Oindrila Mandal shows how a background of diverse experiences with a pinch of innovative thinking can drive success in tech and gaming. As a Senior Game Product Manager at Electronic Arts (EA), a global leader in video game development, she has built a remarkable career at the intersection of these two fields. Her journey—from India to becoming a key player in the US tech and gaming industries—highlights how her unique background and expertise have shaped her career.
From a young age, Oindrila was intrigued by technology and had a natural creative spark. During her computer science engineering studies, she discovered technology’s power to address practical business challenges. Driven by her desire to integrate technical expertise with business acumen, she completed a postgraduate diploma in management from the Indian Institute of Management in Ranchi. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Oindrila decided to pursue an MBA at the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business, emphasizing her commitment to professional growth.
Oindrila has played a key role in devising and executing strategic marketing campaigns for a multi-billion dollar business unit at Cognizant, a leading technology consulting firm. In this position, she developed her skills further by working with various industries and cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), among others. She even enabled her business unit at Cognizant to consistently achieve top rankings in analyst research reports for three consecutive years.
In her current role as a Senior Product Manager at Electronic Arts, Oindrila’s perspective as a non-traditional mobile-first gamer and her strategic and marketing insights bring a fresh approach to product management in the gaming industry. Her success in this role stems from her unique blend of professional and personal experiences, as she advocates for a new era of product management that caters to the modern gamer who values self-expression, empathy, creativity, and social connection.
Oindrila combines her technical expertise with her enthusiasm for interactive entertainment to rapidly design, develop, prototype, and experiment with features that elevate the gaming experience for players.
However, her role extends beyond individual success; she actively empowers other professionals with similar backgrounds to find their voice and shape the future of gaming. As a Women in Games Ambassador, Oindrila plays a vital role in fostering diversity and empowering marginalized communities in the gaming and tech fields. Through mentorship programs, she guides aspiring professionals from underrepresented backgrounds, empowering them to succeed in these industries. As a speaker at prestigious industry conferences, such as PAX West and MGS Games, Oindrila inspires future tech and gaming leaders to pursue STEM careers of their choice.
Oindrila’s career has developed her problem-solving abilities and determination. Her ability to conceptualize, design, and implement innovative solutions using cutting-edge AI and data analytics has yielded remarkable results, including developing customer-centric features for EA’s free-to-play mobile games and publishing influential industry analysis on platforms like Naavik. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Oindrila has overcome significant challenges as a BIPOC South Asian woman in the male-dominated STEM field.
With an ambition to continue her advocacy for education and career guidance and help more individuals from underrepresented communities find fulfilling careers in STEM, Oindrila’s career is a reminder that persistence and a passion for creativity will lead to people breaking barriers and achieving success at the intersection of tech and entertainment.
With only 23% of game developers being women despite nearly half of the player base being female, Oindrila’s work and advocacy are crucial in promoting diversity and inclusion in the gaming industry. Her career is a powerful example of how background, skills, and passion can be a unique value add that drives excellence in tech and gaming.
Oindrila Mandal’s unique blend of skills and experiences is exactly what is needed where the gaming and tech industries intersect. She continues to offer fresh perspectives that resonate with the changing needs of modern gamers and advocates for innovation. At the same time, Oindrila encourages new voices as she builds the type of leadership that will shape modern businesses that serve uniquely diverse customers, proving that your unique skills can be used to your advantage to lead brilliant transformations in an industry ripe for change.
Published By: Aize Perez
