STEVE MORRIS

General Manager, Technology & Analysis – Big Data: Telstra

BIG DATA, IT’S EVERYWHERE and many businesses are getting involved. Job titles in the commercial sector don’t often include statistician or mathematician, however, if you’re a mathematical scientist, you’re exactly who they’re looking for. From statistical analysis to modelling and problem solving, your skills are in demand.

Steve Morris is Telstra’s General Manager, Technology & Analysis – Big Data. He and his team use analytics in a variety of areas, such as reducing fraud and optimising network investment.

I’m an engineer by background and have always been interested in seeing real world behaviours follow mathematical principles. Over time my interest has broadened from the mathematics of well controlled scenarios into more complex models, and in recent years its practical business application.

At Telstra, our purpose is to enable our customers to thrive – using analytics to deliver improved customer experiences. We are champions of the network effect of data, which is data from different sources coming together.

While advanced analytics or machine learning grab attention, behind these results is a team of quiet achievers dealing with complex open source platforms, network connections, and even routine data quality challenges.

There are many exciting opportunities in the telecommunications sector… data underpins them all.