January 29, 2026 3 min read People

We Make It Possible—Together

How our people bring WD’s values to life

At WD, We Make It Possible isn’t just a message—it’s how our people work every day. Through curiosity, ownership, and collaboration, employees across the company enable the technologies and solutions our customers rely on.

While career paths, roles, and locations may differ, what connects us is a shared commitment to our values: Customers, Results, Connection, Excellence, and Innovation—values shaped by our people and reflected in how we work together.

How our people bring WD’s values to life

Making progress possible means embracing complexity and taking responsibility from concept through execution.

Research and development work is often open-ended, requiring teams to navigate ambiguity, learn quickly, and stay focused on outcomes that matter.

Research and development is open-ended, which is both its most challenging and rewarding aspect.
− Nate Atkinson

That sense of ownership is echoed by Erxiang Xu, who leads development of a comprehensive in-house test platform. From architecture design to execution, the breadth of responsibility allows individuals to grow while enabling future innovation.

This breadth makes my work both challenging and rewarding, allowing me to grow quickly.
− Erxiang Xu

We Make It Possible through connection

Breakthroughs don’t happen in isolation. Connection—collaborating as one global team—is foundational to how work gets done at WD.

Employees consistently point to the openness of their colleagues, the willingness to share knowledge, and the strength of cross-functional collaboration.

The atmosphere of collaboration, and the readiness among employees to share what they know, accelerates the learning process.
− Niranjan Natekar

For Wilfred Mallawa, that connection shows up in everyday access to experts and a culture where asking questions is encouraged.

I can always reach out when I need to.
− Wilfred Mallawa

We Make It Possible by holding ourselves to excellence

Excellence at WD goes beyond technical expertise. It’s reflected in accountability, integrity, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Employees are encouraged to explore new areas, expand their skill sets, and learn from one another—creating an environment where growth is expected and supported.

I like that I can try new fields and learn from my coworkers working on very different aspects of the drive.
− Mehdi Habibollahzadeh

For long-tenured team members like Monique Vanmaly Phanousith, excellence is built through challenge, resilience, and perseverance.

Stay strong, believe in yourself, learn from mistakes.
− Monique Vanmaly Phanousith

We Make It Possible through everyday innovation

Innovation at WD isn’t limited to singular breakthroughs—it’s embedded in how teams approach problems, test ideas, and continuously improve.

Employees are empowered to take initiative, advocate for solutions, and own their work end to end.

At WD, engineers are empowered to build, modify, and take ownership of their work.
− Jason Jury

Whether it’s learning new technical domains, developing internal platforms, or deepening understanding of customer needs, innovation is made possible by people who stay curious and engaged.