Professional Role and Responsibilities
Anush Ramani is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Xola, a San Francisco-based technology company specializing in software solutions for tour and activity operators. Xola provides a comprehensive booking and marketing platform that integrates back-office management, online reservations, payment processing, calendaring, inventory and guide management, and customer relationship management. The platform aims to streamline operational efficiency for lifestyle experience businesses.
As CTO and Co-Founder, Anush Ramani leads the technology strategy and engineering efforts at Xola. He is part of the company’s leadership team and is responsible for overseeing product development and innovation, aligning technology initiatives with business goals to facilitate scalable growth. The engineering team under his leadership includes roles such as team leads, software engineers, quality assurance engineers, devops engineers, and managers, indicating that he manages a diverse and multi-disciplinary technical workforce.
Career Trajectory and Experience
- From 2002 to 2008, Anush Ramani served as a Senior Software Engineer at Fidelity Investments, a role indicating deep expertise in software development within a large financial services firm.
- Between 2006 and 2007, he worked as a Technology Consultant at Oiste, emphasizing advisory and implementation skills in technology projects.
- From 2010 to 2011, he was a Delivery Manager at ThoughtWorks Studios, a technology consultancy and software delivery organization known for agile methodologies and innovation.
- In 2011, Anush co-founded Xola and has held the CTO position since its inception, reflecting entrepreneurial leadership and sustained involvement in building the company from the ground up.
Educational Background
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (1998–2001).
- Master of Science in Administrative Studies with a specialization in Innovation & Technology from Boston University (2004–2007).
This combination of technical education and advanced management studies highlights a balanced expertise intersecting software engineering, technological innovation, and organizational leadership.
Company Overview: Xola
Xola operates within the software industry, with headquarters in San Francisco, United States, and maintains a workforce between 51 and 200 employees. Xola’s value proposition centers on delivering a user-friendly, elegant booking, marketing, and distribution system tailored for lifestyle experience businesses. The company’s mission targets creating accessible technology that supports socio-economic exchange and fosters cultural connection globally.
Additional Contextual Insights
- The company’s founding team includes Anush Ramani alongside Scott Zimmerman, reflecting complementary leadership in technology and business operations.
- Xola’s product suite integrates multiple operational facets essential for tour operators, signaling a complex, end-to-end software platform requiring robust technology leadership.
- Anush's technical background and experience with agile and delivery management at ThoughtWorks suggest familiarity with rapid iteration and scalable development practices.
- His early career at Fidelity Investments suggests strong foundations in highly regulated environments, emphasizing reliability and security in software solutions.
- Xola is recognized in startup and venture circles for innovation in the experiential economy, and the leadership team is relatively small and focused, indicating Anush’s likely hands-on involvement across technical domains.
Location and Network
Anush Ramani is based in San Francisco, United States, a primary technology and startup ecosystem hub, facilitating access to venture capital networks and talent pools. His LinkedIn profile shows a professional network exceeding 500 connections, indicating a well-established network within the technology sector.
In summary, Anush Ramani brings over a decade of high-level software engineering and technology management experience, combined with entrepreneurial leadership as Co-Founder and CTO of Xola. His educational credentials and prior roles position him as a technology leader equipped to innovate and scale software products in a competitive domain. Xola’s complex platform and its culturally inclusive mission underscore the strategic role Anush plays in shaping scalable, user-centric technology solutions in the lifestyle experience market.
