Alex is the newest addition to our team. He joined us at the beginning of March. His addition resulted from our long-standing collaboration in the form of a partnership previously. He’s used to our ways of working and knows our platform & our team.

Alex has a long career behind him, having worked in retail analytics for over 20 years.

Let’s get to know Alex together.

Hello Alex, could you introduce yourself to us briefly?

Sure, I come from the UK and moved to Asia back in 1999. I’m married and have three girls, aged 10, 12, and 13.

What inspired you to pursue a career in retail analytics?

That’s an interesting one. I’d spent over 20 years running essential functions at retailers, inventory, buying and marketing. I had recently worked on launching customer insights and price optimisation and found that I wanted a change from what I had been doing. I’ve spent the last 10 years working on business development, combining retail analytics solutions to solve retailers' challenges.

What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in your career, and how have you overcome them?

The challenges are too many to mention, but the challenges provide you with the most significant learning opportunity and growth.

Given your position is quite time-consuming, do you prioritise your workload and manage your time effectively?

Given the time zone difference, mornings tend to be deep work, with the afternoon focussing on meetings. There’s also an element of Asia morning, Europe afternoon and LatAm in the evening. I focus on clients first and then work back on how to deliver.

You have worked on deals across different regions, from APAC to LATAM. What are some of the most essential skills to have when working in an international context?

I think it always comes down to delivering vs the client rather than trying to sell a standard product.

What advice would you give someone just starting in the retail analytics industry? Your best lesson learned?

The most important thing to do is to understand your client’s needs and empathise with their challenges. There is no one size fits all solution. If you work to deliver for your client, you will succeed.

If there are the values you try to live by, what would those be?

Very simply, to treat others as you would expect to be treated.

How do you spend your free time?

With three young girls who are growing up very fast, most of my time is devoted to my family. I like travelling, photography and going out for meals – so I combine these with the family.

What is the key to keeping your life balanced?

I don’t know if there is a key… but what I have learnt to do over the years is to turn it off when I finish work for the day. I can then focus on family and other activities.

So, the obvious question is, How did you end up living and working in Bangkok for over 20 years?

More of an accident than a plan. I first came to Thailand due to an internal transfer from Hong Kong. I only expected to stay for 3-5 years, but it got to seven, and then I moved to a competitor. Then after another five years, I moved to a regional retail analytics role that allowed me to continue to stay. Now I’m 100% remote, and Bangkok is home.

What are the most significant cultural differences between the United Kingdom, where you grew up, and Thailand, and how have you navigated them?

The most significant difference is probably found in social norms, where showing respect to elders and people in positions of authority is highly valued in Thailand. At the same time, individualism and egalitarianism have greater emphasis in the UK. I made many mistakes when I arrived and gradually learned to adjust. I’m still learning… it’s an endless journey.

What are some of the biggest challenges you faced when adapting to life in Thailand, and how did you overcome them?

Bangkok was quite different 20 years ago when I first came. Notwithstanding the cultural learning, one of the initial challenges was finding my way around in the car – there were few road signs in English, so I got lost very often. Then, of course, there’s the weather, hot, hotter, and hottest seasons that took some adjustment, while the food, beaches and people are lovely.

To conclude this interview, do you have any specific personal goals for the foreseeable future? Also, what are you hoping to achieve with datasapiens in the next couple of years?

The most important thing is for the girls to grow up happy and

healthy and exploit all available opportunities. For datasapiens, the key is to grow the business. We have an exceptional insights platform with many leading-edge features. I’m looking forward to bringing these benefits to retailers worldwide.

Under the Spotlight: Alex Morgan, our Chief Revenue Officer