Manager, Data & Analytics, ZEN Energy

Three questions for Heath

What has your career looked like to date?

ZEN Energy is a renewable electricity retailer, the first in Australia with an emissions reduction target in line with limiting global warming to 1.5°C. In 2020, three years after completing a Masters of Science (Pure Mathematics), I joined a small Data & Analytics team at ZEN Energy where my role ranged from data engineer to data analyst.

What do you do in your current position?

In 2022, I became manager of the team, which entails technical solution development and business improvement. One of the projects I completed was the establishment of load and generation forecasts. This involved development of machine learning models for half-hourly customer consumption and contracted renewable generation which were used to implement an automated 14-day-ahead forecast, and statistical modelling of monthly load/generation characteristics.

How has your mathematics/statistics training been useful in your career?

My mathematical training is used in technical solution development. Strong logical and problem-solving skills ensure I can quickly identify solutions, but more importantly I can identify obstructions and avoid spending effort on infeasible paths.

Estimation is a vital skill in analytics; not every business problem needs to be solved with the accuracy or rigour that a mathematician aspires to. A background in mathematics provides the tools to understand which techniques provide estimates that are good enough and what effort is required to improve the accuracy of an estimate.

I developed a framework to evaluate the personnel requirements for upcoming business initiatives and constructed a business-case for my proposed hiring plan. The foundation of a business-case is a structured argument for action or investment in which possibilities are framed as risks to be evaluated. I have vast experience in developing logical, concise arguments from my mathematics background. It is essential to present clear arguments to business leaders to enable their efficient decision-making.