By Avelyn Ng
Fresh out of polytechnic and National Service, Najib Ninaba was hired by Laurence Liew, then the Chief Technical Officer of eLinux Pte Ltd, one of the pioneers that promoted the Linux operating system commercially. The two went on to co-establish two companies and three Asia headquarters of leading foreign companies – all specialising in computing and data analytics.
Najib’s rise to success baffles many – how did he, a greenhorn, get recognised by top employers back then and is now an expert?
“I first got acquainted and interested in Linux when I was taking my Diploma in Computer Information System. However, Windows system was predominant back then and I had nothing to experiment with. So, I re-installed my own computer with Linux and tinkered with the environment,” recounted Najib.
Prior to joining Laurence, Najib had experience in managing the server for a cyber café and contributing to open-source communities, where he created software or improved on existing ones for public consumption. In his free time, he also took time to read up on technical know-how at the library and exchanged insights with other professionals online and at industry meet-ups.
“You don’t need a lot of money and high-tech equipment to learn,” he stressed.
War for Talent
The duo embarked on their entrepreneurship journey together in 2003. Three out of the five companies they set up have been acquired. Notably, after three years in business, the Revolution Analytics Singapore office’ team grew to around a dozen people and was acquired by Microsoft.
Hiring, however, has been a challenge. According to them, data engineers and data scientists are in high demand among technology firms. As they are relatively new roles that have emerged in recent years, such positions are hard to fill. Someone, who is adept in both areas, is an even rarer find.
Therefore, Laurence turns to fresh graduates and offers them on-the-job training.
“To me, a degree is immaterial. I am more concerned with what they have accomplished as a developer, and proof of their technical capabilities. If you have people working with you or accepting your work, it shows to me that you have certain skillsets.
“Najib invested time to build his portfolio through various self-initiated projects. Motivated, passionate, independent… I saw those qualities in his interview. Those are things that can’t be taught,” said Laurence.
Building Blocks
Now at their current company REAL Analytics, they continue to look into big data and how they can transmute into artificial intelligence.
With carefully-curated algorithms built into ‘supercomputers’, companies can automate processes, predict failures and more. They will help both businesses and their employees move up the value chain.
What is What Explained
Linux: A freely-available computer operating system that started to gain traction in the mid-90s, and now powers 70-80% of the Internet today.
Open-source: Software for which the original source code is released to the public. It may be used, redistributed, modified or enhanced by anyone.
Data engineers: Professionals who design and build the infrastructure of the machine so that data can be extracted in the right format.
Data scientists: Professionals who organise, analyse and make meaning of raw data. They distill valuable insights and provide strategic recommendations.
Artificial Intelligence: Electronic devices that mimic what a human can do, learn in the process and correct itself accordingly.
Source: NTUC This Week
