Farhana Alarakhiya
Chief Data Innovation Officer
Farhana Alarakhiya is a highly accomplished Software Executive with over 25 years of experience in the world of Big Data and AI. Currently serving as the Chief Data Innovation Officer at the Aga Khan University, Farhana combines data and smart individuals to drive impactful change in Low Middle Income Country settings.
Prior to her academic role, Farhana spent her career in High Tech, where she was known for leveraging data to deliver unimaginable insights. Her roles spanned across a diverse set of industries including Shopify where she was Vice President of Product to IBM where she spearheaded an integral acquisition for the launch of Watson Health.
Farhana holds a degree in Electrical Engineering and Management and provides advisory services to various AI tech firms. She also serves on the boards of BGCO, Pulsar Collective, and the Scientific Advisory Board for Universite Catholica's Biomedical Research Institute. Outside of work, she is a passionate advocate for women's rights and closing socioeconomic gaps.
Stephen Peter Wong
Principal Data Lead and Architect
Stephen Wong has spent over three decades helping organisations realise and enable their data and analytics strategy. He launched his career working at SAS, the largest privately owned software company and leader in enterprise analytics, where he worked with multiple Fortune 100 companies across the full data life cycle. He is currently the Principal Data Lead and Architect at the Aga Khan University in the office of the Chief Data Innovation Officer. At AKU, he is bringing his vast experience and knowledge to build Big Data platforms focused on population health management with the objective of improving the quality of life of communities in East Africa. Prior to AKU, he was Director at CIBC and Scotiabank, two of the largest banks in Canada. While there, he focused on Enterprise Data Governance so is well versed in the complexities of regulatory compliance and data governance policies.
Amos Bunde
Lead Data Engineer and Architect
Amos is the Lead Data Engineer and Architect at the AKU Office of Chief Data Innovation Officer. His journey is a testament to his expertise in data engineering and architecture. Holding a BSc in Applied Statistics with Computing mirrors his dedication to transforming data challenges into strategic opportunities. Within Aga Khan University, he spearheads the creation of data architectures that steer research objectives. His scope extends to various domains including cloud infrastructures, pipeline construction, data workflow abstraction, machine learning and design. Beyond technical skills, Amos leads by example, mentoring cross-functional teams and nurturing a culture of innovation. Amos views himself as a perpetual learner,fueled by a genuine enthusiasm for machine learning, data streaming and quantum computing. Yet, above all, his leisure lies in activities like swimming, reading books, basketball, darts and soccer.
Izbah Gulsher
Data Engineer
Izbah is a proficient Data Engineer within the Global Data Innovation Office at Aga Khan University Hospitals. Her primary focus involves constructing robust data architecture, orchestrating ETL/ELT pipelines, and facilitating seamless data integration from diverse sources. This enables the availability of refined, accessible data, fostering insightful decision-making. Additionally, Izbah contributes to AKU by assisting various departments in constructing interactive dashboards and optimizing reporting systems. With a strong academic background in Computer & Information Systems Engineering (BE), she boasts 6-years of experience encompassing roles as a Business Intelligence Engineer and Senior Business Analyst. Her commitment to staying abreast of cutting-edge technology is evident through her Microsoft certifications in Data Engineering, AI Engineering, and Data Visualization.
Expertise: Data Warehousing, Data Engineer, Big Data, Cloud Platforms, Data Architecture, Business Intelligence.
Nasir Mehmood
Data Analyst
Nasir Mehmood is an experienced Data Engineer with a robust background spanning over 2 years, specialising in designing and implementing scalable data pipelines within cloud environments, optimizing data integration processes, and efficiently managing large-scale big data infrastructure. In his role as an Analyst with the Global Data Innovation Team at Aga Khan University, he has been instrumental in creating dynamic interactive dashboards, streamlining patient data migration to Microsoft Azure for enhanced analytical capabilities, and establishing automated data warehouses through proficient web scraping techniques. His proficiency spans a diverse array of tools such as SSMS, MySQL, PowerBI, DAX, and Python, illustrating his ability to leverage a wide-ranging skill set to generate data-focused insights and introduce innovative solutions. With a bachelor’s degree in computer sciences from the Institute of Business Administration Karachi and additional certifications in Microsoft Azure, data integration, Python, and related fields, Nasir possesses a strong educational foundation complemented by practical expertise in the realm of data engineering and analysis.
Christopher John Mutungi
Data Engineer
Christopher Mutungi is a Data Engineer at the Data Innovation Office at Aga Khan University & Hospitals. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer technology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture Technology, Kenya. Guided by a strong belief in the power of data to shape a better future, Chris translates his convictions into action by designing and implementing robust data pipelines and architectures to ingest, store, and prepare data for consumption. His expertise extends to optimizing database systems and deploying efficient data storage solutions to handle large volumes of data effectively. Chris collaborates closely with cross-functional teams, translating their data needs into practical solutions and contributing to the strategic use of data for informed decision-making.
His unwavering commitment to utilizing data for positive change serves as an inspiration, propelling him to make a lasting impact.
Expertise: ETL Development, Data Storage & Warehousing, Cloud Data Engineering, Business Intelligence and Data Architecture.
Nigel Thuku Kamotho
Data Scientist
Nigel Thuku is an introspective and thoughtful individual. He is working as a Data Scientist under the Data Innovations Office at AKU. He has a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. Nigel believes that given enough time and effort, anyone can learn anything they set their mind to. This mindset is Nigel’s biggest asset and has carried him through during the new and unique challenges that come from world of data science. He enjoys finding creative solutions to problems. When he is not working with numbers, Nigel enjoys painting, gardening, and spending time with his family.
Expertise: Data Science, Data Protection, Data Storytelling, Machine Learning, Statistics,Python and SQL.
Antony Kagure
Product Marketing Specialist
As a Product Marketing Specialist, Antony brings life to the work the team does in the domain of data by providing awareness internally and externally on how Aga Khan University uses data to transform outcomes. He is passionate about storytelling, particularly, transforming the complex into easy-to-consume simplicity. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a Marketing specialization from the University of Nairobi.
Expertise: Content Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Management, Data Storytelling,Community Building.
