Manu Narayan - CIO - README

Manu Narayan’s README

Why I’m at GitLab

I’ve been fortunate to work at companies that have defined their market, and I see the same in GitLab. By managing the end-to-end DevSecOps lifecycle, we’ve created a new category and continue to lead this segment. The power of AI moves beyond knowledge worker tasks and lies in orchestrating a number of mundane tasks all the way to completing complex workflows - and our Duo Agent platform does just that. Building upon that, I love the challenge and the opportunity to drive durable and continued growth at scale.

I am passionate about technology’s ability to act as a true force multiplier for an organization. The work we do in IT, Data, Enterprise Apps, and AI is critical because it powers the systems and processes that support GitLab’s continued growth, including expanding to PLG and consumption models. While these functions have existed at GitLab, they are truly “better together.” I’m energized by the opportunity to build a cohesive, synergistic stack that drives our business forward.

My Personal Values

1. Commitment: I believe in a ‘say-do ratio of 1’—that is, we do what we say we’re going to do. This commitment is the foundation of trust and accountability, and it’s essential for building strong, lasting relationships. I believe in complete transparency, and I expect open, honest, and constant communication. Bad news doesn’t get better with time, and I want to hear about what’s working and what isn’t early and often.

2. Ownership: I expect every team member to act as an owner, regardless of their role or level. This means taking accountability for your work and showing initiative to step into areas that may not be your direct responsibility. The ability to lead through influence and make a positive impact is critical to our collective success.

3. Excellence: The details really matter. We must hold ourselves to a high bar, setting the standard for quality of execution and deliverables. I believe our success should be tied to measurable business outcomes, not just effort. This pursuit of excellence is what drives meaningful results.

My Superpowers

1. Curiosity & Depth: I have a knack for diving deep and quickly getting up to speed on new topics. Whether it’s a new technical domain or a strategic initiative, I use a combination of internal and external research to develop a strong point of view. My ability to synthesize information and quickly develop deep domain expertise allows me to act as a strategic partner and thought leader for the business.

2. People Matter: I have a track record of building and transforming teams, whether they are brand new or facing challenges with engagement and retention. I lead with clarity and a high bar for excellence, but also with empathy. My goal is to get teams to move beyond being “order takers” and become thought leaders and strategic partners who are deeply aligned with the business.

3. Bias for Action: I’d much rather prototype and test an idea than get stuck in “analysis paralysis.” I believe it’s critical for internal technology teams to have a clear viewpoint, communicate it effectively, and act on it. In a business that operates on the leading edge, we have to bring fresh ideas and be willing to fail fast and move on in order to drive results.

My Weaknesses

1. Opinionated but not Inflexible: I tend to have strong, well-formed opinions loosely held, especially when I see data, new insights, or well-reasoned arguments that change my perspective. This may come across as stubbornness or inflexibility, but my intent is to challenge people to have a defensible point of view.

2. How to help me: Come to discussions prepared with data and a clear point of view. Don’t be afraid to push back; I value the debate and am always open to changing my mind for the right reasons.

3. Always On: I’m often “on” and will respond to messages and work late. This is a personal preference to manage my time and be present with my family when needed. However, it can create the impression that I expect the same from others. I absolutely do not. I am a strong believer that each person must set their own boundaries.

4. How to help me: Please set your own boundaries and communicate your needs. I will respect them.

5. Pushing for More: I push teams hard to accelerate delivery times and expand our impact. It may sometimes feel unreasonable, but I believe it’s critical to constantly challenge the status quo and set a high bar for excellence. I want us to move beyond checking tasks off a list and focus on achieving significant business outcomes.

6. How to help me: If you feel my expectations are unrealistic, please let me know. I’ll always ask if something is reasonable because my goal is to set everyone up for success, not to burn people out.

My Communication Preferences

I believe in an async-first approach and a clear hierarchy for communication.

1. Slack: This is my primary channel for day-to-day communication. I’ll read and respond throughout the day, often outside of normal business hours. If I ask a question late at night, please treat it as a task for the following business day, unless I specify otherwise.

2. Documents: For any complex or strategic topic, let’s start with a shared document. This is my preferred way to review detailed information and provide feedback. Please use comments to tag me with specific questions.

3. Meetings: Let’s reserve meetings for discussions that require live collaboration, brainstorming, or addressing a specific roadblock that can’t be solved asynchronously. Please follow GitLab’s meeting norms by providing a clear agenda and pre-reads.

4. Text/Phone: Please use my phone for emergencies or urgent, time-sensitive issues that require an immediate response.

My Expectations

My expectations are aligned with our ways of working and CREDIT values, and here are a few areas I focus on:

1. Manager of One and Taking Ownership: Take accountability for the areas you own or manage. Context is always important, but the buck has to stop with us.

2. Transparent Communication: Give context. Speak openly with candor. Provide direct feedback.

3. Results Driven: Plan for specific business outcomes and not binary results of specifically scoped projects. Don’t fall into the trap of conflating effort or executing tasks as progress unless we’re actively making progress toward the business outcome.

4. Disagree, Commit, and Advocate: Healthy friction is important amongst teams and business partners, but it is also important to be able to disagree and commit. Share your perspective and opinion, but allow the DRI to make a decision and move forward.

5. Be Agile: We’re undergoing a business transformation, priorities change, and sometimes can change drastically. Be agile. Communicate often with your stakeholders and leaders and constantly seek to re-align on desired outcomes.

My Role

• I am the Chief Information Officer at GitLab
• I have responsibility for enterprise technology, the company’s data strategy and our Enterprise-wide internal AI strategy
• My job is to ensure we make technology decisions that support GitLab’s rapid growth while ensuring the company’s own operations reflect the DevSecOps principles it advocates to customers.

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