Who is Jayshree Ullal? Tech leader with $6.8 billion net worth climbs Forbes rich list

Born in London and raised in New Delhi, Ullal built a career in technology that later placed her among Silicon Valley’s most prominent executives.

Forbes’ 2026 list puts her at No. 7, ahead of several other self-made women in the United States, and identifies her wealth as coming largely from her stake in Arista Networks.

She has become the highest-ranked Indian-origin woman on the list, while Forbes’ own ranking lists her at $6.8 billion.

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A splendid apprenticeship in Silicon Valley's corridors

Ullal’s path to that position began with technical training in the United States.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from San Francisco State University and a master’s degree in engineering management from Santa Clara University.

Before Arista, she worked at Advanced Micro Devices and Fairchild Semiconductor, then spent about 15 years at Cisco Systems, where she held senior leadership roles during the period of rapid internet expansion.

Taking the Arista gamble

In 2008, Ullal left Cisco to become president and CEO of Arista Networks when the company had fewer than 50 employees and no revenue, The Economic Times reported.

The bet proved decisive as Arista focused on networking products for cloud data centers and hyperscale computing rather than competing broadly across the sector.

The company went public in 2014 and reported about $9 billion in revenue in 2024, aided by demand linked to cloud and AI infrastructure.

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An empire built on networks and nerve

Her wealth is tied primarily to her Arista holding. Ullal owns roughly 3% of the company, and portions of those holdings have been set aside for her two children, niece and nephew.

She is the highest-ranked woman of Indian origin on the Forbes index. Ullal serves on the board of cloud computing company Snowflake, adding another layer to her profile in the technology sector.

FAQs

Q1: Who is Jayshree Ullal?

Ans: Jayshree Ullal is the Indian-origin president and CEO of Arista Networks and one of the wealthiest self-made women in the United States.

Q2: What is Jayshree Ullal’s net worth in 2026?

Ans: According to Forbes’ 2026 America’s Richest Self-Made Women list, Jayshree Ullal has an estimated net worth of $6.8 billion.