In April 2026, Krzysztof Popiołek stepped into a new role as Senior Manager, AI Engineering within the Enterprise AI team in Warsaw. The move from Principal AI Engineer was an important milestone, but the foundation for it had been built over years of working alongside experienced leaders, expanding his responsibilities, and learning from the people around him.
"Much of my preparation started long before this transition," he said. "I have been lucky to work under highly capable managers and mentors in my life, and observing how they handled challenges and supported teams taught me a great deal."
Looking beyond technical excellence
As a Principal AI Engineer, Krzysztof enjoyed solving complex technical challenges. Over time, however, he began thinking about how he could contribute beyond his own individual work.
"I was inspired to step into the Senior Manager role because I wanted to scale my impact," he said. "Instead of focusing on individual technical deliverables, I wanted to focus on building, mentoring, and guiding a talented team of engineers."
The move allowed him to balance technical strategy, like guiding the team's AI architecture with direct coaching and talent development.
Choosing to grow from within
"I chose an internal transition because I am motivated by our mission to enable other organizations to succeed with AI," he said. "Staying at Equinix allows me to lead a team directly driving this enablement right where the world's AI workloads live."
The opportunity itself started with a conversation with his manager, followed by support from leaders and peers who helped him navigate the shift from individual contributor to people leader.
"Leading up to the move, I was also mentored by several leaders within the company who gave me a clearer view of the leadership and business side of engineering."
Learning to Lead
The biggest adjustment was changing how he defined success. "I felt nervous about having less day-to-day coding and technical execution," he said.
"Shifting from solving technical problems myself to facilitating the success of others is a major change, but it is highly rewarding." The move into management shifted his focus from individual execution to team success, a change he describes as both challenging and rewarding.
"Balancing people management, cross-functional collaboration, and technical strategy, while maintaining a hands-on approach has stretched grown me professionally," he said.
Growth through a conversation
When asked what is the one lesson that he hopes others take from his experience, he shares, "My advice is to be proactive and tap into the supportive network around you. Express your career interests to your manager and seek out mentors who have taken paths you are inspired by." He also believes employees should have career conversations earlier than they think.
"I wish people knew that managers are often strong advocates for internal mobility," he said. "Sharing your interests early isn't a sign that you are unhappy in your current role; it simply gives your leadership the opportunity to help you find the right internal path, mentors, and resources to prepare for your next step."
Krzysztof’s experience highlights how open career conversations with leadership can unlock internal mobility/opportunities. career growth does not always have to be about changing companies or chasing the next title. Sometimes it is about expanding your impact, embracing new challenges, and trusting that your next opportunity may already be closer than you think. Today, he is growing as a leader while continuing to deepen his expertise in AI, proving that career development does not have to follow a single path. Whether through mentorship, career conversations, or a willingness to step outside your comfort zone, growth often begins with the decision to explore what is possible.
