Harivardan Jayaraman, an accomplished leader with over a decade of experience in building consumer and financial products, is making waves in the tech industry as the Head of Product (Group Product Manager) for Facebook Notifications at Meta. With his expertise at the intersection of machine learning and user experience, Harivardan is spearheading the creation of innovative and value-driven products for Facebook’s 2 billion daily users. Prior to his role at Meta, he held prominent positions at renowned gaming companies Kabam and Zynga, where he played a pivotal role in the growth and success of gaming franchises such as Word with Friends and CSR2.
Solving the User Experience Puzzle
At Zynga, Harivardan’s focus on growth and acquisition led to groundbreaking achievements. He contributed to the launch of Words with Friends 2 in 2018, leveraging his expertise to build predictive lifetime value (LTV) models that accurately forecasted user value within games. Additionally, he developed marketing optimization products that revolutionized the efficient allocation of resources, ensuring targeted marketing efforts and the acquisition of interested and paying users. Harivardan’s contributions were crucial in evaluating Zynga’s mergers and acquisitions between 2018 and 2020, and he played a key role in launching all the games during that period.
Pioneering Innovations in Gaming
During his tenure at Kabam, Harivardan left an indelible mark on the gaming landscape. He crafted engaging experiences for users by developing products for highly popular games like Star Wars and “Marvel: Contest of Champions,” which soared to the top 10 on the App Store. His groundbreaking marketing optimization product, optimizing the allocation of marketing budgets across various channels, propelled these games to new heights, attracting a substantial number of interested and paying users.
The Financial Journey
Before venturing into the gaming industry, Harivardan honed his skills in the financial sector. At Goldman Sachs, he developed pricing products that accurately predicted bond prices, showcasing his proficiency in financial modeling. Later, at Deutsche Bank, he tackled the 2008 mortgage crisis head-on, creating mortgage trading software and an internal product that predicted borrowers at risk of foreclosure. By providing temporary monetary support, Harivardan helped homeowners avoid foreclosure, enabling Deutsche Bank to avoid taking ownership of properties.
Expertise and Recognition
Harivardan’s vast knowledge and expertise in product management have made him a sought-after industry figure. He is an instructor and contributor at Product School, one of the world’s largest Product Management organizations. He has delivered captivating speeches on setting and communicating product strategies and has been part of influential panel discussions on partnering with other teams. Additionally, Harivardan serves as an Expert through Criya, supporting product managers and even those affected by layoffs.
Defining Success and Entrepreneurship
According to Harivardan, success emerges from the graveyard of failures, with the true joy lying in the process or its culmination. He emphasizes that success should be personal and not measured against others. Entrepreneurship, in his view, is characterized by perseverance, pushing through the challenges with unwavering conviction, and envisioning the beautiful view on the other side.
Future Outlook
As a forward-thinking product management leader, Harivardan aims to continue making significant contributions to the tech industry. Leveraging his expertise in growth, growth marketing, gaming, social media, career development, communication, and PM coaching and mentorship, he envisions expanding his impact by speaking at prominent conferences such as Enrich. With his commitment to innovation and user-centric product development, Harivardan is poised to shape the future of the tech industry.
