‘Building a company is about building people’: Verteil CEO Jerrin Jos on scaling global aviation tech

Speaking about the changing hiring landscape, Verteil Founder and CEO Jerrin Jos said the company looks beyond pure technical capability while recruiting young professionals. “What really makes a difference is the ability to connect technology with real-world impact,” Jos said, adding that engineers working from Indian cities such as Kochi or Bengaluru are often building systems that directly affect airline and travel agency operations across multiple countries and time zones.

The comments come at a time when aviation technology is rapidly evolving. According to recent industry estimates by the International Air Transport Association, airlines worldwide are accelerating investments in AI-driven retailing, APIs, and digital commerce infrastructure as they move away from legacy distribution systems. This shift has significantly increased demand for professionals who understand both technology and customer experience.

Jos believes one of the biggest gaps among fresh graduates is the lack of exposure to how large-scale global systems operate in real business environments. “We look for people who are curious enough to understand the bigger picture, not just the piece of code they are writing,” he said.

He also stressed that soft skills are becoming increasingly important in globally distributed organizations. “The ability to communicate clearly, work with empathy, and take ownership becomes extremely important,” he noted.

Industry-academia partnerships becoming critical

Jos argued that stronger collaboration between educational institutions and industry is essential if India wants to create future-ready talent for sectors such as aviation retailing and travel technology.

“Industry-academia collaboration is becoming increasingly important, especially in sectors like travel technology and aviation retailing, where the industry evolves much faster than traditional academic curricula,” he said.

According to him, students who work on live projects or internships gain a much deeper understanding of how technology functions in real business environments. He also believes India now has the opportunity to move beyond being only a supplier of engineering talent to becoming a creator of globally relevant technology products and intellectual property.

“Students should get more exposure to areas like full-stack development, platform design, AI-led problem solving, and building scalable systems,” Jos said.

Building a global company culture

Founded in India, Verteil has grown into a global aviation technology player with teams and partners across multiple geographies. Jos said scaling the workforce required creating a culture where employees feel connected to the company’s larger mission. “Scaling a company is not only about growing teams or entering new markets. It is really about building a culture where people feel connected to what they are creating together,” he said.

He added that many employees joined the company with little prior exposure to aviation technology but evolved into professionals working directly with some of the world’s leading airlines and travel businesses.

‘Building a company is ultimately about building people’

Reflecting on his journey as a founder, Jos said the most important leadership lesson has been understanding the human side of scaling a company. “Building a company is ultimately about building people,” he said.

He believes giving employees ownership and responsibility plays a major role in personal and professional growth. “When you give individuals genuine ownership and the confidence to make decisions, they usually rise to the occasion,” he said.