OCTAVE: Integrating advanced analytics with front-line business decisions

Friday, 4 December 2020 00:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

OCTAVE, the John Keells Group’s Data and Advanced Analytics Centre of Excellence is making strides to build a world-class analytics practice to derive the most value from the Group’s data by combining the full ensemble of Industry 4.0 technologies, human ingenuity, and the power of data and modern-day advanced analytics.

As Sri Lanka’s largest listed conglomerate, the John Keells Group has access to an unparalleled high volume and variety of data across its several industry verticals, including Financial Services, Retail, Leisure, Consumer Foods, Transportation, Property Development, and IT and Plantations.

Recognising the value and potential of this data, John Keells Holdings made a significant investment to promote a Group-wide transformation effort towards adopting data-driven operational and strategic decision-making.

Committed to implementing world-class practices across technology, process, and learning, OCTAVE has engaged a global management and advanced analytics consultancy. The engagement has fostered an environment where the JKH team works shoulder-to-shoulder with onsite experts, aided by a cutting-edge technology stack and best-in-class analytics methodologies. This is further complemented by OCTAVE’s DNA that promotes the best elements of agile working and disciplines of collaboration and creativity to build a culture of innovation.

Leveraging its distinct position as a thought leader in the industry, OCTAVE has since its launch collaborated with universities and other partners on hackathons and knowledge sharing sessions, the latest being ‘OCTAVE INSIGHTS – Hear, Learn and Interact with Advanced Analytics Experts’. It is envisioned to be a curated forum for advanced analytics professionals to interact with senior members of OCTAVE, along with other prominent industry experts. OCTAVE INSIGHTS is to begin with a three-part webinar series spanning Data Engineering, Data Science, and Analytics Delivery. The webinars are billed as conversations between experts from the globally renowned advanced analytics consultancy QuantumBlack, a McKinsey company, and OCTAVE, to cover prevalent topics within the three fields.

The well-attended first webinar was held on 17 November with OCTAVE Analytics Delivery Lead Chamitha Wanaguru and McKinsey Digital Labs, India Data Architect Anshul Varma, discussing ‘Data Engineering: Evolution over a Decade’. The next two instalments of the series, ‘Causal Inference’ with OCTAVE Principal Data Scientist Dr. Rajitha Navarathna, and QuantumBlack, Singapore Senior Data Scientist Dr. Paul Beaumont, and ‘Production Ready Practices’ with OCTAVE Analytics Delivery Lead Duminda Jayathilake, and QuantumBlack, London Global Head of Technical Delivery Nayur Khan, are scheduled for 1 and 15 December respectively. Those interested in participating in the next instalments of OCTAVE INSIGHTS can find out more via www.keells.com/octave.