Hello Mahmoud, nice to meet you. Can you introduce yourself?
I am 30 years old, I studied mathematics and I have played football my whole life! I have held the position of Data Scientist for 1 year at L'Oréal and before that, I worked in sports, insurance and e-commerce!
After 1 year of experience, you were able to take on a team in direct management?
Yes, that's it and I'm very happy with it because it really corresponds to my overall professional projects! I have two hats: that of data quality engineer, whose goal is to put myself at the service of data so that they are of good quality; that of project management which is always linked to data, therefore at the service of all the ecosystems with which we work.
What did you study?
I went through a preparatory class in economics then I naturally headed for a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a master's degree in applied mathematics with a specialty in data science after doing an internship in this field which I really liked. I then realized a dream: taking a long trip to Asia, which for me was very important and made a turning point in my life!
What is data quality? Is it to have good and usable data?
Exactly. It's how to have data which is usable, or exploitable and above all, on good timing too. Our goal is to be as responsive and efficient as possible whenever there is a need.
What made you want to apply to L'Oréal?
I had several different experiences in my life. They also lead me to take an interest in L'Oréal even before joining the company. L’Oréal is a company that has very strong human values and that's essential for me: the Group does a lot of work for young people from certain underprivileged neighborhoods and I grew up in the suburbs: so it just naturally felt right to me. And it's also a company that promotes diversity in its employees, which is also very important because diversity is a huge asset for obviously the company, but above all, the people.
Did you have an interest in beauty before arriving in the company?
No, I didn't necessarily have an interest in beauty. But that's what's good about the data business, you don't have to love beauty to work for the Group. You don't necessarily have to be at the forefront of beauty to do these jobs, but it's always interesting to be aware of what's going on. But it's true the proximity to beauty, for me, it's relative to the job you do at L'Oréal.
Do you already know what you would like to do after this professional experience?
It's been a month since I had a new job, but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about what's next. To begin with, at L'Oréal, there are several data domains. Today I work in the product field but why not work in other data fields for example such as HR data, marketing, etc... That's a first point. There is a second point, which is that L'Oréal also offers the possibility of working internationally since it is present in hundreds of countries today and L'Oréal encourages its employees to have diversified career paths. My goal would be to go with the Group to have an experience abroad.
Where would you like to go?
In the Middle East or Asia Pacific, so Singapore for example.
How did you apply to join L'Oréal?
I applied via the L’Oréal careers site for a data analyst position. I appreciated being contacted for an exploratory interview, to offer me opportunities that best matched what i was looking for based on experiencies, abilities and wishes. For the record, I had applied for a position but the company offered me two different ones on which it projected me well and I was able to choose. That's not bad, eh? (laughter). But of course, it’s together you make the best choice!
If I tell you that I am a data scientist and that I am a little hesitant to apply to L'Oréal, what would you say to convince me to apply?
The strength of this company is that it allows you to do a lot of things. You can be a data scientist today, but totally change fields tomorrow with in-house help to build your career path over the long term. And even if compared to GAFAM for example, L'Oréal is not yet at the forefront of data, it remains a very strong and priority ambition of the Group: everything is to be built and the company is putting the means into it. Admittedly, it's very interesting to work at other companies in the field of data, but these are companies that are already very accomplished on the data and tech aspect, whereas at L'Oréal we continue to build everything with the objective of being a data-driven company. There has been real emulation and real development for some time.
If the same person told you that they had an interview for L'Oréal, what advice would you give them to make a success of their appointment?
Presenting your adaptability is key for me in the interview, just as much as showing that you like challenges. It is not to fear change, and to be curious. L'Oréal is a constantly evolving company, so being agile is important.
What is the little extra at the office for you?
A real library. It's something I hadn't seen before. It's not something extraordinary, but I think it's great to be able to go to work in a library when I'm at the office, it really changes your work environment. And of course you can borrow books there and I never get tired of it! I'm borrowing all the manga from them right now (laughter)
And what's more, it's very eco-responsible not to buy all your books but to borrow some. What does L'Oréal allow you to do that you couldn't necessarily do in another company?
I was very surprised by the Group's and management's attention to work-life balance, so as not to be overwhelmed by our professional commitments. It's even a question that is kindly asked to you in your moments of exchange with your managers. Professional life doesn't take up too much time compared to your personal life, and I don't think this is the case everywhere.
Thank you very much Mahmoud!