Ankur Bedi

Background

About Ankur Bedi

My Journey In March 2006, I arrived in Australia as a 17-year-old, leaving behind my family and friends in India. It was a leap of faith, filled with fear, anxiety and hope. Supporting myself through college, I worked as a cleaner during overnight shifts and attended classes in the mornings—an experience that built my resilience and taught me the value of hard work. Early Lessons in Teamwork and Customer Service My role at McDonald’s was where I learned teamwork, problem-solving, and customer service under pressure. Later, at David Jones, I gained invaluable insights into what makes a great customer service experience, as the brand is renowned for its high standards—an experience that shaped my approach to retail and customer engagement. A Decade in Retail Leadership At Woolworths, I spent 10 years growing from floor support to store manager, taking on leadership roles, including acting store manager on several occasions. This was a pivotal time when I saw firsthand how data-driven decision-making transformed retail operations and enhanced customer experience. Predictive models guided inventory decisions and reduced shrinkage, but I also learned the value of balancing data insights with human intuition. 🤖 Embracing Data Science and AI After witnessing the positive impact of data on business operations at Woolworths, I became eager to learn more about the backend systems that drove these decisions. This curiosity led me to pursue a Master of Commerce in Data Science, where I gained a deeper understanding of the mathematics and algorithms powering machine learning and AI systems. Applying Knowledge in Action As a Data Analytics and AI Graduate at Optus, I gained hands-on experience in data science, machine learning, data engineering, and generative AI. A standout achievement was contributing to an end-to-end generative AI pipeline for customer churn analysis using transcripts, which won the 2024 Optus Networks Annual Award. What Drives Me I’m passionate about leveraging data and AI to solve complex problems while ensuring a human touch. My unique combination of front-line customer experience and technical expertise allows me to bridge the gap between data and real-world impact.