For Surabhi Gupta, building transformative technology starts with data. As Chief Technology Officer at Klaviyo since September 2024, she has been steering the Boston-based marketing automation platform toward even greater use of its vast data foundation. Drawn by the company’s deep commitment to unifying and harnessing customer information, Gupta sees limitless potential in applying AI to help marketers anticipate the next best action. One of her first moves was hiring Liang Zhang as VP of engineering and head of AI to strengthen Klaviyo’s capabilities, convinced that with the right talent and a strong data platform, “we can create magic here.”
Born in India, Gupta earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science from Stony Brook University and her master’s degree in computer science from Stanford University. She began her career at Google, working on the search ranking team before leading engineering for Airbnb’s core Homes business. At Robinhood, she advanced to senior vice president and head of engineering, guiding the company through its IPO while scaling teams and systems for complex, high-growth environments. Today at Klaviyo, she oversees engineering efforts to expand AI capabilities, improve large codebase management, and ensure the company’s technology aligns with customer needs.
Gupta’s leadership is grounded in empowering cross-functional teams with autonomy, clear goals, and the ability to move quickly without unnecessary barriers. She also sees value in partnering with startups—particularly Series A or B companies—to solve complex gaps and co-create solutions. Whether it’s fostering collaboration among internal teams or testing cutting-edge tools from outside partners, Gupta focuses on enabling people to do their best work. As she puts it, “I feel like we have the foundation, and there’s a lot more we can do.” That forward-looking drive is central to her mission at Klaviyo: to unlock new possibilities from the data it safeguards and help customers grow their businesses in ways they have yet to imagine.