Sync NI Magazine Autumn 2024

www.syncni.com Autumn 2024 magazine

Citi Rapid7 ESO

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Big Data Belfast: Celebrating 10 years  Big Data Belfast serves as a fulcrum for the data community to contribute and help to shape the conversation around the future of data and AI  Dr Scott Fischaber, COO & Co-Founder, Analytics Engines

06 A decade of data: The

journey of Big Data Belfast

16 EY's Gareth Kelly explores how Big

Data and AI is transforming lives and bringing meaningful benefits to people, organisations and society Supported by

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Welcome to the autumn edition of the Sync NI magazine Foreword

Dr Scott Fischaber COO & Co-Founder, Analytics Engines

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ig Data Belfast is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, marking a decade showcasing and sharing lessons in innovation and growth from right across the data community here.

Data practitioners, industry leaders and innovators will converge on the ICC Belfast for an event that has grown in significance since its inception. Over the past 10 years of Analytics Engines’ curation of the event, Big Data Belfast has become a key platform for exploring the latest trends in data, AI, and technology, with local innovators and foreign direct investment (FDI) companies actively participating. This year's event, supported by headline sponsor EY, promises to be one of the most impactful yet, with a strong focus on generative AI and its transformative potential.

The data and AI ecosystem in Northern Ireland has witnessed significant growth in recent years. Companies like Aflac NI, Allstate NI, Microsoft, Daily Pay, Dell Technologies, Rapid 7, Synechron, along with local innovators and supportive organisations like MCS Group, have contributed much to positioning the region at the forefront of emerging technologies. As we have always done, Big Data Belfast this year will serve to tell the story of progress, particularly the role of data and AI in addressing complex challenges across sectors like healthcare, transport, and government.

This event serves as a moment for Northern Ireland to reflect on its growing prominence as a hub for data-driven innovation. Having witnessed the evolution of this conference from its modest beginnings, I’m excited to see how it serves as a fulcrum for the data community to contribute and help to shape the conversation around the future of data and AI.

Strong opportunities lie ahead for Northern Ireland, with a strong emphasis on increasing productivity, one of the region’s biggest economic challenges. The adoption of new technologies is viewed as key to driving productivity gains. Through rounds of engagements with customers and stakeholders, I have seen how the introduction of digital tools across industries can help streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve decision-making, enabling the local economy to keep pace with global advancements.

Furthermore, these benefits are rippling out across the region. The recently published Sub-Regional Economic Plan is focused on broadening opportunities beyond Belfast.

With a strategic focus on regional balance, the plan aims to deliver economic prosperity through infrastructure improvements, digital connectivity, and fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Like many companies, Analytics Engines has a bold vision for the future. Over the next 12 months, we anticipate expanding into new markets across Europe, and beyond. This growth strategy is driven by the increasing demand for AI solutions, a key part of this being Panoramic AI—our modular AI framework that provides customisable solutions tailored to specific business needs.

With global investments in AI expected to soar, I have no doubt the tech community across the island of Ireland—including our own team at Analytics Engines—will continue to push the boundaries of what can be achieved through the intelligent use of data and AI in solving realworld challenges.

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About Sync NI Sync NI is proud to be the voice of Northern Ireland’s vibrant technology and business sector.

The Sync NI website and magazine brings readers the latest tech and business news, views, jobs and events in Belfast and beyond.

Sync NI Contacts Editorial Kathryn McKenna Phone: 028 9082 0947 Email: kathryn@syncni.com Advertising & Partnerships Louis Kingston Phone: 028 9082 0947 Email: louis@syncni.com Digital Content Ryan Redmond Email: ryan@syncni.com General Enquiries Sync NI Rochester Building 28 Adelaide street Belfast BT2 8GD Phone: 028 9082 0947 Email: team@syncni.com Online: www.syncni.com Copyright No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the copyholder and publisher. Sync NI accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of contributed articles or statements appearing in this magazine and any views or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Sync NI, unless otherwise indicated.

No responsibility for loss or distress associated to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this magazine can be accepted by the authors, contributors, editors or publishers. Sync NI does not endorse any goods or services advertised, nor any claims or representations made in any advertisement in this magazine.

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SYNC NI MAGAZINE

Inside this edition 06 A decade of data: The journey of Big Data Belfast

14 Paul Hill on what makes a quality Software Engineer and why AI cannot replace talented people

08 Aflac NI marks five years of innovation and growth in Belfast

16 Gareth Kelly Partner NI Data, Analytics & AI explores how Big Data and AI is transforming lives and bringing meaningful benefits to people, organisations and society

10 Peter Holden, Citi Belfast: Why it is vital to ‘think local - act global’

18 Gillian Adams on the opportunities in Northern Ireland’s thriving tech sector and why it’s never too late to choose a new career

12 Ióseph Ó Loingsigh on the increasing role of AI in cyber and how rewarding it feels to help foster the careers of others

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20 Data Roundtable: Celebrating 10 years of Big Data Belfast

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30 Applying AI to real-world challenges 32 ESO Roundtable: Celebrating five years in Belfast

24 Rebecca Keenan, Expleo: Why diversity in thought and experience is crucial to innovation in technology

36 Chloe Gillard on using technology to make impactful change at Version 1

26 Cyber Roundtable: Leading security experts reflect on the recent upsurge in attacks - and what can be done to prevent them

38 Meet Ben Wisoner: A Senior Security Engineer IAM at CME Group

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A decade of data: The journey of Big Data Belfast

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elebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Big Data Belfast 2024 has established itself as more than a conference; it’s a gathering of the brightest minds in the industry, showcasing the latest advancements and fostering connections. In a world where every company is now a data company, and data-driven decisions are a necessity, this milestone event reflects both the journey so far and the future ahead.

From its inception, Big Data Belfast has been organised and curated by Analytics Engines, Northern Ireland’s leading AI and data science firm. Specialising in AI strategy, data engineering, data science and advanced analytics, Analytics Engines’ expertise lies in supporting organistions to unlock the full potential of their data.

For Analytics Engines co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Scott Fischaber this focus on finding new value from data has been the driving principle behind the event.

“Value creation is not just a technical challenge; it’s a transformative journey. When we come to curate the Big Data Belfast agenda each year, we have this top of mind. Everyone

is on a data and AI journey, but at different stages. So we aim to bring together the very best practitioners and business leaders who can provide the range of insights necessary to make this a valuable and fulfilling event for everyone in the room,” he said.

A decade of evolution

Over the past 10 years, the data landscape has undergone significant changes. In 2014, discussions around data analytics were still emerging. At that time, Northern Ireland's tech industry was beginning to take shape, with companies like Allstate and Cayan making early investments in data analytics and software development. The region was still in the nascent stages of establishing itself as a tech hub, with limited focus on big data initiatives compared to more established markets.

Fast forward to 2024, and data science and AI are now central to business strategy and innovation across many of the region’s industries. Northern Ireland has become a vibrant tech ecosystem, attracting investments from major players like Microsoft and Dell Technologies. The region boasts a growing number of startups and established firms focusing on AI solutions, with initiatives such as the AI Collaboration Centre paving the way for innovation and research in this

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space.

According to Analytics Engines' Director of Data Science and AI Strategy Jordan McDonald: “As we look to the future, large language models are poised to transform how we interact with technology, enabling more personalised experiences across various sectors.

These AI-driven advancements will enhance virtual assistants, allowing them to offer tailored responses based on individual user preferences and behaviours. Additionally, improved AI-powered search capabilities will facilitate deeper, more intuitive engagement with information, making it easier for users to find relevant content.

At Big Data Belfast, we’re excited to explore how these innovations can reshape interactions in our increasingly digital world.”

In the UK, the public and private sectors are increasingly embracing AI adoption. The benefits of adopting AI are substantial. Companies leveraging AI can streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance decision-making processes.

Scott added: “The adoption of AI is no longer a luxury but a necessity for businesses aiming to thrive. By leveraging data and AI effectively, companies in Northern Ireland cannot only enhance their operational efficiency but also drive substantial growth. At Big Data Belfast this year, delegates can expect to see how organisations can unlock these benefits, paving the way for a brighter, more innovative future.”

This year’s highlights

Big Data Belfast 2024 features an impressive lineup of speakers and sessions centred on generative AI, digital transformation, and business analytics. This year, EY takes the lead as the headline sponsor, with Gareth Kelly discussing how businesses can leverage data for strategic decision-making.

Joining him is Mike Webster from DCC

plc, who will share his insights on AI's real-time reshaping of industries.

His extensive experience in digital transformation positions him as a key speaker on the intersection of AI and business efficiency.

One of the standout sessions features Gary Marshall, Vice President of Virtual Production at NantStudios, who will explore how data and technology are revolutionising the entertainment industry. This innovative approach is increasingly relevant as industries adapt to technologies that enhance user experience and engagement.

Analytics Engines contributors will include Director of Data Science & AI Strategy Jordan McDonald, Senior Data Scientist Michael Strain, and Public Sector Business Development Manager Michael McCloskey.

Building a community

The success of Big Data Belfast lies not only in its rich content but also in its community-oriented approach.

The event serves as a vital gathering point for professionals across the data spectrum to network and collaborate.

Last year, over 700 delegates from more than 165 companies attended, underscoring the conference's role as a premier networking opportunity in the tech landscape.

Attendees often share that the relationships built during the conference lead to significant collaborations and innovations. This spirit of connection is essential in a world where the rapid pace of technological advancement requires collective problem-solving.

Northern Ireland's growing tech hub

The Northern Ireland Executive's draft Programme for Government highlights the vital role of technology in enhancing productivity. The government aims to support local businesses and talent by investing in technology and skills development, which is essential for fostering a competitive economy.

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Events like Big Data Belfast are integral to this vision, showcasing how data analytics and artificial intelligence can drive innovation across sectors. By facilitating discussions on data-driven technologies, the conference aligns with government efforts to encourage the adoption of these tools, ultimately leading to improved public services and economic growth.

Public Sector Business Development Manager Michael McCloskey said: “Artificial intelligence has the power to transform our public services, making them more efficient and responsive to the needs of citizens. By leveraging data analytics, we can streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and ultimately improve service delivery. At Big Data Belfast, we are demonstrating how these technologies align with the Northern Ireland Executive's vision for a competitive economy, driving innovation and fostering collaboration across sectors.”

This collaboration between government policy and the tech community underscores the significance of harnessing data to tackle real-world challenges and enhance productivity in Northern Ireland.

The future of data and AI Conference sessions will focus on the transformative potential of AI-powered solutions, with discussions on AIgenerated content and enterprise applications. Insights from industry leaders will equip attendees with the knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of the evolving data landscape.

As Big Data Belfast celebrates its 10th anniversary, it serves as a testament to the power of data and the collaborative spirit of the tech community. The conference not only reflects the advancements made over the past decade but also paves the way for future innovations.

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Northern Ireland Economy Minister Conor Murphy was welcomed as part of a special visit by several senior US executives. He is pictured, centre, at a reception in the city with, from left, Kieran Donoghue, CEO, Invest NI, Audrey Boone Tillman, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Aflac Inc, Virgil Miller Aflac US President, and Aflac NI Managing Director Mark McCormack.

Aflac NI marks five years of innovation and growth in Belfast Aflac Northern Ireland, a subsidiary of Aflac Inc., a Fortune 500 company, has marked five years since it first opened its Global IT Cybersecurity Centre in Belfast, bringing good, high tech jobs to the region

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ith the support of Invest Northern Ireland, the company was launched in October 2019 as part of a rapid expansion plan to grow its local base to more than 150 staff.

several senior US executives including Aflac US President Virgil Miller, who officially launched Aflac Northern Ireland in October 2019, and Audrey Boone Tillman, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Aflac Inc.

As part of the broader Aflac family, Aflac Northern Ireland provides solutions for the benefit of its US-based parent company’s global customers. In the US and Japan, where Aflac is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force, Aflac helps close the gap between what policyholder’s health insurance does and does not cover.

“I’m delighted that five years since its establishment, Aflac Northern Ireland continues to make a positive impact on the economy, to local communities and to the development of outstanding careers,” Aflac U.S. President Virgil R. Miller said.

Marking the occasion, Northern Ireland Economy Minister Conor Murphy was welcomed as part of a special visit by

”Our teams in Belfast have made a long and lasting impact on the success of our global operations by delivering cuttingedge solutions that lead the sector, supporting growth and jobs both here and at home.”

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The award-winning company has become one of the city’s leading technology enterprises, firmly establishing itself as a key part of the city’s worldwide reputation as a global cybersecurity hub. It smashed its target to recruit 150 highly skilled IT staff two years ahead of schedule in 2023 and now employs a team of more than 170.

Last year, Aflac Northern Ireland moved to an expansive 20,000 sq ft Grade A office space at Belfast’s City Quays 3, indicating significant growth and a longterm commitment to Belfast.

Led by Mark McCormack, appointed Managing Director in 2022, the Belfastbased company delivers world class digital services and cybersecurity solutions in a highly focused innovative and creative environment. Back in Belfast to mark the special occasion, honorary Belfast ambassador and former Managing Director Keith Farley was instrumental in Aflac’s decision to choose Belfast as its first and most important location outside the US from 15 competing destinations.

Economy Minister, Conor Murphy, said: “The Financial Services sector is one of my seven priority sectors. It is now one of our largest employers, with room for growth. This expansion has been fuelled by an unbeatable combination of worldclass talent and research excellence supported by government.

“Aflac is a shining light in the wider FinTech Sector ecosystem here, supporting over 170 good jobs which positively impact our economy, our communities, and the lives of the people they employ. I congratulate Aflac all on the success they have achieved to date and I look forward to seeing the company continue to grow and succeed for many years to come.”

Established in 1955, Aflac currently employs approximately 4,700 employees in the U.S. and 11,000 globally. In addition to being recognised as one of the 100 Best Companies to

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Work For in America for 20 consecutive years, the company has also been included on the Ethisphere’s list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023).

Aflac US President, Virgil Miller, added: “The game-changing technology produced by Aflac here in Belfast is making an impact not just locally but right across the globe, transforming the customer experience for millions of our customers in the United States and Japan. Investing in talent, training and skills development has been a top priority for us and I’m delighted to celebrate this significant milestone with our teams who make such a positive impact on our organisation. I’m grateful to Minister Conor Murphy and to Invest Northern Ireland for their support and I look forward to sharing many more milestones in the years ahead.”

Aflac Northern Ireland is also a champion for and investor in local communities, including a long-term partnership with Children’s Cancer Unit Charity (CCUC), supporting the work of the Children’s Cancer and Haematology Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. The company helps provide comfort to children diagnosed right across the region, including providing its award-winning My Special Aflac Duck®, a robotic medical device designed to help mitigate stress and anxiety during treatments, to children and families facing cancer.

Aflac NI’s relationship with CCUC and the Children’s Cancer and Haematology Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children has to date helped to raise more than £45,000 and the partnership has expanded the company’s primary philanthropic cause of supporting the treatment and research of childhood cancer and blood disorders here in Northern Ireland.

Economy Minister Conor Murphy, right, joined Aflac NI Managing Director Mark McCormack at a reception in the city.

Aflac has also donated more than 31,000 of its My Special Aflac Ducks across the US, Japan and Northern Ireland. The robotic soft toy companions are designed to help children fighting cancer to communicate their feelings and prepare for surgery and have been shown through an independent study conducted at 8 hospitals across the United States, to significantly reduce the stress and anxiety for children and their families.

Mark McCormack, Managing Director, Aflac Northern Ireland, said: “We are extraordinarily proud that from a small start-up in 2019, Aflac Northern Ireland has evolved and matured quickly to become a major global tech leader and a major component of our society, particularly as it pertains to helping children and families. I’m delighted that we have exceeded our own high expectations for growth as an important part of the Aflac family and to renew our commitment to our teams, the city and region that we will continue to strive for excellence and industry leadership in the work we deliver while continuing to play our part in supporting the local economy and the communities in which we serve.”

Headquartered in Columbus, Georgia, Aflac is one of the US’ best-known brands and the Aflac duck is a household icon.

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Peter Holden, Citi Belfast

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By Kathryn McKenna

Peter Holden, Citi Belfast: Why it is vital to ‘think local - act global’ Peter Holden, Global Head of Enterprise Services at Citi and recently appointed Site Lead of Citi Belfast, highlights the importance of growth and innovation at Citi, encouraging his Belfast cohort to ‘think locally, act globally’

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eading Northern Ireland’s largest financial services employer, Peter is expanding Citi’s ethos of ‘live locally, work globally’, insisting the innovations conceived in Belfast can have a global impact.

Citi’s employees reflect the remarkable range of cultures and perspectives of the bank’s clients from across nearly 180 countries and jurisdictions where Citi does business. This highlights a powerful advantage for Citi Belfast that combines global insights with deep local knowledge.

With an exemplary 26-year tenure with Citi, Australian native Peter brings a wealth of experience, expertise and passion for his new role having previously worked in New Zealand, Singapore, and London. Peter moved to Belfast in 2007 with

his wife, a Northern Ireland native from Fermanagh whom he met in Sydney.

Within his functional role at Citi, Peter is responsible for enterprise services in the technology infrastructure group supporting and securing the technology estate that powers Citi’s applications across multiple global locations.

Peter is a champion of diversity and inclusion at Citi, with his allyship stemming from personal experiences in the workplace and home-life. Peter has advocated for LGBTQ+ rights internally and externally across Northern Ireland and is a passionate supporter of the seven inclusion network chapters at Citi that include: Women, Multicultural, Salutes, Families Matter, Disability, Pride and Social Mobility. These chapters are all important aspects in helping support Citi’s brand, enhancing

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the culture and developing diversity across the business.

The inclusion networks promote engagement amongst colleagues by creating an inclusive environment whilst giving back and supporting local communities though Citi partnerships.

One example of this is the adoption of NOW Group’s JAM card initiative at Citi Belfast. The JAM card is a helpful way for those with a hidden disability or communication barrier to tell others they are asking for ‘Just A Minute’ of time and patience in a private and easy way.

Training with NOW Group was made available to all Belfast colleagues, providing an overview of the JAM Card, and advice on how to identify and address barriers in the best way possible - promoting a diverse, accessible and inclusive workplace for all. NOW Group’s JAM Card can be used by anyone with a communication barrier, with many local businesses and health care trusts adopting the initiative.

Citi’s DisAbility Network worked with colleagues in the UK to drive wider awareness and UK engagement, and the programme is now being rolled out across Citi’s European offices, further demonstrating the ethos of ‘thinking locally, acting globally.’ Peter comments: “My son has one of the JAM cards and it has been so useful for him – whether he is getting on a bus or he is trying to pay for something in a shop – it can have a positive impact in so many different ways. The JAM card is something which has proven to be extremely effective locally and can be implemented on a global scale and we are proud to be working with NOW Group to roll the initiative out across our Citi team.”

Citi has become a trailblazer for equality and inclusion within the workplace, spearheading numerous initiatives. In addition to competitive

compensation and standard benefits such as healthcare, retirement and paid time off, Citi offers colleagues a wide range of support for their personal and professional health and development in and outside the workplace. Securing Citi’s position as one of the most supportive environments to work, employees also benefit from a global minimum standard for paid maternity and parental leave; adoption, surrogacy and fertility assistance benefits; backup childcare and childcare service discounts; on-site health and medical centres; well-being-focused concierge services; and paid leave to pursue interests outside of work.

This offering is driven by research clearly demonstrating companies that fully adopt DEI initiatives are more successful, and Citi is helping to set the benchmark.

Personal growth and the ability to forge a successful career within the organisation globally is extremely important to Peter, given that he himself began his career at Citi working on the help desk. Peter is passionate that every effort is made to empower employees with the necessary tools and support to innovate, learn new skills and grow. Alongside Peter there are two homegrown Managing Directors Lauren McCoy (General Counsel) and Carla McGlynn (Head of Markets Business Controls Technology / Tech Site Lead) who are prime examples of Managing Directors who have risen exponentially locally and are now on the global stage.

The opportunity to build a career at Citi is strengthened as technology and AI continue to develop at a rapid pace. Peter comments: “At all levels, people can show leadership and deliver innovative ideas. The opportunities to think locally and act globally are endless with the business we have, especially at the speed the business is changing: whether it be AI; regulation; cyber security; or moving to the Cloud. We live and breathe all of these things every day.”

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Developing a pipeline of talent and future skills continues to be a major focus for the team at Citi and the company provides numerous pathways for individuals starting out on their career journey. In addition to hiring at graduate level, Peter and the Citi team are passionate about the range of apprenticeship programmes available for school leavers and early career starters interested in working toward qualifications whilst gaining valuable work experience. Peter himself graduated with a computer science degree while working full time throughout his studies and has firsthand experience of the benefits this approach allows.

Peter is full of praise for the structure and the engagement with the local universities in Northern Ireland and Citi’s first apprentice recently successfully obtained their degree. Furthermore, Peter is optimistic that staff retention of apprentices who have decided to build a career at Citi will be high due to the unique pathway they have taken.

Levelling up remains a core objective of Citi’s quest for continual improvement, personal development, and innovation, not only externally at graduate and apprenticeship level, but internally as well. Citi have set up their own Data Academy in London where employees can continue to upskill and gain qualifications whilst working in their day-to-day role.

“This is a pathway that can educate all disciplines within Citi to be made more aware of how we use exciting advancing technologies such as AI and how we interact with it in our roles moving forward,” Peter comments.

“If we think locally and act globally, that's going to increase the effectiveness of our people. It will increase their seniority internally which is going to be beneficial for those individuals. It's also going to be good for the city of Belfast and ties everything together.”

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Ióseph Ó Loingsigh on the increasing role of AI in cyber and how rewarding it feels to help foster the careers of others 

By Kathryn McKenna

As Director of Software Engineering at Rapid7 in Belfast, Ióseph Ó Loingsigh is well placed to discuss significant developments in the cyber sector

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op of the agenda is the switch to more automated tools and AI, with Ióseph making it clear that whilst AI helps cyber-attackers build more sophisticated attacks, it also helps those working in cyber-security mitigate against attacks.

Whilst AI should not be regarded as a ‘silver bullet’, Ióseph emphasises it is certainly a powerful tool when it comes to augmenting existing approaches. Areas including: speed, accuracy, scalability of threat detection and response, are where the experienced Director of Software Engineering foresees AI having the most impact.

The benefits of AI, Ióseph tells Sync NI, mean there will be more opportunity for companies to respond automatically to secure their networks if they experience certain network traffic patterns that don't look normal, allowing them to automatically isolate parts of infrastructure, shut down environments and close down machines to mitigate an attack.

Furthermore, AI looks set to play a fundamental role in taking away some of the heavy lifting, allowing security teams to focus instead on the most important tasks. This is because AI

possesses the ability to analyze and interpret historical trends and data in order to pre-emptively interpret exposure of a company’s network to attacks based on historical trends.

This includes using data to interpret the most likely areas that someone would attempt to attack a company, making it very different from the way traditional software would have been processed and interpreted in the past. This is due to the massive amounts of data AI has the ability to analyze efficiently. Ióseph comments: “The data AI can process and interpret is much more than any human could look at and the trends, predictions and recommendations from that is invaluable in terms of taking some of the heavy lifting away from the developers in order to allow us to utilize our time even more efficiently.”

The cyber-security skills gap has become a critical challenge, with a significant shortage of skilled people who understand how to keep up with evolving threats. To address this gap, organisations are increasingly turning to specialist automation and AI-driven tools, as well as leveraging Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) like Rapid7, to help manage security posture.

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Rapid7 is a cyber-security company that provides a wide range of security solutions and services to help organisations identify, prioritise, and mitigate security vulnerabilities and threats. The company offers a variety of products and services, with a focus on vulnerability management, incident detection and response, and security analytics.

Rapid7 has been a leader in Belfast’s burgeoning technology scene since 2014, recently celebrating its 10 year anniversary with company festivities and reflections from team members who have witnessed the momentum achieved since setting up in the city.

Applauding the essence of the startup vibe which Rapid7 has maintained, even with the scale the Bostonheadquartered company has grown to in Belfast with 500-strong staff, Ióseph explains the company instills the need to remain fast-paced in order to keep up with security threats. Speaking on the working culture and ethos at Rapid7, Ióseph explains why the company is aptly named.

Ióseph comments: “It is the nature of our industry that necessitates we have to operate at a really fast pace.

‘Challenge Convention’ and ‘Never Done’ are two of the founding core values of Rapid7. Groundhog Day doesn't exist here because people are committed to driving the company forward. We embrace continuous learning and acting quickly in the interest of our customers.

Agile practices are inherently entwined at Rapid7 – we have the agility to change processes, adapt our approach and change how we deliver to build our software and work with our customers - which is a really important part of what makes this company successful.”

Post-pandemic the world has seen varying approaches when it comes to mandated office-time. As a hybridfirst company, Rapid7 understands the importance of providing their teams

with cutting-edge tools and state-ofthe-art spaces that foster creativity and collaboration across a globally distributed workforce.

Ióseph is confident that in the case of Rapid7, office time remains extremely valuable. Ultimately, to ensure a company is successful, Ióseph asserts that it needs to attract and retain top tier talent. One major way to achieve this is by striking the right balance of flexibility with a hybrid setup between home and the office.

When it comes to learning and development, particularly for interns and newly-graduates, Ióseph firmly believes there is no better environment to cultivate skills than an office setting.

This is because the opportunity to receive meaningful mentorship, engage in whiteboarding sessions to tackle complex problems and foster peer relationships is vastly enhanced inperson.

Physical space for employees to collaborate, brainstorm and share ideas in real-time leads to more effective problem-solving and quicker decision-making. Group-based activities in particular, involving multiple stakeholders tend to be easier.

While there are many applications that provide asynchronous ways to convey thought, difficult challenges are often more efficiently tackled in person. Within Rapid7’s regular onsite workshops, the recurring theme is how much smoother and more productive in-person discussions are compared to virtual alternatives.

“Many companies use an office to set the tone of the overall culture, Rapid7 are no different. Working in an office can help build stronger relationships amongst team members with regular face-to-face interactions promoting camaraderie and trust. The spontaneous exchange of ideas that happens during casual water cooler conversations are nearly impossible to

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replicate over Zoom,” Ióseph comments.

Another important element of Rapid7’s success in Belfast has been its Student Placement Programme, which has been at the heart of the company’s international talent strategy since 2014. Rapid7 placement students spend a full year working as a member of one of Rapid7’s teams, gaining valuable experience working on real projects. In addition to the hands-on learning placements gained from their managers, mentors, and teammates, the programme allows the opportunity to network with peers and leaders, gain direct manager feedback, and ultimately the possibility of full-time employment upon graduation.

Rapid7 also runs an Apprentice Programme, a way for Rapid7 to diversify its technical pipeline with candidates who have pursued a different career path and are looking to move into the cyber-security field.

Participants have the opportunity to train and get hands-on experience whilst attending a local university one day per week. “Rapid7 invests heavily in our Emerging Talent programmes and they have been a massive part of the success and growth here in Belfast,” Ióseph comments, adding that a key highlight of his role as Director of Software Engineering is fostering career growth.

“When it comes to people, I feel humbled to support the development of such a talented team. Helping our managers grow and shape their teams, whilst fostering the careers of our engineers, often recognising their potential before they do themselves, is one of the most rewarding aspects of my role. It’s a privilege to guide their journeys and watch them grow,” Ióseph concludes.

To find out more about open roles and learn more about Rapid7 as a company, visit: syncni.com/company/Rapid7.

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Paul Hill, Managing Director and VP of Engineering at DailyPay

Paul Hill on what makes a quality Software Engineer and why AI cannot replace talented people Paul Hill is the Managing Director and VP of Engineering at DailyPay, which is a best-in-class, trusted, first-of-its-kind technology platform that dynamically changes how money moves - changing pay for good

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ounded in 2015, DailyPay’s unique platform allows payroll providers to offer employees early access to wages they have earned, helping them avoid payday lenders and potential costly charges.

Whilst sitting down with Sync NI, Paul reveals the key attributes which make an excellent software engineer include taking the initiative and being able to investigate an issue without prompting. Some of the most talented software engineers Paul has ever worked with identify a problem and immediately set about finding the solution. “Setting out to solve the problem straight away shows you have the initiative and the ability to learn fast,” Paul comments. “It shows an understanding of the business and this really stands out as an invaluable skill within technology.”

In addition to the ability to take one’s own initiative, Paul

emphasises how vital it is to enjoy your role in order to excel at what you do. Paul, who himself started out originally wishing to become a computer engineer, found that he had a particular interest instead in software engineering. Studying computer engineering provided Paul with the prerequisite skills to pursue a career in software engineering.

“I particularly enjoyed software engineering, and decided to move into this area having studied computer engineering, which I found I had less interest in. Studying computer engineering gave me the necessary education I needed to get into software engineering, which I enjoyed and truly loved. It is important to love what you do and have a genuine interest in it so that you are able to apply your learning and your knowledge in the real world,” Paul explains.

Applying your learning in the real world is key, with Paul

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which is a phrase widely used in the industry for someone who is extremely knowledgeable in a chosen field, whilst also maintaining a solid knowledge of a wide range of related and relevant technologies. Having an experienced, senior engineer to work alongside and learn from is vital, with Paul acknowledging Anders for his in-depth expertise. This experience and expertise-level sees Anders solving a problem in hours which might take others several weeks.

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By Kathryn McKenna

emphasising the difference of being able to learn something and actually having an interest and wanting to learn.

“Just because you can learn something, doesn’t mean you have an interest in the subject. As well as having an aptitude for mathematics, science and problem solving, to be successful in engineering you have to have genuine interest in it in order to be able to keep learning new skills, be willing to make and learn from your mistakes and take feedback on board,” Paul comments.

One way to advance a software engineer’s experience and expertise is to expose them to a broad set of problems as an aid to advance their knowledge across a lot of different technologies.

On the importance of mentorship within technology, Paul credits Principal Engineer at DailyPay, Anders Cassidy, for helping to teach and inspire those around him.

Paul references the ‘T-shaped engineer’

As a history graduate, Anders is a particularly inspiring mentor because he proves that whilst coming from a STEM background helps, it is not essential in order to enjoy a successful career in technology. “Having an aptitude for technology and a genuine interest in it is the most important thing,” Paul explains. “Anders surrounded himself with senior software engineers to build his knowledge. It is important to take on feedback from senior engineers and maximise the opportunity to learn.”

Plenty of ‘white space’ allows software engineers to focus on the task at hand and allow themselves to enter a ‘flow state’, an approach strongly supported and actively encouraged across all the engineering teams within DailyPay. The time difference with the US team also allows the team to schedule their workflow accordingly, working on projects during their white space time to begin with before following up on administrative tasks such as video meetings or phone calls in the afternoon when their American colleagues are logged on. Paul comments: “As a manager, making sure the team has white space in their calendar to be able to focus without interruption, enter a flow state of productivity and generate output is key. We then get to speak with our colleagues in the US in the afternoon, giving us an ideal balance.”

Finally, with the continuing prevalence of AI and questions over its potential

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impact, particularly within the field of technology, Paul believes whilst AI will help us to become more efficient with our time, it is certainly not a replacement for talented people.

Rather, it can be used effectively to give ideas of the direction of where to go with a problem, rather than offering the full and final solution. Paul concludes: “When we enter code into an AI programme – what we receive it is not the full solution, it is just a piece you can potentially use. It is not expert level code, and it is certainly not the finished product. Whilst it might not be able to give us the full answer, it can give us helpful ideas around the direction in which to go in.

“The human mind is too complex and amazing to replace. It won’t replace the likes of Anders Cassidy and our team of truly amazing software engineers at DailyPay.”

Career opportunities

DailyPay Belfast is rapidly expanding, with the American fintech company planning to employ close to 300 people in Belfast by the middle of 2025 as part of a £24m investment. The roles, which will have an average salary of £42,500 a year and are set to deliver £12m into the local economy in additional salaries, will be based from McAuley House in DailyPay’s Castle Street office based in Belfast city centre.

The industry leader in on-demand pay technology empowers colleagues with choice and control over their earned pay. The £24m investment by DailyPay was secured for Northern Ireland after Invest NI’s US team promoted the benefits of establishing an office in Northern Ireland and worked closely with the company to help set it up here.

To find out more about some of the series of exciting opportunities currently available, as well as news and updates on DailyPay visit: syncni.com/company/ dailypay.

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Gareth Kelly Partner NI Data, Analytics & AI explores how Big Data and AI is transforming lives and bringing meaningful benefits to people, organisations and society q We are now living in the era of AI. Should we fear or embrace this technology?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in our world, revolutionising industries and reshaping the way we live, work and consume information. However, alongside the excitement and promise that AI brings, there’s also a significant amount of apprehension surrounding its impact on employment and wider society.

From a workplace perspective, concerns about disruption are common with every major technological evolution, but history has shown that each of these evolutions has always created

many more jobs in the long run. We see AI working in the same way, working alongside teams as a co-pilot augmenting human potential by automating repetitive tasks, boosting productivity, supporting ideation and research and much more.

At a business and organisational level, we are already working with clients to grow revenue, cut costs and manage risk with AI. So, should we be afraid of AI? No. The opportunity AI offers is bigger than any potential downside and we are now seeing legislation, such as the EU AI Act, coming into place to protect people, information and supervise deployment and usage.

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Ultimately, the impact of AI will depend on how it is developed, regulated, and integrated into society. It is important to approach AI with a balanced perspective, recognising its potential benefits while also addressing the potential challenges and risks it presents.

Collaboration among big tech, policymakers, and the public is crucial to ensure that AI is used responsibly and for the greater good. I am excited for the future and the opportunities AI will bring.

q How is EY generating value for clients and society from AI?

EY is committed to building confidence in AI and creating value for clients and society. We have invested $1.4 billion in artificial intelligence as part of a broader $10 billion three-year enterprise investment plan. This investment underscores our firm's commitment to integrating AI into our services and platforms to generate value for clients and society.

We are seeing AI make people more productive, drive new products, generate revenue and manage costs for clients. We are seeing society be impacted across health, public services and tech innovation.

EY is generating value for clients and society from AI through several key initiatives: 1. Helping clients leverage AI across their business: EY takes a holistic approach to client needs, ensuring that AI solutions are integrated thoughtfully into their business processes and strategies. This puts people at the centre and includes careful investment in the right technology, a focus on data and return on investment.

2. Ethical and Responsible AI: EY is committed to addressing ethical, regulatory, and security complexities associated with AI. This includes helping clients build frameworks for the

responsible adoption of AI. 3. EY.ai Platform: The EY.ai platform combines deep business knowledge with AI capabilities and a robust ecosystem of business alliances. This supports the transformation of clients' businesses through the confident and responsible adoption of AI. 4. All in Strategy: EY's "All in" strategy aims to shape the future with confidence and drive growth by investing in areas such as AI, technology, managed services, and sustainability.

q Are we doing enough to release

the value within the data across industry?

For many years we have heard data is the new oil. But it is much more valuable than that. It’s a super fuel. It is food for AI. The best companies are investing in data quality, governance, information curation and a strategy focused on using systems to create clean data.

This is how they are getting value from AI. Data is important for AI for several key reasons: 1. Training and Learning: AI models, particularly those based on machine learning, require large amounts of data to learn from. This data is used during the training phase to teach the model to recognize patterns, make decisions, and predict outcomes.

2. Accuracy and Precision: The more data an AI system has access to, the more accurate and precise it can become. Data allows the model to finetune its algorithms and improve its performance over time. But as always, the quality of data is key. As the saying goes, Garbage in, Garbage out.

3. Validation and Testing: After training, AI models need to be validated and tested using separate datasets to

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ensure that they work as intended.

This helps to identify any issues before the models are deployed in a live environment.

Advanced manufacturing, pharma and utility companies are investing heavily in data to realise the value from AI. From demand vs supply problems, procurement, customer and revenue, the opportunities are endless provided you invest in the right data foundations.

However, you don’t need perfection, don’t drown in your data lake – focus on the data sets that matter, the data that is associated with the most value.

q How is EY adapting for / expanding to the growth in demand for AI driven solutions and services?

This is all about people, capability and talent. At EY, we believe that you need the right combination of skills to really deliver value from AI. You need technologists, platform experts, data scientists, analysts and change management expertise. We are always problem-focused and work with our clients to understand their business.

You have to put the business mind in the AI machine and that’s where the right people really matter!

At EY, we are pioneering the use of AI in everything we do internally to refine our strategies and be in the strongest position to advise our clients. We are training and upskilling our staff across the business enabling and encouraging our people to harness the power of generative AI. We are actively recruiting individuals wellversed in AI technologies. As part of our commitment to a 1000 jobs right here in Northern Ireland, we anticipate over 300 will be focused on AI related services. Our ambition is to have the best people working on the biggest problems for both our clients and society as we shape the future with confidence.

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G

illian Adams is Director of Service Management for Agio, a hybrid provider of IT management and cybersecurity for hedge funds, private equity funds and financial service providers.

As part of Agio’s expansion plans, the global organisation will create up to 80 roles within the Belfast office. To support the increased headcount the company has relocated to new premises within Arthur Place, Glandore’s newly refurbished state-of-theart city centre offices.

The global company is the brainchild of CEO, Bart McDonough who identified a gap in the market in the midst of the financial crisis in 2008. Bart’s vision was to build a technology provider that could provide enterprise-level support but in a way that understands the culture and the technology demands of a large hedge fund. As a result, Bart formed Agio in 2010. The term Agio literally means ‘a premium that’s the value add to a transaction’ because Agio works with companies doing transactions - whether it’s a single trading stock transaction or buying and selling companies.

For Bart, Agio would become the ‘value add’ that was missing in 2008.

Gillian’s career in technology was by no means conventional and perfectly illustrates that careers do not need to follow a straight path. Having graduated from Ulster University with a Master’s degree in Marketing, Gillian shifted the direction of her own career after initially starting out as a Marketing Assistant for a company providing broadcasting software.

Gillian always had an avid interest in IT, having been inspired throughout her formative years by her father. Growing up, she often sat beside him for hours at a time as he coded on the family computer.

Seeking a new challenge, Gillian enquired how she might become part of the team that was actively involved in providing installation services and training of the software and was promptly handed an extensive instruction manual with the

Gillian Adams on the opportunities in Northern Ireland’s thriving tech sector and why it’s never too late to choose a new career Gillian Adams, Director of Service Management for Agio

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By Kathryn McKenna

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proviso that if she could set up the servers and install the platform, she could have the job. Gillian accepted the challenge and took her first successful steps towards a career in tech. After being sent to Paris for further training, Gillian then moved to Washington DC where she was offered a full-time role as a software instructor.

Gillian continued working in Washington, moving into Project Management and Business Process Design, before making the decision to move home to Northern Ireland in 2006, working in a variety of sectors before deciding in 2012 she wished to pursue her career once again within the technology and IT sphere.

Gillian worked with several leading local IT and technology companies before joining global company Agio in Belfast as a Platform Architect in October 2021.

Since then, Gillian has progressed to her current role as Director of Service Management, having initially served as Associate Director of Platforms and Director of Platforms. It is this career progression and focus on finding the right role to suit her individual strengths and interests that Gillian highlights as truly standing out to her throughout her time at Agio.

Gillian comments: “Agio excels at recognizing people’s strengths and positioning them where they can achieve the best results, aligned with their interests. While it’s a fast-paced environment, it’s also highly supportive.

That’s what makes working at Agio so special to me.”

Gillian highlights that Agio’s CEO and founder, Bart, takes the time to fully understand each employee’s role and the challenges they face. In addition to the monthly company-wide meetings, Bart hosts twice-monthly ‘Ask Me Anything’ sessions. These sessions allow employees to ask him anything, from his current book of choice to detailed financial or company strategy queries.

Reflecting on Agio’s flat management structure, Gillian explains that this setup fosters highly engaged collaboration across teams and levels of seniority.

Employees feel empowered to make changes and are encouraged to speak up and communicate fearlessly, knowing their opinions will be heard.

If a process isn’t working, everyone is expected to voice their concerns and contribute to finding a solution.

Gillian explains, “I absolutely love our values of #SpeakUp and #CommunicateFearlessly. At Agio, we believe in being honest and open to build trust. Treating each other as fully formed adults means we can have those tough conversations and keep getting better every day.”

Addressing the gender gap in the Northern Ireland technology sector where females make up just 24 per cent of the workforce, Gillian is keen to emphasise that finding a company which offers the ideal culture fit is vital. Gillian adds it is important to understand careers are not linear, and there are a host of roles within the sector which are not dependent on detailed IT knowledge.

In addition to this, Gillian encourages people and women in particular who are returning to the workplace following a career break or time off due to family leave, to utilise the different technology programmes available now which offer new exciting career prospects. Gillian emphasizes that people returning to work often underestimate the valuable skills they’ve gained during their time away. For example, managing a family involves excellent project management and time management skills, which can easily transfer to a job in IT. Gillian stresses the importance of finding a company where culturally you are a great fit and to remain openminded to the opportunities available to you by speaking with colleagues in different areas of expertise and see if

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you could envision yourself working in that field. Then it’s a matter of exploring where applicable what further training opportunities are required to make this happen. There are so many credible courses on offer now which are ideal for people retraining or returning to the workplace following family leave, who are interested in pursuing a new career.

Gillian goes on to explain the importance of empathy and while you might not need to know exactly what somebody does, you do need to be able to put yourself in their position to best understand how you can help them to rise. Gillian recalls growing up with the sense that once you had chosen your career path you had to stick with it, however nowadays people are much more likely to explore different things before discovering their ideal fit.

For anyone at school or university, Gillian would encourage them to pursue work experience opportunities in different sectors and gain exposure to as many different things as possible. There is still very much a misunderstanding that a technical background is required to work in the technology sector however there are so many different areas to work including HR; finance; communications and more.

Gillian comments: “The career choices you make at 16 don’t have to define your entire life. Embrace new opportunities, and if they work out, that’s wonderful. If not, it’s perfectly fine to change direction. Trust your instincts—if it feels right, it probably is, so go for it.”

Learn more about Agio’s current job opportunities in Northern Ireland, as well as learning more about Agio as a company at: agio.com.

Visit Sync NI/ Agio to find out more including in-depth news features, Q&As with Agio team members, and insightful Thought Leadership pieces from Agio’s experts.

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By Kathryn McKenna

(L-R back row) Gareth Kelly Partner NI Data, Analytics & AI at EY, Alastair Allen, Partner and Head of Healthcare at EY, Naoimh Ledwith, Data Science & Presales Consultant at Analytics Engines, Alex Brownrigg, Senior Manager specialising in Programme & Project Delivery within healthcare at EY. (L-R front row) Michaela Fox, Technology Transfer and Industry Partnerships at Momentum One Zero, Queen’s University Belfast, Tim Cush, Partner and Head of Intelligent Automation and AI at EY, Marianna Imprialou, Director of Data, Analytics and AI at EY.

Data Roundtable: Celebrating 10 years of Big Data Belfast T

he power of data and AI is all around us and will continue to have a huge impact on the way we live our everyday lives.

That’s one of the key messages from the Data Roundtable, held recently ahead of Big Data Belfast 2024 which celebrates its 10th anniversary this October.

Organised by Analytics Engines, Big Data Belfast 2024 is proudly supported by headline sponsor EY, who recently hosted the Big Data Roundtable at their Bedford House-based city centre office location in Belfast.

Representatives from leading companies were in attendance, including: Laura Haldane, Co-Founder of SciLeads and previous employee at Analytics Engines where Big Data Belfast was founded; Marianna Imprialou, Director of Data, Analytics and AI at EY; Alastair Allen, Partner and Head of Healthcare at EY; Naoimh Ledwith, Data Science and Presales Consultant at Analytics Engines; Alex Brownrigg, Senior Manager specialising in Programme and Project Delivery within healthcare at EY; Michaela Fox, Technology Transfer and Industry Partnerships at Momentum One Zero, Queen’s

University Belfast; and Tim Cush, Partner and Head of Intelligent Automation and AI at EY. With this year’s Big Data Belfast conference on October 23 set to focus on how data and AI can address critical challenges in sectors including technology; sustainability; healthcare; agri-foods and more. The roundtable discussion addressed how organisations are increasingly leveraging data to drive innovation and to help solve complex problems.

Rather than being afraid of AI, the popular consensus is that we should embrace it, not only in the workplace where it can remove repetitive administrative work to free up time and allow employees to upskill, but also within one’s everyday life. With many everyday tasks - from shopping reminders, to unlocking your phone using facial recognition - only possible due to the power of data and AI, it seems even those most fearful of its impact it may have do not realise the extent to which it already enhances our everyday lives.

With this year’s conference marking 10 years of Big Data Belfast, an emerging point of discussion is how much the technology sector, and the conference itself, has evolved

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throughout the past decade. Big Data Belfast is now attended by a wider variety of companies - rather than only those who consider themselves to be Big Data specialists. “When Big Data Belfast first launched it was largely attended by companies who considered themselves exclusively a Big Data company, whereas now it is normalised that every company is a data company,” Laura Haldane, SciLeads Co-Founder comments.

The past decade has seen many different sectors begin to embrace AI, as sectors outside of technology and ICT begin to better understand the value of data and how it can enhance their business. “For example, in agri-food we are seeing a sector which traditionally did not adopt digital technologies begin to see the value in data and how we can leverage AI for greater insights and intelligence to subsequently improve the productivity, sustainability and integrity of our production and supply chains,” comments Michaela Fox, Technology Transfer and Industry Partnerships at Momentum One Zero, Queen’s University Belfast.

For Marianna Imprialou, Director of Data, Analytics and AI at EY, the power of data is more readily understood now.

“The power of data and some of the core techniques of how to maximise its value has become a staple for all companies of all sizes now.” Instead of explaining to external stakeholders why data is vital, it is now a question of how to maximize, improve and optimise results using data. “This is a key differentiator from where we were a decade ago,” Marianna explains.

For Tim Cush, Partner and Head of Intelligent Automation and AI at EY, throughout the past decade a significant trend has been growing recognition among organisations of the value of treating data as a crucial asset. “Data is something that should be maintained, invested into and used to drive insights into key trends,” Tim

comments. “Further to this, data can be employed as a mechanism to improve sales, cost optimisation and efficiency throughout the organization.”

Data has snowballed in healthcare throughout the past decade, with free-flowing data across Northern Ireland set to become more beneficial for clinicians and their patients with the introduction of new digital patient records system, Encompass. Alex Brownrigg, Senior Manager specialising in Programme and Project Delivery within healthcare at EY, emphasises that whilst the health sector has always been data driven, it is hoped the introduction of Encompass in Northern Ireland will bring swathes of related data to help inform population health.

Alex comments: “Encompass provides in-depth and readily available medical information which frees up time for our clinicians to spend more time with their patients. Data is being brought together to improve patient health, patient journeys, and patient wellbeing as well as workflow for staff.

Encompass has been revolutionary in how it will follow a patient’s journey as they move through the health service.”

Naoimh Ledwith, Analytics Engines, reports that people are becoming less afraid of AI as they begin to understand its value. “Now that companies are beginning to collect more data, less people are cautious about using it, especially AI” Naoimh comments.

Whilst falling foul of GDPR regulations and proper disposal of data are two potential setbacks, particularly within the healthcare sector, when it comes to public health there is a duty to share data, explains Alex. With the Big Data Belfast conference designed with the objective of educating, informing and inspiring, Naoimh emphasises how vital education is when it comes to enlightening those who are fearful of AI and how their data is being used.

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Big Data Belfast is an opportunity for AI professionals to remind those cautious of AI that the systems in place are well protected, and allows the opportunity to inform people of the substantial value which comes from data and AI in terms of what can be provided and improved upon in a customer journey. Areas from healthcare to helping local communities can all be improved through AI and technology, which is why it is vital people are kept informed about exactly what AI is and how it can help improve lives, Laura explains.

It is paramount to highlight that AI is not being implemented in order to replace people. Rather, it is about helping to free up highly skilled employees’ time in order to maximise their skillset and knowledge by working on the most important tasks. “By taking away some of the repetitive, administrative work, the employees spend more time doing bigger and better projects. It is about improving the quality of your life - not replacing you,” comments Naoimh.

Alastair Allen, Partner and Head of Healthcare at EY, agrees from a healthcare perspective, the focus of AI is in relieving the huge administrative burden on clinicians and operational staff in order to allow healthcare professionals to be more effective and deliver better patient outcomes. “Being able to learn through way of example how other companies and healthcare providers are seeing the benefits of using data is hugely beneficial. There is an opportunity to educate and inspire which is particularly important now as we commence our journey with Encompass in Northern Ireland. We possess the digital foundations for the next generation in Northern Ireland and questions around how we use that data are really important. The opportunity exists to truly take healthcare forward through data.”

As an industry-insider, Tim Cush explains how beneficial the Big Data Belfast conference has become in

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terms of keeping up with emerging technologies. Tim comments: “Technology is moving at such a rapid pace, it is evolving on an almost daily basis. With such exciting new technologies and advancements emerging every day, Big Data Belfast provides an opportunity for us to learn and bring helpful knowledge back to our organisations and our clients.”

For Michaela, the conference represents the opportunity to connect specialists in their field with technology experts in order to solve problems through creative solutions. “For the agri-food industry, Big Data Belfast is an opportunity to connect with a tech expert in order to solve a problem which otherwise, might not have ever been thought of.

The conference is an opportunity for experts in their field who can identify the challenges in their sector to connect with technologists who can solve those issues. It is about creating multidisciplinary, collaborative teams so tech can be applied in different sectors,” Michaela comments.

The value of networking in conferences is vital in order to build the right network of people that will make a difference to your business’s approach to data. Big Data Belfast is structured in a way which showcases a wide variety of experts and examples, with an agenda allowing for space and time to network with representatives throughout the day.

Getting the technology experts in the room with the subject matter experts is the key to success. “This is when the exciting conversations happen and you start to see how AI solves problems you wouldn't even know existed,” comments Naoimh.

Big Data Belfast showcases an impressive line-up of high profile speakers and delegates from around the world. For Tim Cush, the attraction to Northern Ireland, both in terms of attending the conference and setting up business here, is due to the ecosystem, investment and sense of innovation in

Belfast. “The appeal of Belfast for global companies is understandable. They are drawn to the level of innovation and talent from a recruitment perspective.

With the talent that comes through from the two main universities and from the higher education campuses, it is an incredible opportunity to be able to capitalize on this tech talent.”

Alastair Allen agrees the talent level in Northern Ireland is a key point of appeal for global technology companies. Whereas previously, this talent was emerging at university level, it is positive to see the emerging initiatives with children in school such as coding academies and hackathon bootcamps. Alistair comments: “There is a real culture now that goes all the way through education from university through to primary schools at a grassroots level, creating fantastic knowledge and interest in technology

from an early age. For people working in an international company, Big Data Belfast offers a network of people to reach out to and be a part of.”

The future of data and AI

On whether AI will continue to dominate the narrative, Alastair asserts there is a growing shift towards domainspecific applications of ‘Big Data’ and AI. This means that instead of a onesize-fits-all approach, industries like healthcare and agriculture are focusing on how these technologies can solve specific problems within their fields. In healthcare, for example, the emphasis is on adopting ‘Big Data’ and AI safely and effectively, with a shift towards using smaller, more specialised language models that integrate closely with medical records and trusted platforms.

This specialisation is expected to become more prevalent, moving away from the generic concept of ‘Big Data’ to

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when it was used as a buzzword in itself to help sell a product. “Five years ago when selling AI based tools, AI was the keyword. We are past this stage now, it is assumed AI will be featured. Now we need to know what type of AI, how it is used and if it can improve lives,” Naoimh Ledwith, Data Science and Presales Consultant at Analytics Engines comments.

The evolution of AI through the likes of Generative AI, ChatGPT, OpenAI, CoPilot and more has made it a lot more accessible, but the one common denominator that will always remain at the centre is data. This means the quality of the data will become particularly important once the playing field becomes levelled. “Over the next number of years, it looks likely that AI will become the norm, but we will start to see particularly innovative and exciting new features and different ways of how we can use data and interpret data,” Tim Cush comments.

more tailored solutions.

Building on this, for Michaela Fox it is a particularly exciting time to be involved in ‘Big Data’ which offers an opportunity to deploy the technologies into different domains. Specifically, through the Belfast City Deal they have been able to utilize investments to help support companies access the expertise within Belfast’s universities to truly embed those technologies into their products and services and help them become more competitive and grow. “It is an exciting time, with ample opportunities for companies within agri-food to harness technology and reap the benefits,” Michaela comments.

More needs to be done within the next decade to help demystify AI, Marianna asserts, explaining that both fear and uncertainty around ‘Big Data’ is still prevalent. “I hope it becomes normality

for optimising processes across all sectors,” Marianna comments.

For Laura Haldane, Co-Founder of SciLeads, who works with biotech and pharma companies primarily in the US, AI is now very much part of daily life within both a work capacity and home-life. AI is incorporated into all of SciLeads tooling, from GPT, HubSpot and more, making ‘Big Data’ more accessible as a non-technical employee.

Its usage is also strongly encouraged, with employees reminded in regular Town Halls of the various helpful ways it can be implemented as part of everyday work life.

AI will be everywhere, with it no longer being a selling factor in itself. AI’s inclusion will be expected, and people will become more discerning in how AI is used. This is in contrast to how AI has been used even five years ago,

When it comes to AI, most of us are already reaping the benefits without even realising. It is behind much of the technology which forms part of our daily lives. But when it comes to healthcare, Alex asserts it is a case of getting the data to the right place in order to act on the information: “Healthcare can certainly leverage AI and data to help people live healthier lives. The data is there- but it needs to be harnessed.”

Data will be key in transforming healthcare from a reactive state to one of acting in a proactive manner, agrees Alistair. “There is a growing chasm in healthcare in terms of workforce shortage and increased demand, which is getting bigger every day. Change is needed and data can help in both of those areas,” Alastair Allen comments.

The impact for AI is not singular: “We can't even begin to understand the positive impact AI is going to have because it is already in everything that we do – and I think we will be surprised at where it is going to get,” concludes Naoimh.

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Rebecca Keenan, Global Head of Intelligent Automation and Solutions Director at Expleo Group

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By Kathryn McKenna

Rebecca Keenan, Expleo: Why diversity in thought and experience is crucial to innovation in technology Rebecca Keenan, Global Head of Intelligent Automation and Solutions Director at Expleo Group, on her impressive career trajectory and the importance of diversity in the workplace

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ebecca Keenan, who was recently announced as the winner in the category of Tech Leader for the Diversity in Tech Awards on 19 September, joined Expleo in Dublin immediately after graduating with a First Class Honors from Trinity College, with a degree in Computer Science and Business in 2015. Rebecca’s career at Expleo has since gone from strength-to-strength, helping to exemplify the importance of diversity and innovation in technology.

As a responsible and diverse organisation, Expleo is committed to doing business with integrity and working towards a more sustainable and secure society. Expleo boasts an extensive global footprint, powered by 19,000 highlyskilled experts delivering value in 30 countries and generating more than €1.4 billion in revenue.

Having initially joined Expleo’s graduate programme, Rebecca quickly identified an opportunity for the company and established the first iteration of what is now Expleo’s Intelligent Automation team. With Rebecca appointed Global Head of Process Automation, the team grew significantly - both in terms of revenue and global reach. The team worked to prioritise process optimisation to even further enhance the service offering and subsequently experienced significant growth in team size and revenue, with Rebecca’s responsibilities expanding accordingly as she was appointed Global Head of Intelligent Automation in 2023.

Rising from a graduate to a global role, Rebecca says she finds it challenging at times to articulate her journey. Looking back at that time with more experienced eyes, Rebecca considers it was a case of both seizing new and exciting opportunities as they arose, as well as serendipitous timing between what

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Expleo needed and what she could offer.

In January 2024, Rebecca took on a new dual role as Solutions Director, and reveals a key highlight of the role has been meeting many different people and working with clients on an even larger scale. This has been particularly exciting as Expleo works to integrate AI into all of its service offerings.

Rebecca says the support from Expleo has been instrumental in allowing her to grow in her role, citing the fact that despite being a new graduate, Expleo entrusted her to create and lead a team of her own. And whilst Rebecca was aware of her own knowledge gaps at the time in areas outside her expertise, she praises Expleo’s supportive approach to building a team around her in order to assist with the new exciting challenge.

Particularly due to her dual role, Rebecca says no two days are ever the same in the office. Regarding her dynamic role as Global Head of Intelligent Automation, Rebecca spends a significant amount of time advising Expleo’s clients on how best to integrate and scale intelligent and emerging technologies into their business and ultimately drive value for them.

Within the varying role of Solutions Director, Rebecca works closely with Expleo’s sales and delivery teams to understand Expleo’s customers and what their needs are, which has been a uniquely rewarding experience as Rebecca helps customers understand the difference Expleo can make to their world. Overall, the role involves a blend of strategy, client engagement and innovation.

Rebecca, who emphasises the importance of people in technology, says that she maintains communication with her colleagues across the globe by ensuring the art of conversation

remains invaluable. Despite all of the impressive groundbreaking technological advancements happening around us, Rebecca says she always ensures to start off each meeting with a personal conversation, revealing that whilst it might sound minor, she is mindful since the pandemic that we never lose our personal touch by asking simple questions such as how they are doing before kicking off a meeting.

People are the bloodline of what Expleo does, Rebecca explains, so it is vital to treat people like people.

At Expleo, everyone is encouraged to contribute, grow and ultimately make a positive impact both within their own community and more broadly as well.

In short, Expleo is built on the pillars of inclusivity, collaboration and continuous growth – with an unwavering commitment to improvement. Expleo employees constantly strive to learn from their experiences, support one another, and ultimately create an environment where everyone can thrive.

Rebecca comments: “The company truly values diversity - this is not limited to gender representation but also applies to thought and experience. This is reflected in how we approach problemsolving and innovation for our clients, it is about bringing together innovation and diverse teams.”

Rebecca has always had an interest in STEM subjects - particularly how tech solves real-world problems - having grown up in a household where having the latest gadgets was paramount.

Looking back, Rebecca recognises they were constantly, even passively, immersed in learning about computers and technology. Whilst Rebecca did not always know what this might look like in terms of a career path and what this might look like, she knew she wanted to be at the forefront of technological advancements. This led Rebecca to study Computer Science and Business as a joint degree, which she reveals was the ideal blending for her of technical knowledge with strategic thinking and

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has enabled her to have the career she enjoys today.

Rebecca’s advice for others considering entering the technology sector is to stay curious and embrace new challenges. Rebecca encourages women in particular to ultimately never underestimate their true potential.

Rebecca concludes: “The technology sector is extremely varied and full of different opportunities, and it is therefore vital to find your passion within it. The tech sector is not just one thing, it is extremely varied. Do not be afraid to ask questions, seek out mentors and be really persistent in pursuing your goal.

“My go-to piece of advice for young women considering a career in STEM is to do it. It is important to remember that diversity in thought and experience is really crucial to innovation and that is what we need lots of in the tech sector at the moment. I think there is going to be an even growing need and want for more diverse voices in the tech industry.

Be curious, be resilient and stay kind.

And always believe in your ability to make a difference.”

Find out more about Expleo - including news features about the company, insightful Thought Leadership articles and their exciting career opportunities - at syncni.com/company/expleo.

About Expleo Expleo, the global, technology and consulting service provider, partners with leading organisations to guide them through their business transformation, helping them achieve operational excellence and future-proof their businesses.

Expleo benefits from more than 50 years of experience developing complex products, optimising manufacturing processes and ensuring the quality of information systems.

Leveraging its deep sectoral knowledge and wide-ranging expertise in fields including AI engineering, digitalisation, hyperautomation, cybersecurity and data science, the group’s mission is to fasttrack innovation through each step of the value chain.

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Senior representatives from a selection of Northern Ireland’s leading companies came together recently to address the recent upsurge in cyberattacks and what can be done to prevent them

H

osted in Citi’s five-floor Gateway Building, pertinent items on the agenda for discussion include: AI’s role in cybersecurity; career prospects in cyber; challenges in tech hiring; and a call for better marketing and collaboration amongst tech companies and universities locally.

Those taking part included: Carla McGlynn, Managing Director, Head of Markets Business Controls Technology and Tech Site Lead of hosting company Citi Belfast; Andrew Connolly, Executive Director Collaboration Tools and Corporate Systems and Belfast Site Lead, CME Group; Alan Stock, Site Lead, Agio Belfast; Bobby McKeown, Director of Software Engineering, Rapid7; and Jonathan White, Senior Director of Engineering, Liberty IT. The rise of cyber-attacks due to increased digital connectivity and the proliferation of digital channels is highlighted as a major concern by the representatives in attendance, with emphasis placed on the need for employees to be aware of what they are posting online – particularly when it involves the company they work for.

Therefore education, awareness and training in cyber security is therefore key, implemented through employment policies and training.

Speaking from Liberty IT’s perspective, Jonathan White reflects on the increasing number of connectivity points resulting from the proliferation

Cyber Roundtable: Le experts reflect on the upsurge in attacks - a can be done to preve (L-R) Jonathan White, Senior Director of Engineering, Liberty IT; Andrew Connolly, Executive Director Collaboration Tools and Corporate Systems and Belfast Site Lead, CME Group; Carla McGlynn, Managing Director, Head of Markets Business Controls Technology and Tech Site Lead of hosting company Citi Belfast; and Alan Stock, Site Lead, Agio Belfast; Bobby McKeown, Director of Software Engineering, Rapid7

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of digital channels and IT devices. This is leading to lots of attacks from many different channels, including phishing through email, text messages and voice, which is becoming particularly prevalent. Cyber is now being used as a weapon, whereas previously attacks would have been used to capture data for malicious purposes. Attacks, including the various ransomware and malware attacks taking place, are designed to cause maximum disruption and occur regularly. Jonathan comments: “With the number of digital channels we have now, and the number of devices that exist, the attack landscape has increased hugely which has definitely contributed to the upsurge of attacks society is currently experiencing.”

eading security e recent and what ent them

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By Kathryn McKenna

Rapid7 reports an increase in ransomware groups, revealing in 2024 alone they have witnessed 21 new groups so far, with one specific group responsible for 474 leaks alone in the first half of this year. Bobby McKeown also reveals the startling statistic that 41 per cent of incidents stem from missing or unenforced multi-factor authentication, which is a major vulnerability.

Bobby comments: “We are seeing really simple root causes but potentially the biggest vulnerability is a lack of multi-factor authentication. It should be your first step in ensuring your company reduces its exposure to potential attacks.”

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There are also more sophisticated forms of phishing emerging, with Carla McGlynn highlighting that with the move to Open Source; AI; and more applications moving to the Cloud, the team at Citi see vulnerabilities in these areas and therefore act consistently by following best practice closely. “Citi has put extra guardrails around what we are trying to achieve in this space,” Carla explains.

Alan Stock feels the upsurge in cyber-attacks in recent years is due to the monetization and the fact cyber-attacks have become almost mainstream. “You can target high-net worth individuals, high-profile individuals or organisations and a lot of companies do pay ransomware demands,” Alan explains, adding organisations need to be constantly aware of what they are putting out online.

“There is more enhanced visibility now for attackers who are looking at what you are posting online.”

Stopping cyber-attacks

Tasked with the question of what more can be done to educate companies, and even individuals, against the threat of cyber-attacks, Alan emphasizes the importance of education.

Not only does it have to be baked into policies in terms of acceptable use of Gen AI, social media platforms, internet, email and more, but the policies also need to be clearly enforced. This can be done through regular checks and running cyber

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awareness seminars to the point of culturally embedding cyber awareness in an organisation. “Getting people to take responsibility is first and foremost,” Alan explains.

The damage to brand reputation is extensive, with Bobby outlining the stark reality that the cost of recovery from a cyber-attack can be far greater - both financially and reputationally than putting the measures in place to prevent an attack from occurring.

To this end, Andrew Connolly highlights how vital real-world examples are when it comes to training around cyber security. “Giving real-world examples makes it real for your staff, so they appreciate examples of what has happened to companies out there,” Andrew outlines. “Seeing the consequences and impact on the business makes people truly understand what it is we're fighting against and trying to protect the business from.”

At Citi all training is mandatory, with regular spot checks containing cyber threats, including phishing, forming an integral part of employees’ everyday goals, making it a fundamental part of Citi culture. Cyber security is not just one department’s responsibility, agrees Jonathan, revealing the ethos at Liberty IT is that it is everybody’s role to be a responsible defender.

“Attacks get more and more sophisticated. Therefore, the simulations we conduct need to get more and more sophisticated,” Jonathan explains. “We bake it into everyone’s goals and objectives because cybersecurity is not something that is a ‘nice to have’ it is a must-have.”

Andrew agrees, adding that as recently as 10 years ago it would have fallen solely to the security team to manage all aspects of cyber-security – however it is now the responsibility of everyone.

“A lot of companies are investing a

lot more in training in terms of cyberattacks, but also security awareness in terms of some of the appliances and techniques that exist to make sure there is an awareness across the entire company,” Andrew explains.

Another key element of preventing cyber-attacks from occurring is by ensuring engineers are putting security first when they are designing applications. It is therefore crucial to support engineers by implementing best practices, which are constantly changing. “Best practice is constantly evolving, so staying up-to-date is essential to ensure engineers have everything at their disposal to be able to develop and design secure applications from the outset,” comments Jonathan.

In terms of prevention, Alan emphasizes the importance of risk management when it comes to external suppliers.

“Even if you've got good internal practices, how strong are your third party suppliers, your vendors, your software providers, because ultimately, that's probably where the weak link is. It is your responsibility to make sure you do your due diligence on those before you bring them on board and regularly update them,” Alan comments.

As a thriving hub for cyber in Northern Ireland, the attendees explore if more could be done as a tech community to develop and share simulations. “As a thriving tech community with extensive thought leadership pieces authored from Northern Ireland experts in their field, perhaps we would benefit from pulling our resources and expertise and collaborating more in the future,” comments Jonathan.

AI’s impact on cyber-security

AI’s advancing role in cyber-security, particularly regarding its unique potential to enhance both defences and attacks, is described as a double-edged sword.

AI can analyse large volumes of data

and identify patterns that can be used for automated responses. But it can make attackers more sophisticated in terms of their phishing emails, and more sophisticated in general, in terms of their attacks. One aspect under the microscope is the software engineering side, including the use of GitHub CoPilot. Questions are being raised as to the potential impact of using code which did not originate inside the company. Jonathan comments: “I think it is vital to ensure all of the appropriate checks and balances are in place to make sure that if engineers are using CoPilot, that we are maintaining our highest levels of security at every stage of the software development lifecycle.”

However, with time being one of the most important commodities in cyber, the time saved through AI by assisting analysts with administrative tasks are expected to have significant benefits, with Bobby explaining it will likely prove “invaluable” in time.

Citi are making great progress in terms of what their technology team is achieving with AI, which is monitored due to being in financial services and closely regulated: “We are doing a lot in document analysis and have a whole programme of work monitoring what we are doing in the AI space, therefore it is going through all of the appropriate checks and guard-rails.

There will always be a human in the loop in the cyber space, but AI will speed us up,” Carla comments.

Comparing AI and cyber-security to a ‘chicken and an egg situation,’ Andrew reflects that whilst AI allows us to enhance the threat detection and predictive analysis from teams protecting our various companies, on the opposite end of the scale AI allows our adversaries to develop more sophisticated attacks. “It is a constant game of us upping our defences and the attackers upping their capabilities,” Andrew comments.

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AI is not a silver bullet, with effort needed to determine some of the problem spaces where AI can make a difference in order to implement it appropriately and most effectively in order to skill-up. But strong foundations must already exist, explains Jonathan, in order to allow AI to build on them.

“AI has become a catalyst to ensure that companies have the basic strong foundations in place to be able to use AI. In this sense, AI has added momentum.

AI is not going to replace jobs, but if we utilise it correctly we will be better in our jobs. This applies as much as it does for a software engineer as it does to someone working generally in the cyber-space.”

Benefits of a career in cyber

There are plenty of opportunities within a career in cyber, and it is important to select the right track for you within it, explains Alan. “Find your speciality within cyber and really focus on it, because there are lots of different interesting elements within it,” he comments.

Career opportunities are not limited to cyber – but include all of the roles supporting the company, from software engineering to finance, HR and more.

“You don’t need to necessarily come in as a cyber specialist to avail of all the exciting opportunities within cyber,” Bobby explains.

With it being such an exciting time within engineering and a pivotal point in the industry, from software to cyber, it is certainly an exciting time to get into the field. Particularly, as Andrew of CME Group explains, it is the one area across all aspects of business that is growing exponentially and a skillset which is particularly in demand. Furthermore, if you begin a career in cyber and decide not to pursue a specialist career within the route, the skills you will have acquired from a cyber perspective are foundational. “Cyber is key within any role in technology now, so you will have gained invaluable skills,” Andrew

explains.

Gen AI in particular is hailed as helping to make technology careers more accessible than ever before. For example, in Citi there are many people who are not technologists who are moving into the Gen AI space because they want to upskill and move into software development. This has led to greater opportunities for training and career development internally within the company.

Carla explains that all roles in Citi are global, with 40 per cent of the roles in Belfast existing within the technology business. Many representatives agree that perhaps pooling resources in order to more effectively market Belfast as the tech leader it is in order to attract talent at top leadership level rather than having to pool from London, Dublin and further afield would be beneficial.

Meanwhile the graduate intake is absolutely critical for Liberty IT, as it is for many others. Jonathan says it is an extremely interesting time due to the recent graduates’ knowledge of future technologies and literacy with AI and Gen AI and using all the new tools and technologies. Domain knowledge and experience meanwhile is more important than ever. “Overall, it is an extremely interesting time for cyber and technology in Northern Ireland as a whole,” comments Jonathan.

From a CME Group perspective, Andrew applauds the local universities, explaining that being a member of the Employee Advisory Board for Queen’s and Ulster University allows CME Group to help map out company needs from a business perspective going forward. Being able to reflect the cyber needs in the university courses allows the pipeline of talent coming through to be tailored for the needs of local businesses. “This side of things is key to building and moving forward,” explains Andrew.

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Meanwhile, Carla highlights the continued importance of role models in the workplace, particularly at senior level, who remain hands-on in terms of technology. “The junior generation coming in are extremely tech savvy, but they still need role models.

“Company culture and how we lead teams is still really important with the technical slant. We talk about engineering excellence, best practices in code, and we need someone senior in those roles. People need someone to look up to and I think that is really important.”

Citi Belfast is one of the largest NI employers with a diverse and talented team. The only global investment bank operating in NI and with plans for continued growth, Citi does business in more than 180 countries and jurisdictions, providing corporations, governments, investors, institutions and individuals with a broad range of financial products and services.

As the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, CME Group is where the world comes to manage risk. CME Group established its presence in NI in 2012 with the opening of its Technology and Support Services Centre in Belfast with 50 employees. Since then, it has grown to include over 325 employees, assuring the firm’s place in the region’s vibrant financial services sector.

Global IT and cyber-security firm Agio is expanding, with 60 roles in total to be based in NI by the end of 2025 with the Belfast branch recently moving to cuttingedge new offices in Glandore, Arthur Place to accommodate the growing workforce.

The New York company was formed in 2008 by Bart McDonough and specializes in the financial services, health care and payments industries.

Rapid7, a leader in Belfast’s burgeoning technology scene since 2014, recently celebrated its 10 year anniversary with its 500-strong staff based in NI. Rapid7 is on a mission to create a safer digital world by making cybersecurity simpler and more accessible by empowering security professionals to manage a modern attack surface through best-in-class technology, leading-edge research, and broad, strategic expertise.

Liberty IT is a leader in digital innovation employing over 750 employees with offices in Belfast, Dublin, and Galway. It is part of the Fortune 100 company Liberty Mutual Insurance and one of the key drivers behind its global digital enablement journey, reimagining insurance by delivering an ever more efficient service for customers.

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By Russell Goodenough, CGI

Applying AI to real-world challenges T

he conversation around AI has shifted significantly in recent months. I've noticed that many people are growing tired of the media's tendency to either glorify or demonise the future implications of artificial intelligence. Instead, there’s a refreshing focus on the here and now—on the tangible, practical ways AI is starting to make a difference.

At CGI, we’re not just talking about AI; we’re applying it to become more productive, creative, and inclusive. Across our engineering and consulting teams, and throughout our support functions, we're discovering ways to improve every day using a range of new AI tools. It's truly astonishing to see the early value we're extracting from generative AI. However, I believe we’re only scratching the surface. The real magic happens when we integrate generative AI with existing AI solutions like expert systems, predictive models, and deep learning.

Take healthcare, for example. The impact of AI here is genuinely life-changing. A standout project is the Helsinki Head AI, where CGI partnered with Helsinki University Hospital and a top manufacturer of digital imaging devices.

Together, we developed an AI solution to assist radiologists in interpreting brain CT scans, helping detect the most common

types of non-traumatic brain haemorrhages. AI in this context isn’t just a tool—it’s a lifesaver, helping to prioritise urgent cases, provide decision support, and automate routine tasks, allowing healthcare professionals to focus more on patient care.

Ultimately, the integration of AI across all sectors is about achieving efficiencies that drive performance and create value, whether that’s measured in lives saved, time reduced, or profits increased. As AI continues to evolve, its impact will only deepen, driving innovation and progress in every field it touches.

We’re already witnessing substantial benefits from AI tools integrated into our daily technology. Tools like M365 Copilot, GitHub Copilot, and ChatGPT are enhancing our ability to work more efficiently, without replacing the human touch. If we keep in mind that AI is here to assist us, there’s no reason to fear it. By putting this technology in the hands of our teams, we’re not only unlocking new value and use cases but also demystifying the technology itself.

Navigating this apprehension can be challenging for senior leaders. For some, it feels like AI is poised to transform everything—from how we work with employees and clients to how we deliver business outcomes. But if we keep our focus

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on the benefits AI can bring, we can guide our organisations forward with confidence. AI is going to be woven into every aspect of our lives—at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

Embracing this transformation will drive innovation and efficiencies, ultimately reshaping how we live and work.

Of course, as we integrate AI into our lives, it’s essential to establish guardrails that foster confidence in the technology and encourage its safe and effective use. At CGI, we’re committed to setting clear parameters for the responsible use of AI. This involves not only developing reliable and transparent solutions but also ensuring that they are secure and private. It's also crucial to remember that, even with AI, people must use their own judgement to determine the most accurate and appropriate answers.

With the right guardrails in place, we can focus on using AI for good.

If your business is just starting its AI journey, or if you’re taking the first steps, partnering with a technology provider who understands your business is key. This means understanding your existing services, work patterns, and how your business interacts with other organisations, citizens, and companies. At CGI, we’re already leveraging AI’s vast potential to deliver trusted outcomes for everyone.

Developing an AI strategy for your organisation might feel overwhelming right now. But there are some quick and effective ways to narrow down the options. Like any other digital transformation, it’s important to start with a well-defined business problem and keep a clear view of the expected return on investment. You need to be clear about your ambitions—whether that’s accelerating time to market for top-line growth, achieving specific efficiency gains for bottom-line growth, improving customer satisfaction, or providing a cleaner, greener service.

Russell Goodenough has a background in engineering and digitisation and over 30 years of experience delivering complex technology solutions to public and private sector clients across industries including central and local government, transportation, healthcare, and defence.

The opportunities presented by AI are vast, but it’s crucial to approach AI projects with a broader perspective.

Compliance, security, ethics, and potential biases must all be considered, along with guidelines to help employees understand how to use these tools safely.

As an organisation, it’s important to know your limits and understand how ready you are to start using AI. Budget, technical expertise, and data availability all play a role, and one size does not fit all. Get input from different departments—IT, marketing, finance, and operations—who will be using or impacted by the AI tool. Consider their needs, concerns, and technical expertise to ensure buy-in and successful implementation.

Investing in AI training and education is crucial, and it will take time for new tools to become second nature.

Encourage collaboration across teams

and disciplines to share best practices as we all explore the possibilities for becoming more agile and effective.

Whether you’re looking to use AI to innovate business models or optimise operations, we offer four AI imperatives for action, moving from envisioning to exploration, engineering, and expansion. We help clients set their AI strategy, explore ROI-led use cases, build future-ready foundations, and scale to accelerate value and trusted outcomes.

Rather than using AI as just another digital patch over old legacy systems, we need to be smarter about how we use these new tools to make a real difference. Let’s seize the opportunity to be mindfully innovative.

By combining AI with better access to data, new sources of data, and different ways to interact with customers, we can fundamentally rethink the way we provide products and services.

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T

o help celebrate ESO’s fifth anniversary Sync NI met with Eric Beck, President and CEO of ESO, who was instrumental in selecting Belfast as the location for an advanced Engineering Centre. As a Doctor, Eric has maintained his volunteer work with local EMS teams in his spare time. Eric, a veteran in emergency services care who has extensive experience in both clinical and leadership positions within the healthcare sector, flew in specially from Austin Texas to address a town hall in the Belfast office and personally join in with the planned birthday celebrations.

We were joined by several of ESO’s local team in Belfast to explore how this ‘Tech for Good’ company is driving innovation in emerging technology to radically enhance the health outcomes of communities globally.

ESO’s Engineering Centre and Cyber Security Hub has grown rapidly and now employs over 150 staff with a vast array of skills and talents across the business including software engineering, product design and UX. We met with a cross section of individuals within the business who form part of the teams who make a real difference and positively impact people’s lives on a worldwide basis while working locally, yet for a global business. From founders involved from ESO’s inception to recent graduate hires, everyone contributed insights into their personal journey and what it feels like to work inside one of the most exciting and rewarding technology companies in Belfast.

ESO Roundta Celebrating fi in Belfast (L-R) Dani McCutcheon, Product Designer; Eric Beck, President and CEO; Russell Beggs SVP Engineering; Stuart Cave, Development Manager; Laura Gilmour Software Engineer; Jonathan Cummings, Chief Information Security Officer; MT McCann, Director of User Experience; and Steph Murray, Manager of Talent Acquisition

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q Can you share your thoughts on the impact that technology being developed by ESO in Belfast is having on the healthcare sector?

Eric Beck President and CEO, ESO

Our mission is to improve community health and safety through the power of data and the technology we’re developing here in Belfast is having a real impact across the globe.

The applications we develop help our customers, who are first response organizations like fire departments, emergency services and hospitals, use data to improve health and safety in their communities.

able: ive years

Russell Beggs SVP Engineering, ESO

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By Kathryn McKenna

One of the things that really excites me is not just what we’re doing today, but the potential of what we can do with new and emerging technologies in the future.

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For example, it’s crucial to capture patient care data in order to provide analytics and insight. We want to make that process is as seamless as possible, so that care providers can do their main jobs properly. We are moving away from pen and paper or keying data into devices, and looking at how we can streamline the entire process by using technology like speech to text, AI and automation. It is really exciting because when you think about the constraints on resources both in the NHS and around the world, this is how I believe that we can really make a difference.

MT McCann Director of User Experience, ESO

It is so important that we make it as easy as possible for people to interact with our products, and we’re getting better at that all the time.

When I came on board four years ago, we had just one designer working across all our products, but now our UX team has grown to seven designers with five based in Belfast. We’ve really been continuing to develop that UX muscle over the last few years, with more data and analysis of how users are stepping through our products.

q ESO Innovation Hub is

celebrating five years in Belfast.

Can you talk about some of the highlights of this journey?

Laura Gilmour Software Engineer, ESO

I came in as a graduate, and it's been four years of learning an insane amount.

You come in, you learn, and then you grow and contribute. Being able to mentor the placement students and graduates that have come in is really satisfying.

Knowing that what I'm doing is helping people for the greater good - even if it's as simple as turning a three hour task into a job that we run for them at night so that they never have to think about it again - it’s those little things that make their experience better which are a highlight for me.

Dani McCutcheon Product Designer, ESO

high point is this great new office space we are working out of now. It’s like leadership’s investment in Belfast. For me personally, I've been able to spend a lot of time developing the next talent coming through the pipelines and it’s fantastic to have seen the growth of the company in such a short time to more than 100 people in Belfast alone.

Jonathan Cummings Chief Information Security Officer, ESO

I came to ESO as part of my university placement and when I started, I was so shy and reserved. I couldn't stand up and talk in front of people, especially in a professional setting.

Then, one year in, I found myself going to advocate for the users, and then a year after that, I was holding user calls and talking to paramedics and firefighters and all these really great people, advocating for them and making sure that their needs are met.

So I feel like I've come a really long way, and that's been my favourite part of it.

Russell Beggs It’s going to sound a little bit cliche, but this moment is one of the highlights for me. Just hearing the impact ESO is having on people’s lives is a really rewarding experience. There have been numerous highlights along the way, and it's often easy to forget what those are when you're facing all the challenges. But it's also wonderful to hear how we’re having an impact on people’s lives, and how colleagues feel they are having the opportunity to have a positive impact for others.

Stuart Cave Development Manager, ESO

Following on from the lows of covid and having to adapt the way we worked, a

Since we started five years ago, healthcare across the world has become the industry most likely to be attacked for financial gain. We've been quite fortunate to have been able to build an entire cybersecurity function that operates out of Belfast. It’s grown over the past 18 months to two years from nothing to a team of 14 who are actively protecting paramedics and implementing all of this security technology into the products in a frictionless way so that the users don't even notice it’s there.

We've now got a dedicated security work stream and presentation track within our wave conference, which is our global customer conference.

We also have customer security teams coming to ESO to learn from us, and we've been able to contribute to some of the biggest international cyber intelligence sharing forums. It’s all happened in a very short period of time, so it's been a huge accomplishment for us here in Belfast.

Russell Beggs It was really important for me, whenever we started in Belfast, that we weren't just an engineering shop. I think the original premise of ESO was that we would have cross functional teams with the design top to bottom to make sure we get the right outcomes and answers. Making sure we hire the right

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product people has always been super important and that's continued to grow.

q As an innovation hub for the

healthcare sector, this obviously involves enormous amount of collaboration across teams with diverse skill sets. Can you summarize the various functions the key roles perform?

MT McCann As director of UX, a big part of my role is shaping the UX strategy and making sure that our designers and our product teams are aligned. On top of that, I’m building a really strong UX team with advanced skills across the board, from collaboration and other soft skills to the best in UI design and usability testing.

It’s important that the team has different levels of experience so that we can bring the placement students in from the really strong courses that we have in Belfast. Then we have our capable senior designers bring them through to full-time employment, identifying the people that really will excel in ESO. Something that I’m really proud of is how we’re improving the accessibility of our products. It's important that everybody can use our suite of products at any time of day, no matter what their ability or the situation they're in. Our design team and engineering partners are leading us on a path to improve accessibility that’s built into our strategy to ensure that we're meeting those guidelines.

Stuart Cave As an engineering manager, I work with security and product design to deliver projects. But the other part of my job is people management - looking after the people on my team, making sure they're feeling happy and supported, and all that sort of good stuff.

Dani McCutcheon As a product designer, my role focuses

on finding out where our technology can really help the user. We’re always asking how we can save them time and how we can remove any friction that technology is causing in their jobs.

We bridge that gap between the user and our developers who are engineering the product. It's always about speaking to the user first, and then once we figure out a solution, making sure that aligns with our wider business goals.

Jonathan Cummings Every single element of our work requires a security consideration, but it’s impossible to have a big enough security team to have eyes everywhere they are needed. So we’re trying to create a culture of getting people across other teams to look out for these things themselves, and then come to the security team for technical guidance and assistance whenever they need it.

It's been great to work with a team like the one in Belfast, where we built that whole culture from scratch and it has worked really well.

Eric Beck I think it’s worth sharing an observation that it’s not by accident that two of our senior executives for the entire global enterprise are based out of the Belfast office. It’s a testament to what has been growing here, but also how we want to continue to invest in Belfast, which has been a wonderful proving ground for everything from engineering and cyber security to product, UX and other areas.

Russell Beggs If we think about what software engineers or designers or product people do today, it’s very different from what these same job roles were five years ago, let alone 10 or 15 years ago, so having the right people who have the right attitude about growth and learning and wanting to improve is really important. The skills of tomorrow are not the same as the skills of today, but the right attitude carries people

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through.

q ESO is the classic example of Tech for Good. Is this the main driver for why people come to work here?

Steph Murray Manager of Talent Acquisition, ESO

Definitely. When I tell people about our products and the impact they have, they just light up and they get excited. I don’t think there’s anything else in Belfast that has that kind of impact.

MT McCann We can all see how our own healthcare system is under severe pressure and stress, and that is a big driver for me.

I feel like I can make a difference by taking pressure off the healthcare service and helping them be better at their roles. Hopefully people like me and my family and friends will get to feel the impact of that someday, if ESO get more customers in the UK and Ireland and we see that global impact as we grow.

We want to attract more people who are really ‘bought into’ our mission and our passion for making a difference for the users we serve.

The next five years at ESO

Eric stressed that while ESO will continue to enhance their products in a customer centric way, they will be embracing new technology including generative AI, and putting the data to work to drive greater predictions for those on the frontline of healthcare.

Due to the ongoing success of the business, ESO are increasingly finding themselves serving a larger global customer base, and for Belfast this inevitably means a growing headcount to continue working with communities around the globe to improve health and safety outcomes. The ESO Engineering Centre in Belfast will quite literally be acting locally with global awareness.

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Chloe Gillard on using technology to make impactful change at Version 1 Chloe Gillard, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Manager at Version 1, reveals the global digital transformation company’s plans for marking National Inclusion Week for the first time this year

A

s a people-centred organisation, in its continued drive to ensure it is as inclusive as possible, Version 1 is celebrating National Inclusion Week, which traditionally runs from 23 to 29 September, for three weeks. This is in a bid to ensure Version 1 employees have the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the events, while still delivering for customers.

The Belonging team at Version 1 is currently hosting a series of events, including five sessions which are all aligned to the theme of this year’s National Inclusion Week, ‘Impact Matters.’

These sessions are all based on important topics, brought to life through the expertise and insight of internal and external speakers. Kicking off internally, the first session hosted speakers from the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging team based in Version 1 Birmingham, who showcased their work around cultural dialogue.

Efforts in this field have been particularly impactful for the Birmingham team locally, and they were able to share their discovery and learning with the global teams.

External speakers included Sile Walsh, a DEI Inclusive Leadership Consultant and Laura O'Donovan from the National Centre for Diversity, who each gave an impactful insight into inclusive leadership and active allyship. More sessions from internal speakers are still to come, including hearing from the Belonging and Social Value teams at Version 1. Employees will learn how a focus on inclusivity in action has delivered real benefits for both colleagues, customers and the wider community, as well as hearing about social value initiatives that the organisation collaborates on with its customers.

To bring it all to life, there will be a spotlight on some of the incredible individuals across the organisation – showcasing the power of everyone working together, bringing perspectives from a wide variety of different backgrounds and continually driving excellence. Commenting ahead of the busy schedule,

Chloe explains: “We are giving our highly-talented people centre-stage to share their lived experience and talk about who they are. We can all learn and grow together leaning on individual and shared experiences and understanding how we can all belong in our work environment as our authentic selves.”

This year’s action-orientated theme includes understanding, identifying and measuring the impact on marginalised groups and being accountable for genuine, sustainable change that matters.

Chloe explains that having a dedicated Belonging team underscores Version 1’s commitment to actionable change, understanding and embedding inclusivity across the organisation.

The team is determined to drive positive social impact through initiatives that not only promote equal opportunities and representation, but genuinely build a true sense of belonging, which must be done through action. “We are wholly accountable in making sure those actions are real and measurable. We want to lead lasting change, not just internally, but with the communities and the wider society we're involved in, which is what this year’s theme of ‘Impact Matters’ is all about.”

Sync NI caught up with Chloe midway through National Inclusion Week for a progress update on the sessions, where she reported a positive uptake in the amount of staff participation and engagement throughout the events. “The events have been incredibly well-supported across the company, with participation from all levels of the organisation,” The company was intentional about scheduling the sessions at times that could accommodate the majority of their global workforce, which was no small feat given the different time zones they operate in. In order to ensure accessibility for everyone, the team at Version 1 also recorded the sessions, so employees could watch them at their own convenience or

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awareness and commitment from leadership to ensure all DEI efforts are supported at top level. It is important that senior teams are actively engaged, which sets the tone for the entire organisation. Once this is secured, the next crucial step is assessing the current landscape of DEI and looking at data with a diversity and inclusion lens. From there, you can start to set your company’s individual goals, which must be specific to your own unique organisation and overall objectives, rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach. By educating and empowering employees across all levels of the organisation and opening dialogue, people will start to feel heard and valued.

revisit them later, which is a feature that many have appreciated and taken advantage of.

Chloe has been particularly impressed with the high level of engagement amongst staff: “The active participation speaks volumes about the culture of curiosity we’re building here at Version 1. It’s clear that people are eager to expand their understanding, challenge their perspectives, and continuously grow their inclusive mindsets. This desire to learn more and do better for each other is at the heart of what makes our organisation special, and it’s directly tied to our commitment to creating a truly inclusive environment where everyone can bring their difference.”

For Chloe, the highlight so far has been the first session with the team from Birmingham who delivered a powerful presentation on Cultural Inclusivity. What stood out most was how authentic and emotional the discussion became, Chloe explains: “It was a real exploration of their lived experiences. This session left me not only challenged but inspired to broaden my perspective and better understand how cultural norms and values, in various parts of the world, shape who we are as individuals.”

The session was a perfect example of how Version 1 is driving inclusion across the global organisation - not just discussing diversity in abstract terms, but

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Chloe Gillard, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Manager at Version 1

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By Kathryn McKenna

taking time to listen and understand each other on a human level. This kind of open dialogue, where team members feel safe to share their personal journeys, really helps break down barriers and allows employees to connect on a deeper level.

The session was a reminder that true inclusion is about taking the time to appreciate the unique perspectives, cultures, and identities that each person brings to the table. “When we do this, we align more authentically with our core values, fostering a work environment where

every person feels valued and heard,” Chloe comments.

“This year’s National Inclusion Week has already proven to be a valuable way to bring our teams closer and create lasting change.

I’m already excited about the potential for 2025, with plans to expand into an even bigger global celebration, involving more teams and deeper discussions, to make an even greater impact.”

Starting your DEI journey

For companies who have not yet started their DEI journey, Chloe advises the first step should involve building

The benefits a successful DEI strategy brings to an organisation cannot be overstated and it is all dependent on trust. Defining and measuring the success of a DEI strategy must be human centric, with people at its core.

Version 1 is global leader in business transformation and for nearly three decades has been strategically partnering with customers to go beyond expectations through the power of cutting-edge technology and expert teams.

To learn more about the current opportunities at Version 1, as well as read further about the company’s comprehensive core values and inclusive DEI culture, visit: version1.com.

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SYNC NI MAGAZINE

Meet Ben Wisoner: A Senior Security Engineer IAM at CME Group B

en Wisoner, Senior Security Engineer IAM (Identity and Access Management) with CME Group in Belfast talks about how he progressed from working in a large retail chain to forging a successful career within a global FinTech company.

q Can you talk a bit about your pathway into working in tech?

My pathway into tech was not via a traditional school to university route. I left school at 18 and began working for a large supermarket chain, later I was offered an opportunity to interview for a new “tech support” team the chain had begun to roll out nationwide. I was successful and within 2 years promoted to leading a team for a flagship store’s tech department. From this role I developed a deep passion for technology and knew I wanted to pursue a professional career in IT. I decided to return to education in my mid 20’s where I completed both a Software Development HND at Belfast Metropolitan College and then onto a BSc in Computing Technology at Queen’s University, over the span of 6 years and while still working part time. I joined CME Group as an intern for my university placement year where I

experienced a fantastic introduction to the world of enterprise IT. On completing my degree I decided to pursue the path of Cyber Security engineering at CME Group.

q Having worked within

CME for the last 7 years, what attracted you to the Cyber Security Sector?

I was initially attracted to Cyber Security to work with technologies that I found to be interesting, but also to be a part of a team with a strong core goal of protecting its users and organization. I also wanted to work in a role that gave me the opportunity to use my problem solving and communication skills I had developed over the previous 10 years.

Working in security requires engagement with many

different groups (technical and not so technical) to provide critical guidance and support, something I found to be a perfect fit.

q How much has this role evolved during your tenure?

My role has constantly changed over the last 7 years both due to growth in my career and rapid changes in technology. I have been working in the same team since graduating, now as a lead engineer.

The biggest change in my role since starting is the growth of responsibility for the products my team manages and gradual switch of becoming more of a mentor than mentee among my peers. I’m incredibly grateful for the guidance that was given to me in my early career and it’s rewarding that I can do the

same for others.

q What would you consider to be the highlights / most satisfactory aspects of the role?

One of the most satisfactory aspects of my role is the variety of work and the fact I rarely experience the same day twice, everyday uncovers a new variety of challenges to solve and learn from.

Another highlight for me has been the travel. CME Group is a global company with presence across the world and I have been fortunate to be given the opportunity to travel for work engagements as part of my role, including trips to India and the US. A highlight here was attending an industry leading Cyber Security conference in Las Vegas.

Decision Makers, influencers and thought leaders > Advocating for and serving the local NI technology community > Shining a spotlight on the success stories and achievements of local technology heroes > Encouraging and highlighting the opportunities available to all who wish to forge a career within the local technology sector > Supporting initiatives that promote the uptake of STEM education at every level > Showcasing jobs for those wishing to work within the technology sector > Promoting major events and casual meet-ups to build an exciting community of innovators for future generations

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