‘Making your mark personally is important, but I’m also committed to advancing science and technology’
My background was in biomedical engineering, specialising in molecular biology. I got as far as doing an internship at the Eindhoven University of Technology – focused on detecting HIV antibodies and other biomarkers – but there were too few job opportunities in Poland. So, I got a second degree in Computer Science and Information Technology and started out as a software developer supporting mainframe operations.
Even then, before AI was widely adopted, I recognised its immense potential. In fact, I even authored a publication on machine learning – based on my biomed masters’ thesis – entitled ‘Feature selection and classification of pairwise combinations for high-dimensional tumor biomedical datasets.’
One misconception people might have about me is that I live and breathe only technology. But my three adorable cats would surely disagree! I’m also passionate about dancing, particularly commercial and video clip styles. This year, I have embarked on learning K-Pop, having been captivated by Korean culture. I’m taking my first steps in contemporary dance, seeking to express myself and my emotions more effectively.
Now, back to the tech talk: I joined GFT in 2021 as a project head and portfolio manager in developing a cloud-based digital bank from scratch for Islamic customers.We only had a year to do this, and it involved over 120 employees from across seven countries – so it required a huge commitment. This was GFT's first Shariah-compliant project and set new standards of excellence for Islamic banking in Malaysia.
Now, my current role as an AI technical lead – since July 2022 – is developing intelligent tools and controls to find specific transactions within data. So, sure, today it’s about finding suspicious-looking data to prevent money laundering at one of GFT’s most prominent banking clients. Yet, I hope you can appreciate the similarities between applying AI to biological datasets and digital systems.
As well as transactional systems, I’ve also worked on other AI applications – for 3D engineering modelling, object detection for industrial injection moulding, and more.
I’m hopeful that my role at GFT will continue to evolve, just as it has done so far. Everybody has a wide range of skills, and sometimes it can take courage to embrace a new direction, but I’m committed to continuing my journey.
