The many faces of Coupang Korea’s global employees: Product Owner Nishant Daruka

“Coupang is an equal opportunity employer. Our unprecedented success could not be possible without the valuable inputs of our globally diverse team.” — Coupang Career Site

“The many faces of Coupang Korea’s global employees” is an interview series with our colleagues from around the world who are currently living in Korea. We asked the same 10 questions to employees of all different backgrounds. Read the stories of the diverse people at our Korean office, who are helping us wow customers in Korea and beyond.  

Today’s interviewee
Nishant Daruka is the Senior Director of the Rocket Growth Product team. Rocket Growth is a program that helps sellers quickly boost sales through our nationwide Rocket fulfillment and logistics network, leveraging the billions we have invested in our infrastructure and technology to sell their products to customers with Coupang’s trademark speed and convenience. Meet Nishant, a product owner who has been with us since 2020.

1. Hello Nishant, where are you from? Please introduce us to your hometown. 
Hi, I'm from Kolkata, India. Kolkata is famous for its love of art, music, food, and culture, earning it the nickname “City of Joy.” In my neighborhood, sipping a cup of hot tea while discussing a wide variety of topics is how people enjoy spending their time. So, it’s no surprise that Kolkata has the largest number of Nobel laureates in India (six). 

2. What is your job at Coupang? 
I work as a product leader and senior director at Coupang. As a product owner, I am responsible for seller and customer experience related to Rocket Growth. 

As the name suggests, Rocket Growth is designed to help sellers unlock new growth with Coupang through Rocket. For many small and medium-sized enterprises, they simply don’t have the infrastructure and resources to deliver orders to customers with the speed and convenience of a service like Rocket Delivery. Through Rocket Growth, they can offer customers Coupang's fast delivery and easy return.

Our team is responsible for ensuring a seamless experience for our customers who use this program—in other words, the sellers. And as I am the senior director and lead the product team, I often need to make strategic decisions.  

3. What made you choose your current job?
I chose this job because I love building close relationships with people through technology. And with the opportunity to start a new business from scratch, it has been an exciting journey. Coupang is fast-paced and I love the exhilaration of this rocket ride.

4. You came to Korea to work at Coupang. What led to this decision?
Before joining the company, I visited a tech-related event in Singapore. That's where I had a chance to speak with the Coupang team. The Coupang employees I met there thought deeply about their products. They were truly striving to make customers wonder, “How did we ever live without Coupang?” The company’s vision really resonated with me.  

5. What was the most memorable project you've worked on at Coupang?
The most meaningful experience for me was being able  to participate in laying the foundation of the Rocket Growth product and watch it rapidly grow and become a meaningful part of Coupang’s growth story. Many Product Owners  dream of starting and developing these kinds of new businesses, but such opportunities are hard to find. Through the Rocket Growth project, I had the experience of starting a new business and setting up and growing the team. I was also able to help thousands of sellers use the service to provide a better shopping experience to their customers.

6. What’s the most interesting aspect of living in Korea? 
I’ve lived in many countries, including India, U.S., Luxembourg, and Singapore, and of the 53 countries I’ve been to, I think Korea is the safest country to live in. I have an 11-year-old son. In Korea, he practices soccer after school and comes home by public transportation alone, traveling over 15 kilometers. An 11-year old doing so is unimaginable in any other country. 

7. Is there somewhere you like to visit during your time off? 
I often spend time at the Han River Park, especially when the days are warm. Seoul has many good parks where families can go for a picnic. The parks along the Han River have trails that are great for walks or riding a bicycle. And it’s really beautiful, both during the day and night. I also think it’s pretty special that I can enjoy a nice can of beer by the riverside with friends after a satisfying day at work or go hike up the mountains in and around Seoul.

8. What is your favorite item that you’ve purchased on Coupang?
My daughter’s hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) that I bought during Chuseok. She had a Chuseok event at her school, so everyone had to wear a hanbok. However, my daughter forgot to tell me this. I didn't know about it until the night before the event, and that’s when I immediately thought of Coupang. She has to leave for school by 7:15 a.m., but the clothes were delivered before 7 am, thanks to Coupang’s Rocket Delivery. I could dress my daughter in her new hanbok and send her to school without any issues. I was amazed that even though I had ordered the product the night before, it arrived so quickly early in the morning. And I had tons of options to choose from! This range of selection available for next day and dawn delivery is one of its kind; unmatched anywhere else in the world, and makes me proud to work for Coupang.

9. If you could introduce Coupang to your friends back home in one sentence, what would you say? 
Coupang is a dynamic and fast-paced company that has grown quickly, but is still young and has far more potential to grow. It provides employees with a lot of ownership and the possibility to make a lasting impact. And the opportunities here are better than any other commerce company. Having worked at a major company in the same industry for over six years before I joined Coupang, I think it’s fair for me to make that comparison. 

10. If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be? 
Instead of changing the outside world, I’d focus on changing myself. Many people are concerned about changing other people, or even the world at large, but I think that if everyone focused on becoming a better version of themselves, the world would be a better place. I believe that good leaders learn the art of mastering themselves first instead of trying to master others. That’s why I’d always focus on changing and growing myself.

This article is from the Coupang Newsroom and to read more please visit here.