Nene Azu – From Economics to Artificial Intelligence

Nene, a Product Manager with Borealis AI in Vancouver, B.C. originally planned to earn a master’s degree in Economics and then work in a central bank. However, during his time at the University of British Columbia (UBC) where he was working towards his degree in Economics, Nene worked in retail banking where his interest in banking was piqued and he decided to pursue it. He came to Borealis AI after previous roles in banking and at tech start-ups.

Nene says he was drawn to Borealis AI because “it straddles the world of working for a stable, established bank but with a start-up mentality.” Borealis has a start-up feel but access to large streams of data and computational resources that provide a tremendous number of opportunities and possibilities.

“In my role, I find compelling problems and translate how machine learning and AI can help solve them. I operate cross functionally; at the intersection of multiple stakeholders from business leaders to software engineers and machine learning scientists,” says Nene. “I get to focus on the big picture and find out what needs to be done to bring it to life. I also apply financial principles to the project and assess the risk with taking different courses of action.”

He also believes that his role allows him to look through the lens of what is possible, to see how models can develop into ideas and it’s very exciting: “You come to work and get to tackle different problems and it’s exciting the awareness that we’re building and to involve as many perspectives as possible.”

Nene’s advice to anyone thinking about a new career path is to not limit themselves: “You don’t need to have an end goal in mind. Once you find a specific field of study, approach it with an open mind and ask ‘what else could I do with this degree?,’ open yourself up to pivoting and learning.”

Claire Lee – Technology and Accounting

Claire was a member of the 2022 T&O Amplify Program, an immersive summer innovation program, providing students in the later years of their post-secondary experience the opportunity to put their skills to the test while building a product that could disrupt RBC and beyond. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree of Accounting and Financial Management from the University of Waterloo, and started her role in Quantitative Technology Services (QTS) in Capital Markets in July 2023. From an early age, she’s always been curious about emerging technologies. When she started at the University of Waterloo, she also developed a strong interest in business – the financial markets, the decision-making process, the strategic alignment—and wanted to bridge that with her interest in technology.

“Working in QTS means a lot of fast learning for me and it’s been great,” says Claire. “I’ve been able to use many of the skills I developed during my Amplify experience, like cleaning and analyzing data. I’ve also been able to excel at knowing how to communicate effectively with my colleagues and presenting my work and research.”

Claire’s career path might have been slightly different if it weren’t for the pandemic. “I had more time on my hands during COVID and remembered how much I enjoyed computer science during high school, so I started taking more computer science courses at Waterloo and then decided to minor in it.” It was another good reminder for Claire to always remain curious. “As part of my university degree, I had four co-ops and I decided to branch out and try new opportunities. Why stick with the same thing for each co-op when I could try different roles and learn something new each time?”

She also believes that her business background allows her to see the bigger picture when working on a project, to take a step back to ask more questions and get a holistic view of the project and its purpose.

“RBC is really open to bringing employees with different skillsets and experience on board and I think that brings many different perspectives and opinions together, along with more creativity, which can only result in better outcomes for our teams and clients,” she says.

Diversity in technology remains an essential path for organizations to remain relevant with clients and employees. Bringing together divergent opinions and different work experiences not only means a more diverse workforce, it also creates an environment where collaboration, learning and solutions thrive.

This article offers general information only and is not intended as legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. While information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subject matter discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or its affiliates.