Just a few years ago, the prevailing wisdom was that platform engineers should simply “think like product managers.” Dedicated platform PMs were rare, sometimes even dismissed. Today, the data, and lived experience, tells a very different story.

In this episode, Sam sits down with Lambros Charissis, one of the earliest and most experienced platform product managers in the industry, to unpack what platform product management really is, how it differs from traditional PM roles, and why more organizations are finally investing in it as a first-class discipline.

They explore Lambros’ accidental entry into platform PM at Mercedes-Benz, the unique challenges of building products for internal developers, and why defining impact, success metrics, and shared language is often harder, and more important, than shipping features. The conversation goes deep on trust-building with engineering teams, carving out the PM role in platform orgs that have never had one, and how to find early “quick wins” that establish credibility.

This is acandid look at what it actually takes to be effective in a role that sits at the intersection of product strategy, infrastructure, developer experience, and organizational change.

In this episode:

What “platform product management” really means (and what it doesn’t)

Why internal developer platforms (IDPs) demand dedicated product leadership

The shift from “engineers as PMs” to real platform PM roles

How platform PMs define impact without revenue or growth metrics

Internal customers, captive users, and why adoption is a misleading signal

How technical a platform PM really needs to be

Where to start when joining a new platform organization

Building trust, shared language, and clarity in ambiguous environments

Finding quick wins that unlock long-term influence

What separates good platform PMs from great ones

💬 “If you don’t know why we’re doing something, that’s my failure as a product manager.”

Whether you’re a product manager considering a move into platforms, a platform leader trying to understand what a PM should actually do, or an engineer wondering how product thinking fits into internal tooling, this conversation will give you a clear, grounded perspective.