There is no one correct path to a career in data and there is more than one type of data career. In this panel, speakers discuss common career questions relating to transitions into industry, navigating the current data industry, different types of data roles, coping with imposter syndrome, and the importance of data and data ethics!
All panelists are part of The LEGO Group's Women in Data community, a partnership setup to improve representation at The LEGO Group, grow the company's global female talent pool and widen their network in the data world.
This event is part of our Careers in Data Science Women's Month series, and is co-hosted by the LSEU Data Science Society, the LSESU's premier society for all things Data Science, Coding, and Technology.
Panelists
- Garima (Senior Data Scientist) Garima is a self-taught data scientist with a background in Engineering. She has over a decade of experience in the industry. She transitioned from a credit analyst to a data scientist role. Her experience is mostly centred around retail, media and manufacturing industry. Garima joined The LEGO Group in 2022 where she is engaged in building statistical and machine learning solutions focussing on Explainable and Causal AI to help the business take data-driven commercial decisions. Her role also involves stakeholder management focused on bridging the gap between technical team and business teams.
- Aparna Harichandran (Data Scientist) Aparna is an enthusiastic data scientist and an interdisciplinary researcher who specialises in developing and implementing innovative technological solutions for the manufacturing and built environment sectors. She joined the Data Office, Incubation team in The LEGO Group in 2023 where she evaluates the feasibility of new business problems, develops minimal viable products, and assess its value for the corporation. She was conferred with a PhD from Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India and Curtin University, Australia in Data Science and Construction Informatics. Prior to joining The LEGO Group, she worked as postdoctoral researcher at Aarhus University, Denmark where she focused on developing Virtual Reality (VR) software solutions for construction digital twin systems. Currently, she channels her research acumen and scientific rigor into addressing real-world business challenges, leveraging data-driven approaches to drive meaningful outcomes.
- Saghar Motarjemi (Data Scientist) Saghar is a dedicated data scientist with a background in environmental sciences. After completing her PhD at Aarhus University in Denmark, she transitioned into the corporate sector, joining the Data Office, Demand Forecasting team at The LEGO Group. Over the past two years, Saghar has focused on predictive modelling and stakeholder management, contributing her analytical skills to support business objectives. With a commitment to leveraging data for practical solutions, Saghar brings a balanced perspective to her work, blending academic rigor with real-world applicability.
- Chloe Thompson (Data Scientist) Chloe is a Data Scientist who joined the Demand Forecasting team at The Lego Group in 2023. She has a Master’s degree in Software and Electronic Systems Engineering from Queen’s University Belfast, is passionate about all things AI/ML and Data related and loves researching new technology. Chloe is currently a director of Women Who Code Belfast, the local network of a global non-profit empowering diverse women to excel in technology careers.
- Hayley Hubbard (Data Scientist) Hayley joined The LEGO Group as a Data Scientist in 2023 and works on calculating promotion uplift by using predictive models. She has previously worked on building customer understanding models at Sainsbury’s and time series models in the pharmaceutical industry. She has a Masters in Entomology, a PhD in Tropical Ecology, has led laboratory experiments as a Research Scientist and managed an insectary before deciding to transition into Data Science.
Chair
- Olivia Belton (Data Ethics Specialist) Olivia joined The LEGO Group in 2023 as their first-ever data ethicist, working to operationalise the organization's commitments to responsible data practice. She has a PhD in Media Studies from the University of East Anglia, and started her career as a research fellow at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence at the University of Cambridge. She has also worked as a management consultant providing expertise in data ethics, business analysis and data governance.