For the first time, I was sitting at the intersection of business, technology and execution: working with customers, leading teams, and seeing ideas create real value. I loved it!
Looking back over twenty years across academia, startups, global corporations and social impact, I can now see a pattern that was not obvious at the time.
My career started with a British Telecom-sponsored PhD in Machine Learning. I loved working at the cutting edge of technology and eventually developed a patented speaker recognition system used to strengthen telephone banking security. But while I enjoyed the research, I became increasingly interested in how ideas move beyond academic papers to create value in the real world.
That question led me into entrepreneurship. When the opportunity arose to join a startup and lead product development, I took it without even knowing what a Product Manager was. For the first time, I was sitting at the intersection of business, technology and execution: working with customers, leading teams, and seeing ideas create real value.
Five years later, I moved into the corporate world with a simple goal: learn how great organisations operate. Alongside launching my own startup focused on dynamic pricing, I led the creation of a Machine Translation platform that generated millions in cost savings and learnt the art of effective stakeholder management
Despite enjoying the challenge, I increasingly felt drawn to work that created a broader impact. That pull brought me back to Mauritius in 2020 and into the social impact sector, where I worked across Product, Data and Impact to support a mission of creating millions of work opportunities for young Africans.
The common thread across every stage was never academia, startups, corporate leadership, social impact, or any title. It was building: products and data platforms, teams and ventures, processes and systems that scale.
Today, I am building PikSou and working alongside founders, leaders and organisations trying to turn ambitious ideas into reality. The industries, challenges and scale have changed. What has not changed is the thing I have been drawn to since the beginning: solving real problems and building things that matter.
Of all the things I've built throughout my career, the one I'm proudest of is my family.
My wife and I have built a life that means more to me than any title, product or business ever could. We are fortunate to have two incredible children who constantly remind me what truly matters.
They are the reason I push myself to keep learning, growing and becoming a better leader, husband and father. They keep me grounded, provide perspective when things get challenging and remind me that success is ultimately about the people we share it with.
Outside of work, my favourite moments are often the simplest ones. Spending quality time outdoors, exploring new places and creating memories together.
And when I need to recharge, you'll usually find me at the gym, by the ocean, reading a good book or taking a long walk in nature.
