Selin Ellibes

Data analysis is giving Selin Ellibes a behind-the-scenes look at business success. And that understanding is having an immediate impact on her day-to-day work at Fidelity Canada.

The client experience specialist, working specifically within Fidelity Clearing Canada, supports trading, settlement, and back-office operations for wealth management firms. Her team analyzes end-to-end customer journeys to identify the pain points in products and services offered to clients.

Through data analysis, her team develops recommendations to improve service design and product features related to trading and settlement platforms.

“It’s been a great journey at Fidelity Canada for me.”

Why Data Matters

Knowing she wanted to improve her skills, Ellibes first investigated pursuing an MBA, “but I needed to get a more tangible education around data because data is the future and interpreting data is one of the critical skills for business leaders to have in the future.”

Combined with its global brand presence, Ivey’s one-year Master of Management: Analytics (MM-A) program provides her with the core business management courses such as strategy, leadership and finance found in an MBA together with a better understanding of the analytical side of the business.

“I wanted to be part of the Ivey culture,” said Ellibes, who values the length of the program that enables her to continue work while pursuing her master’s degree.

Although not a data analyst, she works closely with analysts and gained exposure to how data supports business decision-making. At Fidelity, she works with Python and SQL to build data repositories for a Voice of the Client program and combines data insights to improve customer experience.

“Data gives you the backstory on what’s happening behind the scenes in business and how you can enhance the services you’re offering to clients,” said Ellibes, who came to Toronto from Istanbul, Turkey and did undergraduate studies in economics and management.

Putting Skills to Work

Her first-hand exposure to programs such as Python, SQL and Tableau is already paying off. Ellibes applied regression techniques from her business statistics coursework to client survey analysis, which was well received by her team.

“It’s nice to be able to apply what you are learning in class right away. It becomes very practical then.”

The program’s unique combination of leadership and analytics skills is critical for leaders in the future, said Ellibes.

As she looks ahead to more leadership roles, Ellibes sees real value in expanding the role data plays in an organization.

“From a data perspective, I see more opportunities to understand how a business is doing and how we can enhance its success further,” said Ellibes, who has gained further value from the many different backgrounds of her fellow classmates.

“Everyone is super motivated about this program and trying to contribute. Although our backgrounds are different, everyone's very competent in what they're doing and they're always bringing a new idea on the table.”

While balancing a career and the MM-A coursework, Ellibes still finds time to go to the gym every day, enjoying pilates or yoga.

“It’s been a little bit challenging since the beginning of the program because I’ve been focused on my full-time job or my studies. But I’ve been trying to carve out time for socializing as well.”