From Urban Planning to Super Apps: Kseniia Maiorova on Lean Product Leadership

Kseniia Maiorova has built her career around one hard truth: even the smartest products fail if they don’t serve a clear business need. Now leading Super App and Integrations at inDrive, she’s applying that lesson on a global scale and redefining how mobility platforms evolve in fast-changing markets.

From shaping public policy with urban livability indexes to launching pandemic-era tools for millions of students, Maiorova’s approach to product leadership blends speed, simplicity, and relentless user focus. In this conversation, she breaks down how balancing discovery with impact has become her north star and why the Super App model is more than just a trend.

You’re leading the Super App and Integrations product streams at inDrive. How do you balance innovation with business outcomes?

For me, the key is translating technical complexity into clear business value — and doing it fast. Great product leadership means asking two questions: does this create value users will pay for, and how quickly can we validate it?

I learned this early at Skoltech, where I was building startups while completing my Master’s. I saw firsthand that technical brilliance means nothing without a compelling business narrative and real-world validation. Perfecting in isolation leads to failure.

What’s an example of how that insight has shaped your work?

One of my first major projects was the Urban Environmental Quality Index, a data-driven tool assessing livability in over 1,000 cities. It shaped national policy and raised favorable city ratings from 23% to 80%. But the real lesson was this: true impact comes from turning complex solutions into actionable, business-aligned insights.

How have you applied this at scale?

At VKontakte, I led the development of Sferum, an educational platform that reached 80,000 schools. We framed it not just as software, but as a mission, which helped us gain endorsement from the Ministry of Education.

When COVID hit, we moved quickly, launching live video for 10,000 concurrent users in weeks. The focus wasn’t perfection — it was purposeful speed.

At Yandex, I launched intercity parcel delivery by simplifying a 15-step process into just three taps. That clarity drove adoption in over 100 cities within four months. We reached 20,000 daily deliveries in a year by launching lean and iterating fast with real feedback.

You’ve now shifted your focus to leading Super App transformation at inDrive. What’s driving that move?

Super App strategy isn’t hype — it’s a response to how users behave in emerging markets. Grab, Careem, and Uber have proven that multi-product users spend more and cost less to acquire.

At inDrive, I’m leading the shift from siloed services to what we call integrated mobility — not just bundling features, but creating seamless, personalized experiences. I restructured our product org to move faster: tighter discovery cycles, cross-functional squads, and a sharp focus on business impact.

In mobile-first markets underserved by traditional platforms, building a cohesive ecosystem isn’t just smart — it’s how we lead.

Beyond your work at inDrive, how do you contribute to the broader product community?

I coach product managers, entrepreneurs, and teams to navigate complexity, make better decisions, and scale with purpose. I also mentor through global communities and serve on juries at events like the Globee Awards and AI for Humanity Hackathon, where I advocate for product work that’s both high-impact and human-centered.

What’s the most misunderstood part of effective product leadership?

It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions, making trade-offs in ambiguity, and shipping before you’re fully ready — because you’ll never be.

In my teams, I focus on building a culture where feedback drives iteration, decisions balance user needs with business goals, and resilience keeps us moving forward with purpose.

Why is context so critical in product leadership?

Staying close to the market context sharpens instincts and informs better decisions. It builds your network, deepens your understanding, and helps you make the right calls, especially when navigating complex, fast-moving environments.