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21.05.2020 4 NEWS BEING interested and fascinated by astronomy, Kerstin Rizzo's first inspi- ration as a young girl was Katherine Johnson, the famed mathematician who was instrumental in Nasa's first manned space flights. e recent Hollywood movie Hidden Figures helped Katherine Johnson carve her place in the history books. "As I grew up, I wanted to become a chemist and had focused most of my studies on research. However, I was al- ways interested in tech and I recall my- self patiently typing code from various games' magazines onto our ZX Spec- trum a few moons ago", Rizzo said. "Eventually I read chemistry and com- puter studies at University only to real- ise there were many tech opportunities available. By then, my choice was an ob- vious one, and one that I never regret- ted." After 15 years as a systems' analyst and a software developer, Rizzo spent another 10 years in management, lead- ing several high-profile projects. She then joined eCabs to realise she had just walked into an immensely disruptive and innovative culture. "I must admit that I had my reserva- tions and wondered what my interac- tions would be like in a company which I thought would have a relatively heav- ier male presence, only to find out that the workplace is also highly populated by fellow ladies," Rizzo said. "I had joined a company whose pri- orities are focused on innovation and a relentless pursuit for excellence. e vision is an ambitious one and it's what makes the environment so inspiring to work in." Technology remains fundamental in eCabs' growth journey and as the or- ganisation keeps investing heavily in this area, it bids to consistently improve its efficiencies in operations, ensuring a seamless service delivery to its cli- ents, whilst bringing about the ability to quickly adapt to unpredictable scenari- os such COVID-19. "Our technology also takes into con- sideration our growing driver base. Co- ordination of all the trips, tracking and timely pick-ups all depend on a robust technology infrastructure, also enabling us to lay out our long-term vision for the organisation. eCabs' primary strate- gic goal is to internationalise its prod- uct portfolio and is in the process of transforming its current technology to a cloud-based solution," Rizzo said. "One of the aspects that makes work- ing at eCabs a unique proposition is the fact that we are a company intent on bringing a drastic shift in the country's mobility patterns. Mobility remains a big challenge for Malta with a very particu- lar and complex infrastructure, so I am thrilled to be working on such challenges at a company with a vision of bringing a positive change in this aspect. "Being the only mobility company in Malta adopting an all-inclusive mul- ti-booking channel model through the app, phone, web, social media and email, eCabs has made its service acces- sible to all to ensure mobility for every- one." In a world driven by data, new exciting challenges emerge to harness that pow- er and make good use of it. Rizzo said that eCabs' service grows, its models are increasingly helping the company predict traffic patterns and trends. "is allows us to keep offering a re- liable service within the shortest time possible and at competitive prices," she said. "With aspirations of product devel- opment into the 'Last Mile' delivery segment my role becomes more fun and challenging as I help to translate these innovative business requirements into IT deliverables, which will essen- tially see customers and their parcels reaching their destinations in a quicker, smoother and more efficient manner." Agility in adapting is also an essential attribute as external factors can very quickly change the priorities. And COVID-19 is a perfect case in point, Rizzo pointed out. "e surreal scenario that hit us in March 2020 had instantly shifted the priorities. But we are an amazing team and we managed to pull this through together, matching the speed and change in direction." As to the topic of women and IT, Riz- zo said she is proud to be a successful woman not only in an IT environment but also at a tech mobility company. "If I made it, it means that change is indeed possible, but STEM subjects re- main male dominated and this needs to change from the very bottom, tackled from as early as kindergarten. School children should be introduced to more innovative educational programs and science challenges so that the future will see more women choosing subjects such as science, technology, engineer- ing, and mathematics," she said. "Women in these fields should also be promoted to serve as role models and encourage a larger cohort of young women to take up tech-related jobs." "If I made it, it means that change is indeed possible" KERSTIN RIZZO joined eCabs' technology team as Head of Programmes a year and a half ago. She speaks to BusinessToday about how fundamental technology has been in the growth achieved by eCabs in the past years and her role as a professional woman in a tech company

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