In our continuing effort to increase our awareness of the tech scene in Africa, we chat with Caribbean Data Scientist, Kevan Rajaram, who did a short stint working as the Head of Business Intelligence for a company in West Africa, specifically Côte d’Ivoire (the Ivory Coast). During our conversation, Kevan shared with us, among other things: how he ended in Côte d’Ivoire; his first impressions of the tech ecosystem and daily life; what stood out for him regarding how data regulation and digital sovereignty are handled; and lessons he learnt and has brought back with him to the Caribbean.

 

This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music!!

For long-time listeners of the ICT Pulse Podcast, we have been keen to encourage stronger links between the Caribbean and Africa. Thanks to our longstanding and shared history and culture, as well as both being part of the Global South, we believe considerable synergies exist that can be leveraged for our mutual benefit. However, for us to get to the point of deep collaboration and leveraging synergies, relationships must be strengthened, which in the first instance, means that we must become more attuned to and more knowledgeable of each other beyond stereotypes and anecdotes.

Having said this, gaining that knowledge is no mean feat. The continent of Africa comprises 54 countries and around 1.5 billion people, and even if we focus on West Africa, where the Caribbean region’s strongest historical ties reside, that is still 16 countries and nearly half a billion people. Moreover, we are still only at the start of the effort to forge closer ties, which undoubtedly will be riddled with uncertainty, false starts, ebbs and flows.

However, the only true consolation is the saying, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. Hence, let us continue to take one more step.

 

Introducing our guest

Kevan Rajaram

Kevan Rajaram is an experienced data and analytics professional with over 12 years of expertise in transforming complex business challenges into strategic insights. He holds a BSc in Mathematics and an MSc in Statistics from The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine (Trinidad and Tobago).

Currently serving as Manager of Analytics and Information Management at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Kevan leads initiatives that enhance data-driven decision-making and digital transformation across the Bank.

His previous roles include Head of Business Intelligence, Geomarketing, and Data Services at Axian Telecom, where he supported operations across five African markets, and Data Science Director at PwC Caribbean, where he spearheaded the launch of a regional internship program, implemented data governance frameworks, and applied predictive analytics for client growth.

Kevan has worked extensively across telecommunications, consulting, and banking sectors in countries including Jamaica, Belize, and Curaçao. Known for his innovative mindset and collaborative leadership, he also founded Data Buddies, a mentorship community for aspiring data professionals. 

 

Insights into our conversation

At the start of the episode, I mentioned to Kevan that as I was preparing for our conversation, I almost visualised him as an intrepid explorer who had gone off into the vast unknown and had returned to tell the tale. From the perspective of the English-speaking Caribbean, we tend to know very little about the French-speaking Côte d’Ivoire (the Ivory Coast), and it might only have crossed the radar of football/soccer fans who remember Didier Drogba, and those who might be familiar with Tidjane Thiam.

However, as Kevan himself admitted, relocating to Africa for work was not on his radar before he was approached. Most of us tend to aspire to work in North America or Europe, but the Continent of Africa is brimming with opportunity—if we are prepared to broaden our horizons from solely the North to also looking South.

Below are some of the questions that drove our conversation with Kevan.

  1. Tell us how you ended up living and working in West Africa.
  2. You ended you in Côte d’Ivoire, and how did you find the transition?
  3. What were your first impressions of the tech ecosystem and daily life?
  4. What aspects of Côte d’Ivoire’s IT infrastructure surprised you?
  5. What stood out to you about how African countries like Côte d’Ivoire handle data regulation and digital sovereignty?
  6. How can Caribbean and African professionals collaborate more deeply?
  7. What did your time in Africa teach you, and what lessons have you brought back to your work in the Caribbean?

 

We would love to hear your thoughts!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

 

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise might be useful

 

 

Images credit:  K Rajaram;  BBC World Service (flickr);  Wikimedia Commons;  Cyprien Hauser (flickr)

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez