Engineering Success: A BlackRock VP’s Path from Internship to AI Expertise
Humble beginnings
Akash Gupta didn’t know much about BlackRock when he interviewed for an internship in 2017. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t a right fit…
“My interviewers understood my lack of prior information and provided insights into BlackRock’s purpose and mission,” he recalls. “In one conversation with a senior employee, I remember a fascinating discussion about the practical use cases of Docker – a software platform that simplifies the process of building, managing and distributing applications – and Cloud Computing Platforms, which I felt demonstrated the firm’s cutting-edge technology to solve complex financial challenges.”
Spoiler alert: He got the internship – working with the Aladdin Quality Engineering team (now BlackRock Platform Engineering Services). His remit was creating a mock version of the BlackRock Messaging System (BMS), which supports BlackRock applications for client-server communication.
Mission accomplished: During his six-month internship, Akash and team were able to produce a complete mock BMS framework for testing applications in isolation.
The internship proved to be a great learning experience – during which Akash could easily envision a promising career as a technologist at the firm.
And so it began: Following the internship, and graduating, Akash decided to start his tech career at BlackRock – citing our inclusive and collaborative culture, as well as the commitment to leveraging technology, as a key influence.
Engineering a career path
He returned a full-time employee – entering as an Analyst on the very same team on which he interned.
The transition opened his eyes to the value of being a lifelong student. “I saw the importance of nurturing my innate curiosity surrounding tech and programming. In a constantly evolving tech landscape, personal passion becomes the driving force for staying motivated, adapting, and continuously learning to remain relevant.”
A different kind of ‘hack job’
BlackRock hosts an annual Hackathon, which brings together colleagues globally – irrespective of their roles – to solve complex challenges. Akash is a regular; he’s participated every year since he joined the firm.
Some ideas are just for fun…
- Webster-Doodle, which he created with other colleagues for BlackRock’s employee intranet, is similar to what Google does on its homepage to celebrate festivals and special events (enhancing its logo to suit the theme).
The ideas that go far, however, are the ones that create a tangible impact. Like IDEA (Intelligent Data Extraction for Aladdin), a prototype Akash’s team presented in 2019.
- How it works: It was an app that could automatically process a document by extracting its information.
- “At that time, the Aladdin Wealth Tech (AWT) team was trying to automate document processing and my prototype caught their attention as it solved a very similar issue,” Akash explains.
After a few demos, the AWT team was interested in sponsoring the project.
Coincidentally, the latter Hackathon project overlapped with Akash pursuing an internal opportunity, where he would be exposed to more data science projects. He got the job and soon moved to BlackRock’s AWT team to work on his Hackathon idea.
It was a shift in role and focus altogether, allowing him to mix data science with his passion for both AI and machine learning. “The new role challenged me to create an AI-based system for the document processing idea. The core functionality of the project was driven by a convolutional neural network and object detection techniques. So the majority of my time went into research and experimenting with these techniques to fine-tune them for our use case.”
A true “One BlackRock” experience
Akash is far from the only person at BlackRock excited about AI and machine learning. His work on the Hackathon led him to meet another colleague with a penchant for similar work: Pravin Goel, Managing Director and Head of BlackRock India.
“While it was challenging, the support and guidance from my mentors and leaders within the firm was unwavering. I remember valuable brainstorming sessions with Pravin, who shared my passion for machine learning.”
This is all part of the “One BlackRock” experience, which is deeply embedded in the company’s culture. For Akash, that experience included getting to know senior tech leaders at regular innovation forums and partnering with teams to build solutions for the firm’s hackathons (BlackRock also hosts several office-specific Hackathons – many of which benefit local charities and communities).
Parting advice
There’s true value in stepping outside your comfort zone, Akash emphasizes. He was guided by his passion for machine learning and BlackRock’s purpose to help people experience financial well-being.
“As a technologist starting out, you couldn’t wish for a firm more invested in your career, providing all the resources you need to build the future you want.”
His advice for fellow colleagues:
- The initial years of your professional journey are pivotal. Take these learnings as an opportunity to grow, both in your core competencies and understanding of BlackRock’s business.
- Whether it’s connecting with a fellow intern or a Managing Director, accessibility is a hallmark of the firm. Meet people for coffee, build your network, and find mentors to guide your professional development.
- Embrace BlackRock’s Principles and understand how these align with your work. Try to connect with leadership within your team and understand how your contributions relate to the firm’s principles and objectives.
- Enjoy the journey and remember to have fun! Your career at BlackRock can be both personally and professionally rewarding. Accept challenges and experiences that come your way while relishing the journey.