Watch: Coffee confidential

Reny Vargis – Partner AI & Data – Insurance

Why we’ve partnered with Women in data…

We believe in diversity in all its forms. Each one of us contributes to innovation and delivery of data and analytics in our own way; leveraging our personality, passions and expertise. 

We’re delighted to join Women in Data, so that we can share learning and networking opportunities with our community of data specialists, grow the profile of women in data and continue to be a leader and active supporter of diverse teams.

emily Durn, Director, Risk Advisory

Bio

Expertise: Data & Analytics
Education: BA(Hons)  Accounting and Finance

A bit about me….

I am a Manchester girl through and through, with a love for Manchester City FC, walking in the Peak and Lake District and of course the rainy weather!

Before joining Deloitte I worked for over 3 years in the Actuarial Department for the Co-operative Banking Group.  I was a member of the Solvency II Data Workstream, where I was responsible for delivering the Data Governance and Quality policies required to gain FSA approval of the Internal Model at the time. I joined Deloitte over 10 years ago as a Senior Consultant and have recently been promoted to a Director leading on advising our Government and Public Sector clients on how they better manage their data.

Why did I join Deloitte?

My Uncle Paul used to work for a big Consultancy firm in the States and always said that I’d be perfect for a job in Consultancy and it always intrigued me. I’m quite nosey by nature and like to ask lots of questions to find out how I can help my clients improve things or do things in a different way, so seemed like a good fit!

I’d come to a point in my career where I wanted to set new goals, challenges and experience working with different types of organisations. Deloitte gave me the opportunity to do all these things and for me to continue to have my base in Manchester which was important to me.

What do I like most about Deloitte?

I particularly like the variety that Deloitte offers, everyday can be different – from the clients I engage with, the team I work with through to the variety of complex problems I help solve!

As a new mum, Deloitte have been incredible at providing the flexibility I need to juggle a busy career with looking after my daughter. I’ve found the culture is inclusive, accommodating and understanding to my own personal circumstances whilst at the same time providing me with opportunities to develop and grow my career.

Charlotte Guerin, Director, Risk Advisory

Bio

Expertise: Risk Analytics Financial Services
Education: BA(Hons)  Business Studies with Financial Risk

A bit about me….

Hailing from a small village in the north west of England, I’ve been living in London for over 10 years (not that you can tell by my accent). I was the first person in my close family to go to University, it wasn’t something I was ever expected to do.

Prior to joining Deloitte 8 years ago, I spent around 7 years working for Lloyds Banking Group (formerly HBoS) in numerous roles across the retail bank after joining their graduate scheme in 2007. My experience prior to joining Deloitte focused heavily on regulatory remediation analytics, data migration, credit risk analytics, unsecured lending pricing, proposition development, project management and everything in between!

The financial crisis of 2010 led to my relocation to London and it has been a crazy ride ever since.

Why did I join Deloitte? 

I was ready for a change and a new challenge. I learnt so many great skills whilst at Lloyds and I’d spent a number of years working closely with various consultancies and thought I’d enjoy the variation and experience a role in consulting could give me.

What do I like most about Deloitte? 

Deloitte is a great example of a company that really listens to everyone, regardless of experience or grade. There are so many opportunities to learn and experience new things. In the last 8 years I’ve had the opportunity to work with global teams to deliver industry leading solutions and programmes. The collaborative nature of Deloitte is something I’m really proud to be part of. Culture, diversity and inclusivity are what makes the business successful.

Pinder Johal, Senior Manager, Risk Advisory

Bio

Expertise: Data & Analytics
Education: BSc(Hons) E-commerce & Digital Business, Computer platforms and Programming and Audio-Visual Design 

A bit about me….

I love to spend time with my family, new adventures and being close to nature; we love to travel! When I am not running around after my 3 children or dogs I like to/ need to meditate! I have been fortunate to have worked in some amazing organisations and each business has given me a new perspective on Data. I have worked in logistics, insurance, investment banking, retail banking and telco. I have held varied roles in data including head of data & information governance, data architect, enterprise architect and data/ business analyst; I have been working in the field of Data for 15+ years. I am a WiD mentor and a member of Deloitte’s risk advisory ethnic diversity network. There is no greater service than helping others thrive I am a huge advocate of allyship and inclusion in the workplace. 

Why did I join Deloitte? 

I joined Deloitte because I got to the point in my career where I had attained a solid foundation in data & information management and data governance. I wanted to use my extensive toolkit, learn, grow and apply my skills and expertise across  industries and projects. As an experienced hire Deloitte has given me the opportunity to do exactly that. I work within diverse teams; I lead and develop the IM practise and build new propositions as well as solving challenging client data conundrums; this gives me the most satisfaction. 

What do I like most about Deloitte? 

Whether you’re a graduate or experienced professional  (or anything in-between) Deloitte has so many opportunities for its employees to grow and thrive. Both my husband and I have busy schedules with 3 children life can get hectic. Deloitte has many benefits from flexible working, to flex bank holidays and paternity leave. I have found leadership more than accommodating and there is a real sense of empathy and trust for its people taking account of personal circumstances. Health and wellbeing is a top priority for Deloitte which couldn’t be far from the stigma and stereotype of the industry. 

Kudos to WiD and GiD  team for driving this agenda and raising awareness, honoured to be involved! 

Cynthia Lai, Senior Manager

Bio

Expertise: Data and Risk Analytics
Education: MCom( Software Engineering ) BCom( Information Systems & Marketing )

A bit about me….

I spent my childhood in Kuala Lumpur, late teens/uni years in Auckland , landed in London 20+ years ago and it has been my home since. All through high school I wanted to be a professional dancer so never imagined I go down this career path. 

Prior to joining Deloitte I worked with many UK retail and consumer organisations leading in the development of marketing analytics solutions for both digital and non-digital channels. My work focused heavily in the translation and delivery of insights such as share of wallet, demographic profiling , campaign optimisation, reactivation modelling and basket analysis. A key focus is also delivering data centric solutions such as data modelling, data mapping , implementing data quality controls and building analytical databases.

At Deloitte I am a lead advising our clients in the Consumer Sector. The part of my job that I love the most is being able to solve problems and make a difference. 

Why did I join Deloitte? 

I wasn’t looking. An agent approached me, I was intrigued so I went for the job interview. I was not expecting much due to my own personal reservations and culturally it was very different to where I was working at the time. I really enjoyed my first interview and it eventually led to a job.

What do I like most about Deloitte? 

Being a working mum of a child diagnosed with autism and a family to support I get a lot of empathy and support from leadership and my colleagues. I like that I am able to build flexibility in my work life to suit my needs. 

I found it to be a really collaborative environment where everyone is accepting and open to discuss different ideas and points of view. I am really proud of the fact that our leadership actively promotes inclusivity and diversity. I enjoy the unique challenges and variety in my current role. 

“We believe in diversity in all its forms. Each one of us contributes to innovation and delivery of data and analytics in our own way; leveraging our personality, passions and expertise.”

How Deloitte sees the data landscape changing in the UK in the next five years

The scaled adoption of Digital and Cloud technology has driven the ability for organisations to increase their ability to leverage data to deliver more value. Organisations also realise that they must begin to harness the positive power of AI and Data technologies, or risk being left behind.  Approximately 63% of these organisations believe that AI and Data in imperative to their success albeit half of them have major or extreme concerns about AI risks.   

Underpinning this, volume of data is growing at a record speed; organisations must effectively manage data as an asset hence data management and governance must be embedded into the business operations.    

Some recent trends of data and AI transforming businesses:   

  • New levels of organizational excellence, productivity, accuracy, and efficiency, driven by real time AI-powered business models and operational insights.  
  • Data being centre in driving the transformation required to support all types of regulatory obligations such as sustainability & ethics agendas as well as mitigating increasing cyber security risk.  
  • Data on the edge, the use of alternative data; with the increase of IoT devices is changing the way organizations are developing their analytical pipelines, data engineering and data architecture patterns. 

about Deloitte

Deloitte is a leading professional services firm.  Our purpose is to make an impact that matters. It is brought to life in our work for clients, but also in three common ambitions: 

  • our WorldClass initiative, through which we will support 50 million people by 2030 develop job skills, improve educational outcomes, and access opportunities to succeed in this new economy;
  • our WorldClimate sustainability strategy, through which our people are playing their part by making  responsible climate choices within our organization and beyond;
  • our ALL IN diversity and inclusion strategy.