista Networks, has emerged as the world’s richest Indian-origin professional CEO, overtaking global technology heavyweights such as Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai, according to the latest rankings released by Hurun India.
With an estimated net worth of ₹50,170 crore, Ullal now leads the list of Indian-origin corporate executives globally, marking a significant milestone for Indian leadership in Silicon Valley. In comparison, Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, ranks second with a net worth of ₹9,770 crore, while Google CEO Sundar Pichai stands seventh with ₹5,810 crore.
A standout among global tech leaders
Ullal’s wealth surge is largely attributed to the sustained performance of Arista Networks, a California-based networking company specialising in high-speed, data-driven cloud networking solutions for hyperscale data centres, artificial intelligence workloads, and large campus environments. Over the past several years, Arista has benefited from the rapid expansion of cloud computing and AI infrastructure worldwide, significantly boosting shareholder value.
Ullal has been at the helm of Arista Networks for 17 years, guiding the company from a niche networking player into one of the most influential firms powering next-generation data centres. Her long-term equity holdings and performance-linked compensation have played a crucial role in propelling her to the top of the Hurun list.
A career built on deep tech expertise
Born in London and educated in the United States, Ullal is widely respected in the global technology ecosystem for her deep technical knowledge and strategic leadership. Before joining Arista Networks, she held senior roles at Cisco Systems, where she played a key role in building its data centre and switching businesses.
Industry analysts credit Ullal’s leadership style—marked by long-term vision, engineering-driven decision-making, and disciplined execution—for Arista’s ability to compete with much larger rivals in the networking space.
Nadella and Pichai: influence beyond personal wealth
While Ullal tops the wealth rankings, Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai continue to wield enormous influence in the global technology landscape. Nadella has overseen Microsoft’s transformation into a cloud and AI powerhouse, while Pichai leads Google and its parent Alphabet through one of the most competitive eras in artificial intelligence and digital services.
However, unlike founder-led tech giants or executives with massive equity windfalls, both Nadella and Pichai are professional managers whose compensation structures are less heavily skewed toward long-term stock ownership—partly explaining the disparity in net worth.
A broader signal for Indian-origin leadership
Ullal’s rise to the top underscores a broader trend: Indian-origin executives are no longer just influential operators in global corporations but are increasingly among the world’s wealthiest professional managers. The Hurun rankings highlight how long-term leadership, equity participation, and exposure to high-growth sectors like AI and cloud infrastructure can translate into extraordinary personal wealth.
For many observers, Ullal’s achievement is also symbolic. It reflects the growing recognition of Indian-origin leaders not only for steering global companies but for creating enduring value over decades.
As Arista Networks continues to ride the wave of AI-driven data centre expansion, Ullal’s position at the top of the Indian-origin wealth rankings appears firmly entrenched—setting a new benchmark for professional CEOs worldwide.
