An intelligent career transformation

Isabel Fernandez, Accenture Digital

Analytics Executive and Violin-playing Skateboarder

Listen to “the stories told by data” to understand challenges in different industries and propose the best, most innovative solutions.

In my role as an Analytics Executive, I lead an incredible team that listens to “the stories told by data” to understand challenges in different industries and propose the best, most innovative solutions. We take our in-depth abilities to understand people’s needs and preferences, data and algorithms, and apply them to cutting-edge technologies. Our solutions are based on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, focusing on areas such as customer hyper-personalization, virtual agents and video analytics.

The work
Every project our team works on has an impact in the real world. One of our latest projects was the development of an AI-based smart system that automated ventilation control for a transportation system in Madrid, with a goal of minimizing energy consumption and optimizing passenger comfort. The system relies on a model-based metaheuristic optimization algorithm, an Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), that optimizes a trade-off between electricity cost and passengers’ comfort (in terms of platforms’ temperatures). As a result, the energy consumption is reduced more than 25 percent, saving tax dollars and reducing CO2 emission.

Three differentials
There are three things I love about working at Accenture. First, nowhere else in my professional career have I worked with such smart, passionate, amazing professionals. Second is Accenture’s commitment to innovation and to transforming the way the world works and lives. And third, we have a clearly communicated company strategy with distinctly stated goals—and a plan to achieve them. These three elements make us a truly winning team.

Skateboarding and playing violin
I’m committed to personal projects that tie in with my passion for diversity and the development of technical vocations, especially for girls. I share lots of hobbies with my 8- and 12-year-old. My daughter is better than me at playing violin and my son’s a better skateboarder, but I still love to do both. My great passion is architecture and design, especially the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry.

My advice
Have a love of learning and listening. The environment at Accenture is continuously changing, multicultural and challenging. Be ready to write incredible stories with your team.

Suggested social:
Twitter: For our Isabel Fernandez, the key to success in a digital career is learning and listening to the stories told by data to build the best solutions.

FB/LI: The key to building a career in the digital space? Listen to the stories told by data to help you build the most successful, innovative solutions to business challenges.

Kana Cornett, Accenture Digital

Data Science Manager and Committed New Mom

We create business solutions using analytics by digging into the details and developing cutting-edge solutions for clients.

In my role as a Data Science Manager, I create business solutions using analytics. This work involves digging into the details by collecting information from the data, systems, operations and the people of a company to define and detect business issues. We then determine the best solutions with analytics—performing data processing and cleansing, creating data sets for analysis and building statistical models to solve or optimize the client’s business operations.

The work
My most unforgettable project was for one of the biggest high-tech companies in Japan. The client just launched a data science team, and they needed help getting it started. My role was to support them by teaching an end-to-end analytics process in an on-the-job style. We researched their data availability and business issues and collaborated with a logistics company to create a supply and demand analysis proof of concept, which showed them the potential value in analytics and in their new team.

Supportive teams and flexibility when its needed most
My team members are especially supportive, and we always collaborate to innovate the best, cutting-edge solutions for our clients. On a personal level, after I had a child and took a 10-month maternity leave, I was anxious to get back to work. Our area is changing and evolving so quickly, and I thought it could be very tough to catch up. However, my career counselor and team leaders offered several work-plan options so that I could ease back with a lighter workload.

My advice
More women are needed in the digital space. This is a field that is growing every day; it offers a huge opportunity to contribute to society with the solutions we create. Accenture is committed to inclusion and diversity, and our leadership helps you thrive in your career.

Suggested social:
Twitter : New mother and dedicated data science manager Kana Cornett wants to inspire more women to pursue careers in the growing digital space.

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Megan J. Hughes,
Accenture Digital

Digital Transformation Manager, AI and Social Media Analytics Aficionado and “Hardcore Metal” Music Enthusiast

Getting to know people is of the utmost importance! Building your network is just as important as overdelivering on client projects.

In my role, I define strategic direction for clients backed by insights (data-driven). These insights are derived from blending a variety of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as machine learning and natural language processing across both internal and external (3rd party) data sources—including social media data. My work allows me to draw from a wealth of previous client-driven experience.

One of my most exciting projects was defining a plan to reposition a bank’s brand, and to drive revenue via new channels. The workplan included a year-long social media and AI strategy, including initiatives to undertake technology choices, operating model design, KPI definition and over-all business direction. The best projects are data driven!

I like the fast pace at Accenture and the fact that you can work across industries. My projects have impacted a variety of business areas, from corporate regulatory compliancy via increased revenue to really breaking ground and positioning companies as leaders with the use of bleeding-edge technologies. I’m always working at the forefront of technologies to invigorate every client project with something new.

Blue-sky thinking with the art of possibility. The company’s culture allows me to be creative while also being completely upfront about the technological possibilities and constraints—something a lot of clients appreciate! The creativity also aligns with some of the things I love to do in my spare time, which includes practicing my aerial skills. I also love to travel, learn about new cultures and often pick up phrases in different languages whilst exploring the world!

Suggested social:
FB/LI: Digital Transformation Manager Megan Hughes incorporates blue-sky thinking with the art of possibility to invigorate every client project with something new.

TW: AI and social media guru Megan Hughes uses data-driven insights and the latest technologies to define strategic direction for clients.

Denisse Domínguez

“Working at Accenture means thinking out of the box and high performance without gender barriers.”

Describe your role in Accenture.
I am part of the analytics team within Accenture Applied Intelligence and together with my team, we generate analytical models that forecast and identify valuable proposals that generate a change in the way in which clients operate.

Why would you invite a woman to work at Accenture?
Working at Accenture means development and high performance without gender barriers, the opportunity for growth is the same for everyone. It is a company that gives you the tools to meet your career goals.

What is the most memorable moment you've had at Accenture?
The day I joined Accenture was a different experience because I was used to working in a very small company and knowing that I was now working in a global company, I was thrilled because I knew it would be a great challenge to demonstrate my knowledge and experience to generate value for the business.

What is it that makes Accenture unique and that allows you to create, innovate, lead and transform in an effective way?
There are no limits to think out of the box, in Accenture we have the opportunity to work with other teams globally to learn about new solution models that we can replicate and adapt according to the needs of our clients in Mexico.

What has been the best professional advice you have received and would like to share?
"Think further, but remember that the solution is sometimes closer than we think".

Ana Madrid
Senior Manager

“I was attracted to working at Accenture by its emphasis on diversity.”

As it happens, my name is ‘Madrid’ and this is also where I come from. I could never have imagined as a child doing what I do now; living and working in London especially. Before joining Accenture, I worked at Deloitte. This was after having studied economics in Spain, with an emphasis on econometrics.

As far as I’m concerned, being a data-driven organization is the only way to be. Advanced Analytics (machine learning) and Big Data is already shaping what we do and, as we are focused on and committed to generating great results for our clients, I can only see it becoming increasingly important to our work in future. Data and data science is a crucial part of what we do here. It also helps us to build the credentials we need to evidence our capabilities.

Diversity will also continue to play a key role. Data gives us a new perspective on how we approach our client’s issues; it therefore makes sense that we embrace as many different perspectives on what that data is capable of.

In my current role, I create new Artificial Intelligence products. It involves a great deal of stakeholder management and lots of difficult technical decisions which, in turn, means you can usually find me in meetings. This reflects the collaborative approach we take to work at Accenture. I’m looking forward to more exciting times ahead. The next big thing on my professional horizon is exploring the scalability of AI.

My inspiration is Belle from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. She was more concerned with reading and doing what she saw as morally right than with social status. These values and this approach to life I like to reflect in my own.

In terms of my future, I’d like to be able to help others to grow. I believe very much in persevering personally but also giving others the opportunities they need to release their potential. I’d like to see a world where we have more equal rights. This means leveraging diversity to achieve this. People are what make Accenture special; they make working here special too. I’m proud to be part of what we achieve together as a business.

Zuzanna Blaszczak
Zuzanna talks about Data Science at Accenture, switching from academia to industry – and how her desire to try new things extends into other aspects of her life.

“I’m constantly thinking about things others haven’t thought of, and trying to answer previously unanswered questions.”

Digital Analytics is all about using data to help our clients with pretty much anything they can imagine – whether that’s improving their products or services, or generating insights to enhance decision-making. I’m on the Data Science side of Analytics. Essentially, we apply state-of-the-art algorithms and machine learning to huge data sets in order to solve complex business problems. This combination of modern algorithms and data sets allows us to move away from describing the world as it is to predicting what will happen in the future. Data Science relies on technology – and since Accenture is an undisputed technology leader this, for me, is the place to be.

Being a self-confessed geek, I find the whole thing fascinating. I really enjoy writing code and solving problems. I’m constantly using my brain, thinking about things others haven’t thought of, trying to answer previously unanswered questions – or researching those that have been answered. The research element was something that I’d experienced in my previous life in academia, but moving to Accenture I found was a whole new ball game. In academia, it’s quite theoretical and you have the luxury of being able to come up with the ‘nicest’ solution. Moving to Accenture I’ve had to think differently. In industry, you have to find the solution that works best against all sorts of constraints. Everything we do has pounds and pence attached to it and deadlines are far, far tighter.

I’ve been at Accenture for less than a year, but my confidence has really grown in this time. So, I was joining this huge global company. Could I add value? How would I hold my own against all these super-smart people? But I’ve had so much encouragement and positive feedback that I can now speak confidently with clients and I’m not afraid to offer my opinions. Nor has being part of a traditionally male world been an issue as I’m surrounded by so many like-minded women.

I’ve thrown myself into community activities, too. Last year, I took part in a hackathon organised with Amnesty International looking at the abuse of politicians on Twitter, which really showed the power of data science. I also took part in Teen Tech, an event for schoolchildren – Accenture was the sponsor of the Data Science competition. We gave the children a few data sets to play with and I mentored them on ways to approach using the data, trying to get them thinking about how data is used in everyday life.

There’s still so much to explore in areas such as machine learning and AI, and that suits me to a tee. What motivates me most is learning new things and stretching myself. I enjoy rock climbing and bouldering – every time I go to the bouldering gym, there’s another challenge to solve. I’m into bread-making, always striving to bake the perfect loaf. And golf: it’s not the most popular sport in my native Poland, which was reason enough for me to give it a go. I suppose that’s the kind of person I am!