Introducing Marcello Cacciato, a guest of our One ethos, One culture chronicle. Marcello has soon started to follow his intellectual curiosity with his first studies in astronomy. After a PhD and several years of experience in research, he is now a fulfilled Manager at Metyis’ Amsterdam office, where he is delighted to see that more junior team members grow into full professionals with a high level of expertise and independence.
Meet Marcello, our Data Science Principal in Amsterdam
What is your role at Metyis?
Currently, I am a Principal at Metyis. In this role, I spend my time in 3 different ways: i) having conversations with stakeholders about their ambitions and pain points, ii) translating those intractable discussions into quantitative analyses, iii) leading dedicated teams to successfully conduct those analyses. All of this while participating in several internal projects for making Metyis an increasingly better workplace.
Why Metyis?
I joined in late 2017. Back then, many things were different, as it is to be expected for a company that has experienced such hypergrowth in the last four years. One thing, though, has not changed: a very entrepreneurial approach to consulting paired with the ambition to challenge the status quo. It was clear to me from the job interview itself that value was given to content over format, to making over speculating, to individuals over corporate dynamics. All of that resonated greatly with what I was seeking and I jumped straight at it. No regrets since.
Tell us a little more about yourself.
I am Marcello, born in a little village in Sicily (Italy) the same year that John Lennon released his absolute last album. I left Sicily at 19 to follow my intellectual curiosity and study astronomy at the University of Bologna. I have what I would define as a rather academic background, considering that I have a PhD and several years of experience in research at various academic institutions throughout the globe. I have been living in the Netherlands for the last 9 years during which I had what has probably been “the most responsible” phase of my life: I became a father 7 years ago. Currently, most of my non-work-related time is dedicated to activities with my 2 daughters. It is fascinating (and challenging) to realize that I learn from them much more than they do from me! In general, I am always attracted by unconventional stories that come in the forms of books, narrated podcasts, or depicted in paintings. I enjoy letting my mind wander freely while listening to or playing music.
How does Metyis and its technologies and platforms model, analyse and transform data into business knowledge and value?
I think that Metyis’ data scientists distinguish themselves for being very outcome-oriented. The question of how certain results will be utilised is key and it is asked from the very early stages of any project. This way no analysis is sterile and all choices are made having the final usage in mind as much as possible. This approach acts as a constant reminder that data and analytics are meant to an end and never the goal per se.
What do you find most challenging about your role at Metyis? And most rewarding?
The most challenging part of my job is probably the fact that there are never 2 identical tasks. Every single analysis is so deeply embedded in the context of the client for which we conduct it that it is almost impossible to add value by simply replicating past work. Personally, what I find most rewarding is to see more junior team members grow into full professionals with a high level of expertise and independence and noticing in their way of working the result of seeds that I might have planted while working with them.
How does it feel to be part of a fast-growing international and diverse team?
It is exciting to be part of Metyis during this hypergrowth phase. I run several interviews for candidates who approach us from various disciplines and with diverse backgrounds. I have colleagues who enrich each professional discussion with their personal contribution modulated by their very unique and genuine way of being. Last but not least, it is reassuring to see how the company has navigated the uncertain COVID-19 times and how growth is happening across geographies and domains now more than ever before.
What did you achieve at Metyis so far that made you really proud?
All achievements at Metyis have been a team effort. It would be unfair to claim one entirely on my own. However, there is one very dear to me, as I scoped it entirely by myself fully tailoring the theoretical knowledge I had of the topic to the needs of the clients. The slides that I prepared and presented to the client were about a rather standard topic in e-commerce: merchandising. Yet, the storytelling, the balance between technical and contextual information, the rationalisation and prioritisation of the different aspects of this vast topic was all developed having the client’s position and needs in mind. That was noted and appreciated by them. It gave them the comfort that what we were proposing was really relevant and it made them want to start straightaway. Hearing them praising this piece of work in various contexts in the weeks that followed made me feel extremely proud, a real partner in their quest to improve.