Can you give us an insight into your personal journey into the asset services industry, why did you decide this was the career for you?
My journey into the asset services industry was quite unconventional. I started with a PhD in Computer Science and spent five years in academia, but I felt drawn to solving real-world problems rather than purely theoretical research.
I transitioned to industry as a natural language processing (NLP) engineer at a consultancy firm, where I was exposed to practical AI challenges across various industries.
What led me specifically to asset services was the development of our Adaptive Intelligent Document Processing (AIDP) technology. The potential we saw in applying AI to document processing was so significant that it eventually spun off as its own company, which was later acquired by Duco. This brought me directly into the fintech and asset services space. I chose this career because it perfectly combines my technical expertise with solving complex, high-impact problems in financial services — an industry where precision, compliance, and innovation are equally critical.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
I am most energised by the dual nature of my role as head of AI at Duco. On one hand, I love the technical challenges of developing sophisticated AI systems that truly make operations more efficient — from comprehending and extracting financial data from documents to enabling agentic capabilities that provide agility and scalability to overstretched teams.
On the other hand, I love leading a team of passionate engineers and being an internal advocate and educator for AI innovation throughout the company.
What particularly excites me is seeing our technology solve real problems for clients — watching processes that used to take hours or days complete in minutes. I also enjoy fostering a culture where AI innovation is understood and embraced across different departments, helping colleagues see what’s possible with these technologies.
Being fairly new to the industry, how do you find your experience compared to those who are more established? Are there pros and cons to each?
Coming from a technical background outside traditional financial services has given me a fresh perspective on industry challenges.
The advantage is that I approach problems without preconceived notions about ‘how things have always been done’. This allows us to see opportunities for innovation that might be less obvious to industry veterans.
However, I recognise that established professionals have deep domain knowledge about regulatory requirements, market nuances, and client expectations that take years to develop.
That is why I value collaboration and making sure humans are in the loop when it comes to AI — combining fresh technological approaches with seasoned industry expertise creates the most effective solutions in my opinion.
Have you noticed any misconceptions about the asset servicing industry? Is there anything in the industry you would like to see evolve or change?
One major misconception I have encountered is that the industry is slow to adopt new technology. While it is true that financial services are rightfully cautious due to regulatory requirements, I have found there is actually a tremendous appetite for innovation when it is presented transparently and with proper risk management.
I would like to see the industry evolve toward more transparent AI implementations. Too often, AI solutions are presented as ‘black boxes’, which creates unnecessary anxiety in regulated environments. We focus on building tools that clearly explain their decision-making processes and maintain audit trails. I believe this educational approach and emphasis on transparency will be crucial for successful AI adoption in the asset servicing industry.
What is the training process of a new employee? Do you think it was beneficial to your role and others who may now be in the same position you were?
At Duco, we emphasise hands-on learning combined with mentorship. New team members work on real projects from early on, but with close guidance and regular check-ins. We also focus heavily on understanding the business context — it is not enough to be technically proficient; you need to understand how your work impacts our clients’ daily operations.
This approach was incredibly beneficial for me because it accelerated my understanding of both the technical and business sides of our platform. For others entering similar roles, I would recommend embracing this dual learning approach — do not just focus on the technical aspects, but really understand the business problems you are solving.
In terms of your career, where do you see yourself in a decade?
I think part of what makes this field so exciting is that we do not know exactly where we will be in ten years. What I do know is that I want to keep researching, exploring, and staying on top of whatever the state-of-the-art becomes.
Right now we are in the midst of an AI adoption era, similar to how ten years ago we were navigating the shift from on-premise to cloud. But just as that transformation brought unexpected innovations and challenges, I am sure there will be entirely new technologies and approaches emerging over the next decade that we cannot even imagine today.
What I am committed to is remaining at the forefront of these changes and helping translate cutting-edge research into practical applications for financial services. I want to continue being someone who can bridge the gap between what is technically possible and what is actually useful for solving real business problems.
What advice would you give to young graduates when entering the financial services field?
My biggest piece of advice is to develop both technical depth and business understanding. Do not just learn the tools — understand the problems you are solving and the impact of your work on real people and institutions.
Also, embrace the learning curve. Financial services can seem complex and intimidating at first, but that complexity is what makes the work interesting and valuable. Ask questions, seek mentorship, and do not be afraid to challenge existing processes when you see opportunities for improvement.
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Image: Duco 
