Mithun Menon Senior Associate
Hello, a bit about me: I work in Sapient Global Markets as development lead for one of the major hedge fund clients in the US and leading their business in China and the UAE market.
Introduce yourself and explain your current Role & Responsibilities. I am a tech enthusiast, drawn towards new and better ways of doing things, always simplifying my approach towards any activity or project with the objective of exploring and learning more. At Sapient Global Markets I am a Senior Platform developer for Java technology, currently associated with our client (one of the largest mutual fund and financial services groups in the world). My role is that of full stack engineer, developing and managing (an end-to-end application that includes client-side scripting to request management with Spring MVC and to consume and develop backend web services over REST and SOAP.
Tells us about the client problem you are solving these days? I am currently working on implementing WSO2 Enterprise Service Bus (ESB), a pure SOA enterprise solution. It is a middle layer platform for orchestrating integration between front-end application and backend services and is first-of-a -kind enterprise solution implementation for Sapient Global Markets.
How do you see yourself growing professionally in Sapient? Professional growth to me means increasing my technical and domain knowledge and with the kind of complex work opportunities that come your way at Sapient. This is the right place to be. One never falls short of receiving opportunities to learn and grow at Sapient. I aspire to become a Solution Architect soon.
Give us one example of your creative thinking or an innovative solution to a client problem. On my current project, while onboarding WSO2 Enterprise Service Bus (ESB), the main challenge was to integrate the end systems. We didn’t have much expertise on this particular platform and also there was external technical support. The problems further increased when the decision to onboard ESB came in at very end of current project phase. I explored the platform, designed and implemented solution which spans developing end system connectors to processing under laying business logic. I also proposed change details to make the system more flexible and adaptable to avoid problems and rework during future integrations with other systems.
How do you balance personal priorities and project commitments? Sapient Global Markets provides flexible work-time options and also various other work-life benefits that help me balance my career ambitions and personal commitments.
What is that one thing which drives you to come to office every day? For each task I undertake, I like to identify a challenge to simplify. The vast amount of knowledge and experience I get to learn from my fellow colleagues and the alternative approaches they follow fascinates me and draws me to work every day.
What message do you want to give to people joining Sapient? If you are awed by the vast amount of Java technology and want liberty to explore new ideas and technology, Sapient is “the place to be.� You are always heard and rewarded for your work and inputs here.
Dheeraj Specialist
Hello, a bit about me: In the last 7 years that I have been with Sapient, I have held multiple roles and have grown with the company. With my passion for the financial markets and zeal to excel in technology, there is no place else that I would rather be.
Introduce yourself and explain your current role and responsibilities. I have been working with Sapient Global Markets for the last seven years, three of which I was in the US, at the client’s site. During my tenure, I have worked in multiple profiles, and currently I am an offshore project lead. What attracted me to SGM was the company’s alignment to the fast paced world of capital and commodities, globally. So not only have I built my expertise in technology, but have also increased my knowledge of the capital and commodities domain. In India, technologists like us, who can straddle both these domains simultaneously, are at a premium.
Tell us about a client problem you are working on these days? Whenever a security is set up for the first time, the trading system needs to know the set up price for that particular security, to be able to place trades on it. Until now, prices for such newly set up securities were sourced manually from external vendors like Bloomberg and Reuters. This process was too tedious and error prone, involving a lot of manual data entry. Currently we are working on a solution which will automate many such processes; right from inception to vendor interaction, to seamless system updates, thereby eliminating the scope of any manually induced errors.
Give us one example of your creative thinking or an innovative solution to a client problem. For one of our clients, all the trades of the day are keyed into a portfolio management and accounting system. This is a central product used to get the correct P&L, position and exposure information administrators, prime brokers, asset managers for global equities, fixed income etc. However this system was not scalable. We recently adopted a new approach using Web Services and SOAP protocol, which made the system reusable as well as scalable.
How do you balance personal priorities and project commitments? We work on the global distributed delivery model, and sometimes we are needed to be connected to our clients in the late evening. However, Sapient compensates for intermittent long hours, by providing a lot of flexibility to employees. In my own case, I live closer to the Noida office but I joined Gurgaon office, because my team worked from here. I was given the flexibility to work from Gurgaon and Noida both, as per my convenience. One of my team members who has just joined, was awed when I told him that I just completed 7 years in the company. In fact, Sapient overall has a lot of old timers, which tells you about their level of contentment with the company.
What is that one thing that brings you to work every day? After a certain point in your career, compensation is not the only factor you are looking at. You want to do good work, work with inspiring people and have fun. Sapient offers everything. There is so much happening here at any given time. We have quarterly outings and annual account level outings once a year. The team becomes like a family. I also appreciate the abundance of opportunities to develop one’s professional self. For instance, I was involved in hiring activities from my initial days at Sapient, as well as a range of extra-curricular activities. In fact, I got my first iPhone for being a volunteer interviewer.
What message do you want to give to people joining Sapient? If you are really passionate about technology, want to achieve something in the consulting world, and are passionate about the capital and commodities space, there is no place better than SGM for you. No one holds you back here, you own your growth and the culture really needs to be experienced. There is a strong focus on learning; so many IT learning portals, business learning portals like acumen that help you pace and plan your own growth. Sapient gives you a free canvas, less bureaucracy, no cubicles doesn’t matter the title of the person.
Prasanth Mathew Senior Associate
Hello, a bit about me: I joined Sapient 2 years back as a core Java technologist
Introduce yourself and explain your current Role & Responsibilities. I have around eight years of total experience and two years at Sapient Global Markets working as a core Java technologist. My current role is designing, developing, testing and deploying applications for a multinational financial services organization.
Tells us about the client problem you are solving these days? I am a part of the client’s Fixed Income division working on revamping an old complex project for their sales team. The task is to go through the old project, understand the business use case, develop the model, build it and test it. The main challenge here is there is no proper documentation so we need to dig into the old code and identify the use cases.
How do you see yourself growing professionally in Sapient? Sapient Global Markets is a great place to work where I get an opportunity to work with innovative and talented people. The clients who Sapient Global Markets deal with are extraordinary and they are always the market leaders in their business. They always look for cutting edge technology and encourage you to innovate and implement new ideas. Also sapient itself has a team focusing on the new technology and in built tutorials are available to learn things. With all these I am confident that I can keep myself updated and grow professionally.
Give us one example of your creative thinking or an innovative solution to a client problem. At Sapient Global Markets, we have the freedom to implement new Ideas and thoughts. Last month I needed to implement a trade matching module. Since it was common to all asset classes in the project I made it as a generic component which could be re used for implementing other asset classes. It was completely out of the box thinking and it won me great appreciation from the client and my account lead.
How do you balance personal priorities and project commitments? Sapient provides benefits of flexible working hours to enable a balanced approach to both work and life. The only requirement is to complete your deliverables within the given timelines. I have never faced any issue till date.
What is that one thing which drives you to come to office every day? The reasons which motivate me to work every day are my work, deliverables and the team. The pleasant atmosphere in my team, and the Chai time with my colleagues are the best ones. Also I like my job which I am currently doing. I am passionate about technology and try to learn something new every day. My areas of interest in technology are Java, Spring, Oracle/Sybase and Unix.
What message do you want to give to people joining Sapient? Sapient Global Markets provides you challenging and innovative atmosphere to work. If you want a place to innovate and distinguish yourself from others then this is the place to be.
Lalita Lalwani Specialist
Hello, a bit about me: I am a Core Java architect and I have been working with Sapient for the last ten years. I joined as a associate and today I manage a trading account team, with folks spread across 5 geographies, internationally.
Introduce yourself and explain your current role and responsibilities. I am a Core Java architect and I have been working with Sapient for the last ten years. I joined as a associate and today I manage a trading account team, with folks spread across five geographies, internationally.
Tell us about a client problem you are working on these days? Within a span of 1-1.5 years, I have been part of three extremely diversified projects . In one of these, I handled a lot of interfaces including Cubes creation and deployment, ATC , EFET gateway Integration , WEBICE Integration etc. For one of our key projects, the requirement demanded a hands on Endur Open Component person with C-sharp skills. Being from Core Java background with neither any exposure to .Net world, nor to ENDUR Open Components side of things, I took on the challenge. With client’s approval we were able to stabilize the project in a very short time.
What is that one thing that brings you to work every day? It’s the people we work with. I do feel that I am blessed to have worked with the best talent at Sapient, I joined as an associate but I always felt that I was surrounded by rock stars. The other aspect is a focus on ongoing learning; some of the best clients to work with who also give us the opportunity to grow and learn with them. We always work with the most up-to-date and extensive technologies. So within java frameworks for instance, we work on a varied, cutting edge range of technology stacks. In the last few years, I have worked on niche specialized tools such as GoldenSource Enterprise Data Management, Trillium, Oracle Collaboration Suite including OID , Attivio Search Engine over and above normal Struts, Spring, and Hibernate tools.
Give us one example of your creative thinking or an innovative solution to a client problem. We were working on a next generation HR portal for one of our clients with about 120,000+ employees. This portal was first solution in the market that completely integrated Oracle's suite of enterprise products: Oracle portal server 10g release 2, Oracle BPEL server , Oracle collaboration suite, Oracle Identity Management, LDAP and ERP (Oracle Applications) at that timing. Looking at the integration challenges, tool stability and deadlines, nobody thought we would be able to deliver a quality solution on time. However, we did it. Delivering on the project gave me and my team the confidence that give us any technology stack, any circumstances, we will pull through and pass with flying colors.
How do you balance personal priorities and project commitments? That’s a difficult one. There have been numerous occasions where project commitments take priority and we are required to stretch. More so, since we work in GDD model and client is based out of US. The flexibility to work from home, really helps.
What message do you want to give to people joining Sapient? I do a lot of hiring for core java. I always tell interview candidates that come to Sapient with an entrepreneurial mindset, i.e. you own your own growth. If you have a great idea, no one stops you. Sapient is very hands on kind of a work environment, directors will also do coding work happily. A colleague who has joined us from a leading IT consulting company tells me that the knowledge he has gained in three months in Sapient, was much more than what he learnt in three years at his previous company.
Gajendra Singh Rao Senior Specialist
Hello, a bit about me: I have been with Sapient for 8 years, and mine is a story of ambition meeting opportunity, of a memorable journey filled with challenges, achievements and a lot of great people.
Introduce yourself and explain your current role and responsibilities. I have been with Sapient for eight years in a career spanning a total of 13 years. Currently I work as an architect , designing technical and architectural solutions. I also manage a team that works across multiple locations.
Tells us about a client problem you are working on these days? My team is currently working on revamping a centralized trade management system that many leading financial institutions of the world use. The challenge with the current system is that it was built on technologies that are no longer considered cutting edge or impactful. To counter this issue, we are creating a new architectural layer and caching layer, on top of the existing system. This will provide for a much improved user experience.
Give us an example of your innovative solution to a client problem. In one of my previous projects, we were unable to trouble shoot system errors, due to a lack of contextual data that caused their occurrence. It was impossible for us to add code logs throughout the program as it would make the program quite verbose. Instead, we created a utility which would launch, any time an error occurs, the required contextual information as to what were the input parameters etc., which enabled us to trouble shoot the error. The utility is non-intrusive and can be plugged into any application , as part of the Java or Runtime argument.
How do you balance personal priorities and project commitments? We work in a very dynamic domain, it is a culture that will never be strictly 9 to 5. That said, the company has created many tools to enable a balanced approach to both work and life. One is definitely the flex-time option. The other is the iterative model paradigm, that Sapient was amongst the pioneers of. This model enables teams to stay focused with their deliverables, within given timelines. This means the requirement of stretch-time towards the end of the project, really reduces. When you finish your projects on time, you have more time to pursue personal commitments.
What is that one thing that brings you to work every day? One of the reasons SGM has been able to build a strong team is that we are all very like minded people; we are all part of the same ‘tribe’. We thrive on challenges and work with a solutions mindset, because how else are we or our work going to grow? So for me one of the greatest highs of coming to work every day is knowing that a fresh set of challenges awaits me and that I have great minds working alongside me help me solve those challenges.
What message do you want to give to people joining Sapient? My accomplishments over the last few years, give me immense pleasure. I am fortunate that I have spent precious years of my professional career in Sapient working along with some of the most enthusiastic, passionate, technically sound people in the IT industry. If that is the career story you too are looking for, than Sapient is a great place to be. Welcome aboard!
Sachin Director
Hello, a bit about me: I am Sachin and I joined Sapient as an Associate and have grown to be a Director. After 13 years in the company, what excites is the fact that every single day I get to be someone’s role model, while I still have enough people to look up to as role models of my own.
Introduce yourself and explain your current role and responsibilities. I am Sachin Mengi and I have worked with Sapient for the last 13 years. I have had a very fulfilling career and have grown through the ranks. Currently, I am Director, Technology, and the delivery lead for one of our key, long-standing clients. In a nutshell, my primary responsibility is to ensure that all our deliverables meet a high quality standard and get delivered on time.
Tells us about the client problem you are working on these days? Currently, we are working on re-scoping a legacy system that is used for hedge fund administration. The business of our client is growing and we are enabling their systems to keep pace with business growth.
Give us one example of your creative thinking or an innovative solution to a client's problem We recently delivered a solution based on fluid design. As you know, with multiple devices and tech platforms, the traditional approach has been for each to have it’s unique code base. So the laptop has one, the tablet has a different one, the mobile has another. We created a solution whereby a single code base could be leveraged across platforms, using technologies like Jquery, Angular js, Bootstrap, etc. The client was very satisfied with the convenience and performance of the newly implemented solution.
What is that one thing that brings you to work every day? Given that I am a veteran member of the Sapient family, it is definitely the relationships that I have built here over the years. What excites me is that every single day I have to be someone’s role model , while I still have enough people to look up to as role models of my own.
How do you balance personal priorities and project commitments? There are conflicts all the time, and it is unrealistic to wish them away. No one will come and solve that problem for you; the company can give you flexibility around it but you are the one who has to own and solve it. My biggest insight is that you need to use your time effectively. Often, we get into a cycle of procrastination, which impacts both our professional and personal commitments. It is then that your balance goes for a toss, no matter how much flexibility the company provides you.
What message do you want to give to people joining Sapient? SGM is the place to build careers, not just jobs. You need to come in the company with a mindset to learn, deliver and grow. Only then will you be ale to do justice to the opportunities this place will send your way. All the best.
Neha Kapoor Senior Associate
Hello, a bit about me: I rejoined Sapient Global Markets, after a small stint outside, because I felt that no other place currently provides the combination of great work opportunities coupled with an entrepreneurial mindset that Sapient offers. This time I intend to stay put.
Introduce yourself and explain your current role and responsibilities. We were working on building a Google like search functionality for one of our clients. They were not happy with the performance of the utility we had initially implemented. By creating the same functionality with a different approach using SharePoint Web Services, I was able to reduce the performance time by 2/3rd. The whole development/delivery effort was as low as two weeks. This happened within few months of my joining my current project; so for me personally, it was quite a shot in the arm.
Tell us about a client problem you are working on these days? For one of my projects, I am working on migrating a standard fees model from a legacy system to a relatively new reference data application based on the Grails framework. We are using latest front-end technologies like Ext-js, Angular.js and jQuery, to enable the transition.
How do you see yourself growing professionally in Sapient? I aspire to grow in the technology domain, and with the kind of complex work opportunities it sends your way, SGM is the ideal place to do so. I am proud that the company invests in training us on emerging technologies; so essential to grow as technologists. Besides domain training, there is a focus on developing all aspects of our professional personalities. For instance, I was recently asked to deliver a technical session for a large team that included many senior colleagues. I was skeptical about pulling it off but I did, and in fact was well appreciated! Such exposure on a regular basis, really boosts one’s confidence as a client-facing technologist.
Give us one example of your creative thinking or an innovative solution to a client problem. We were working on building a Google like search functionality for one of our clients. They were not happy with the performance of the utility we had initially implemented. By creating the same functionality with a different approach using SharePoint Web Services, I was able to reduce the performance time by 2/3rd. The whole development/delivery effort was as low as two weeks. This happened within few months of my joining my current project, so for me personally, it was quite a shot in the arm.
How do you balance personal priorities and project commitments? So far, I have not faced any work-life balance concerns. The nature of our work is such that it will never be a purely 9-5 role; there will be times when you would be expected to stretch. But what is important is that at SGM, everyone is conscious of building a balanced work place. For instance, in a recent release on my project, we were having long calls regularly. After a month, we raised this issue to the management as well as the client. Not just the client but the management also understood our concern, and adjusted the duration and frequency of these calls.
What brings you to work every day? All work and no play makes us dull technologists and my team truly believes that! We engage in a lot of fun activities, something new to look forward to almost each day. For instance, during the world cup we had the bidding brackets, we have a big screen TV in our area where all the matches were screened. We have team gettogethers and outings on a regular basis, as well celebrations of all major festivals are organized by the company. If you are a good time manager you also have enough time to benefit from self growth sessions (online + classroom) on technology, business knowledge and soft skills. I also invest my time well on self-learning.
What message do you want to give to people joining Sapient? As a Core Java technologist, you will get to work on the latest technologies and frameworks. You will also have the flexibility to move across technologies. Unlike other organizations and especially captive organizations where you are restricted to a particular technology/platform, here you also have the ability to switch across accounts. For instance, if a particular account is not investing on middleware and another client is, I have the choice to move to that team to get hands-on experience. Also, the role(s) and a title(s) are not tightly coupled here; more depends on what skills you bring to the table. For instance, even as a fairly new person in the company and with not too many years on my rÊsumÊ, I was given a track lead responsibility. None of my peers in other companies have experienced this kind of exposure. Simply put, Sapient’s philosophy is, you own your growth! So join the company with a growth mindset and you will go places.