In 2021, Taran joined GIC to lead a bold new initiative – to turn data into a strategic enabler of investment performance and operational excellence. Four years later, he reflects on the journey of building the Data Strategy Group (DSG), shaping a culture of innovation, and why his team is just getting started.
Outside of work, Taran loves spending quality time with his three (soon to be 4!) young children in his spare time. He also enjoys keeping fit and staying abreast of how technology and data are impacting the world and the way we work, through both education and engagement with the wider community.
Why did you decide to join GIC?
What drew me to GIC wasn’t just the opportunity to lead – it was the openness and ambition of the organisation in adopting new ways of doing things to drive change and stay ahead. From the earliest conversations, I was invited to challenge the status quo. I was told: “If you have a vision, come build it.”. Such support at the most senior leadership level is rare.
Looking back, I joined GIC at a pivotal moment – as the organisation was seeking to scale its data capabilities to support increasingly complex investment strategies. The data group was envisioned not just as a tech enabler, but as a strategic partner across the business, necessitating its own strategy. This decision has proven to be extremely strategic, as Data is the highest priority in supporting new investments and the journey towards becoming AI enabled.
What is the Data Strategy Group today?
We started as a small group of approximately 30 professionals, comprised of focused teams of data engineers, governance specialists, and analysts. We were aligned by a single belief: that better data decisions drive better investment outcomes. Today, we have grown to more than 100 professionals and we now operate as cross-functional teams focused on developing and governing our core data platforms, enabling data discoverability and reusability, and more importantly, working closely with Investment Groups, Risk and Technology to deliver insights at scale. We leverage the increasingly demanding needs around Machine Learning and AI.
What is it like to work in Data Strategy Group?
Working in DSG requires focus. We have a clear mission: to deliver value. Our team members must take ownership, be flexible working in full-stack or roles-based squads, collaborate effectively with multiple departments, and be strong communicators to maintain prioritisation with our stakeholders. Above all, they must retain high business context to ensure that what we deliver is truly valuable. This isn’t easy, and it is a way of working that we must continually evolve to realise Data as a valuable commodity within GIC.
Culture, is of course, key to all of this. Enterprise work can be challenging and requires resilience so we are hiring people who can work both collaboratively and autonomously. We seek individuals who are innovators but can also deliver consistency over time.
If you’re a builder and a connector – someone who wants to shape products, create platforms, and challenge existing processes, you’ll thrive here. Working in DSG is about solving problems in a high-trust, high-impact environment where data is central to everything.
We’re not just transforming data at GIC – we’re transforming how data drives decisions. That’s the kind of work that has kept me energised after four years.
What’s next?
Our journey has just begun. It is an enterprise journey, and we are starting to see success following the reorganisation and migration to a stronger, more flexible platform that can respond to our business needs with greater agility and timeliness. With new hires joining, new platforms being launched, and stronger integration with our investment teams’ strategy, the next few years will focus on instilling high business context into our people, so we are recognised as a trusted partner. If you are someone who is motivated by this transition and believe you can add real value, you should join the next part of our journey.
What does your typical workday look like?
My day typically starts bright and early when my children wake up. After sending them off to school, I dive into my work by reading and responding to emails and attending meetings with either my team or individuals within the organisation. Depending on the day, I may also meet with counterparts to deep dive into specific strategies.
When it comes to lunchtime, I like to mix things up. A few times a week, I have lunch with colleagues, while other times I will squeeze in a quick 40-minute gym session before enjoying lunch at my desk. In the afternoons, I delve into the details by chairing thematic stand-ups across all my project and product squads. My goal in these meetings is to remove blockers, facilitate decision-making, understand potential problems before they arise, encourage deeper communication, and provide a layer of protection to my squads when conveying tough (or good) messages to our stakeholders. This detailed approach allows me to foster a culture of both strategic thinking and technical detail in all our delivery teams. One day they will be in my seat and will need the skills to do the same thing!
Later in the day, I may have meetings with senior management or conduct interviews with candidates for open positions. All in all, my days are busy, fulfilling, and dynamic, and I would not have it any other way!
How would you describe the learning & development culture at GIC?
At GIC, individuals have the opportunity to not only develop their careers but also work alongside exceptional leaders, influence strategy, and develop systems. It serves as an important steppingstone for gaining knowledge and expertise in this field. This is also an area that requires continuous investment, and we are consistently exploring ways to improve and free up more time for personal development.
Personally, I have been incredibly fortunate to always work with teams that can either knuckle down or have fun when needed. One of the most valuable lessons I have learned in my career is that achieving success is difficult to do alone. It is essential to have a supportive team to help you along the way.
What you should know before joining GIC
At GIC, you will be presented with new opportunities to grow and develop. However, the critical experience that GIC offers goes beyond mere title promotions and monetary rewards. It is about experiencing growth and development in a cutting-edge environment, where you are closer to the problems and have the chance to gain unique, fluid, and lateral experiences that are not available anywhere else.