15 minutes with: Nyree Basdeo

What is your background, and how did you come to PA?

My degree was in Genetics and Microbiology and my dream was to sail the seas and find a cure for diseases in marine life. Fun fact – I discovered a new species of saltwater marsh fungi!

My first job after university was working at a leading specialist retailer of music, film, pop culture, and technology products. My role involved leading the customer experience programme which gave me good insight into service delivery and consumer behaviour.

I then moved into the world of management consulting where I worked for a couple of IT services and consulting companies. I was responsible for leading complex and large-scale digital transformation programmes for a range of clients across different sectors. One of my most memorable projects involved working on a cybersecurity programme for an airline company and being part of a Cyber War Room response during a simulated high-risk cyber-attack scenario, which was fascinating!

In my transition between consulting companies, I took a year out from work to study for an MBA to develop my business acumen. My personal highlight was undertaking outreach work in Uganda where I volunteered with a charity that provides treatment, care, and support to children and adults living with HIV. I leveraged tech and data to help develop their fundraising strategy. This ignited my passion for volunteering.

After hearing good things about PA, and feeling inspired throughout the interview process, I made the move to PA four and a half years ago and am enjoying my time here. I am part of the People and Change Capability and am aligned to the Consumer and Manufacturing sector.

What’s different about PA?

We operate as cross-capability teams to ideate, innovate and create end-to-end solutions for our clients, whilst embedding and enabling lasting change to drive success. I was at our Global Innovation and Technology Centre for a client workshop recently and the scientist in me was completely mesmerised at the brilliant work we’re doing to turn ingenious ideas into physical and digital reality. I love learning, and at PA there is always something to learn. I feel very lucky to work alongside such incredibly talented colleagues.

How would you describe what you do to somebody who might not be familiar with your role?

I work with organisations to manage the impact of digital and AI on the workforce. Helping clients to integrate new ways of working, increase productivity and build the capability for the future of work. To transform workforces, we must factor in the things that make us unique as humans: our approach to embracing change, the factors that create a reluctance to change, and the reasons why some individuals may take longer to adapt to change. I design and deliver bespoke change management and adoption strategies that prepare, equip, and support individuals along the change journey in order to drive organisational success and outcomes.

How has your work changed in recent years?

We are moving from the digital enterprise to the next phase of the innovation journey – the rise of the intelligent enterprise powered by AI. Clients are asking us: “How do we keep pace with this? How do we deal with any disharmony?” In our recent AI survey of 300 business leaders, 87 percent told us they have concerns around AI ethics and adoption, 84 percent need more help to define their AI strategy, and 85 percent believe new skills will be essential to manage AI. 

Adopting AI poses unique challenges, primarily centred around the human aspect of the technology rather than its technical configuration. Ultimately, reimagining work with AI requires a mindset and behaviours that encompass continuous learning and a commitment to ethical and responsible use. As hype transforms into reality organisations need to take a human-centred approach.

We’ve seen a rise in organisations seeking to increase productivity and efficiencies by embedding AI tech such as AI powered assistants / copilots into the workforce. As we redefine human interaction with technology, transforming through trust is a key factor. We’re committed to helping clients harness the power of people in the right way to drive culture change and unlock new potential.

What has been your most memorable project?

I worked on the COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Programme as part of the Technology & Data team where we collectively managed to build a unique mass vaccination programme from scratch, through very challenging circumstances! I was responsible for establishing a user onboarding and training approach for medical staff and volunteers to use the Point of Care technology system (a secure clinical service platform) at vaccination sites across the UK. It was surreal seeing the impact of our efforts on the news in real time.

What is the role of ingenuity in your work?

I feel that ingenuity is a catalyst for innovation, and by augmenting human capabilities with AI we can amplify human ingenuity and unlock hidden value. Powerful AI tools can generate ideas and content, providing inspiration that stimulate human creativity. AI collaboration tools enhance communication and idea sharing, leading to a more innovative culture. AI can create personalised solutions, driving innovation in products and services tailored to individual needs. By automating tasks, AI frees up time for individuals to focus on more creative and strategic work. AI algorithms can tackle complex problems, optimise solutions, and provide recommendations, aiding in the development of ingenious approaches.

What’s exciting you in your work at the moment?

As part of a cross capability team I’m currently working on a project with Unilever where we’ve been using AI to empower people to supercharge innovation and drive growth. Success for Unilever depends on their teams coming up with novel product ideas and designs that stand out in crowded markets and that meet consumers’ needs. We’ve partnered with their R&D team to design and build the first AI-powered tool of its kind which brings AI-driven product design to the fingertips of marketing and R&D teams.

The tool draws on Unilever’s collective understanding of consumer behaviour, market research, and expertise in product formulations and ingredients to recommend the best combinations to match each product brief. I lead the delivery of a human-centred approach and change management strategy targeted at gaining the buy-in and commitment required to accelerate adoption and achieve ROI. It’s been critical to empower users, demonstrating that AI is augmenting the workforce. We’ve had great feedback so far and are currently scaling it out to more business teams. Exciting times!

What advice would you give to somebody who wanted to do what you do?

A career in management consulting is varied and fast-paced, with the chance to work on a range of interesting projects helping clients solve their most complex challenges. Get practical experience and learn core skills like strategic thinking, active listening, communication and analytical skills. You’ll need to be pro-active, inquisitive, and flexible – don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. There will be challenges, but it will help you grow – believe in yourself. I would also recommend getting a mentor to guide you.

What are your key goals for the future – personally and professionally?

As such I participate in various volunteer initiatives – mentoring with STEMETTES (a social enterprise working to engage, inform and connect the next generation of women and non-binary people into Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths), championing Women in Tech and leading communications for our Generation Success mentoring programme (a social enterprise that advances social mobility by empowering young people from diverse backgrounds to achieve their career aspirations). I love the range of opportunities that PA in the Community provides to support our purpose of building a positive human future.

I believe in making a positive difference when you’re in a position to help others and as a Women in STEM ambassador, I was honoured to be part of the UN Women UK delegation at the 2023 and 2024 United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. I use these opportunities to provide a platform to inspire others and use my voice to call to action the need for gender equity and empowerment.

What are you looking forward to right now?

I really enjoy learning and sharing insights. Alongside some of my fellow People and Change colleagues I recently took part in a webinar on the topic of ‘Confronting the energy transition skills challenge’ to deliver Net Zero, as part of PA’s Energy & Utilities Talks. I provided insights on how technology can speed up skills acquisition and I’m looking forward to continued discussions on this. In the longer term I look forward to working on more exciting opportunities with our clients.