Devesh Pant, partnerships manager in the APAC region, is approaching his fifth anniversary with Branch. He joined us as an integrations engineer when we acquired TUNE’s attribution product in 2018 and has grown his career at Branch in the years since. In this interview, we dive into his perspective on perseverance and resilience, his passion for the APAC team, and the value he places on interpersonal relationships.
What does a normal day look like for you?
I work on the business development team and am responsible for managing Branch’s partners across APAC which means making sure our partners get all the necessary support and guidance to help our mutual customers grow. My day normally starts with a quick team huddle to align on priorities, followed by either virtual or face-to-face partner meetings where I get to meet with people from the industry, discuss ideas and opportunities, and a lot more. Another important aspect of my role is cross-team collaboration where I get to closely work with our go-to-market (GTM) teams across key projects and initiatives. The latter half of my day usually goes into actioning all these accumulated tasks.
What does managing partner relationships look like?
Branch is blessed with thousands of partner integrations that add value to our product and our customers. My job is to make sure we are supporting these partners with education, guidance, and opportunities to grow on our platform. When our partners don’t face blockers, our mutual customers get the most value out of our integrations and can better achieve their business objectives. I work very diligently to be responsive, escalate concerns rapidly, and be a problem solver. As I said, we have a big partner ecosystem, so I’m never without something to do. But I can’t complain; it’s incredibly rewarding.
I love my role because it has so much to offer, especially being close to the industry and learning from all the brilliant minds. When I see our customers leveraging some of our most popular integrations, I get to be proud that I was part of making that happen.
Tell us something interesting about yourself.
I’d say that I like to keep my mind busy at all times. I can’t sit idle, and that’s something not everyone knows. Even during small breaks, I prefer watching a documentary or reading an article about any topic — literally everything, from geopolitics to finance.
Otherwise, sports is the main activity that keeps me busy. When I was a kid, I was a finalist in lawn tennis for Delhi State! While I never went pro and decided to focus on my studies instead, I love keeping the routine alive and playing sports like badminton and cricket every weekend. The only time I’m doing nothing is when I’m sleeping!
What brings meaning to your work life?
The aspect of my job that I love most is how many people I get to meet and how many relationships I get to foster. I get to talk to people from all walks of life, all around the world. Different cultures, nationalities, ways of looking at the world. I am constantly learning — and about much more than what my title would suggest.
With that in mind, it’s easy to love my job. I like the people. I like the team. I think anyone would tell you that Branch is all about the people, and that’s true for me too. It’s why I’ve spent more than half my professional career here.
What do you want people to know about working in APAC?
The team in APAC is the most energetic, humble, and optimistic bunch I’ve ever seen. You can count on them. They won’t fail you. That makes them super special for me. Branch has done a spectacular job hiring like-minded people in APAC which just proves how important cultural fit is.
Each person in APAC comes with rich experiences, from varied regions, so diverse, and yet they all mingle so well that I’m left in awe of how seamless it is to communicate and collaborate with them.
Do you have a piece of career advice to share with readers?
Persevere.
No matter what you’re facing, time can solve anything. If you can see a light at the end of the tunnel, trust that with time you will reach it. Of course, if you don’t see a bright spot then you shouldn’t walk blind, but if you do see a way to make things work, you should trust in yourself and persevere.
That’s why, for me, consistency and routine is so important. I have confidence that with perseverance and consistent effort, I will reach my goal.
I’m not sure who I’m quoting, but I know I’ve taken this from somebody, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” To me, that quote is all about perseverance and trusting in yourself.
The Branch team continues to grow! Learn more about our APAC team, and check out our open roles!