From Classroom to Keynote: HubSpot CEO Yamini Rangan Returns to Berkeley Haas as Commencement Speaker

In a full circle moment for one of Indian American tech leadership's most compelling stories, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business has named HubSpot CEO Yamini Rangan as keynote commencement speaker for its Class of 2026. Rangan earned her MBA from Haas in 2003 and will address graduating Full Time and Evening and Weekend MBA students at the Greek Theatre on May 23, 2026.

Rangan took the helm at HubSpot in September 2021 after serving as the company's first ever Chief Customer Officer, succeeding co-founder Brian Halligan who had led the company since its inception. A technology industry veteran with over 25 years of experience spanning product marketing, sales, and strategy, she previously held senior leadership roles at Dropbox, Workday, and SAP.

The recognition extends beyond the stage. She has been named one of the Most Influential Women in Business by the San Francisco Business Times and was recognised as Best CEO for Women by Comparably in 2022. She serves on the Haas School Board, making her return to the Berkeley campus both a personal homecoming and an institutional milestone.

For Indian American students navigating their own ambitions in an uncertain economic climate, Rangan's arc from an electronics engineering undergraduate in India to CEO of a publicly traded global company carries a message that no written curriculum can fully teach.