What differentiates an analyst from a BI Dev?

Alex Lieu | Director Business Intelligence, Lodging Partner Services in Geneva

Tell me a bit about yourself and how you first joined Expedia

My career with Expedia actually started 12 years ago in Seattle, but I’ve spent the past 8 years in the Geneva office. I initially joined as a financial analyst, moved into regional analytics and managed the team there, before transitioning into my current role leading the BI Dev (Business Intelligence Developers) team.

For somebody who is new to the world: How would you differentiate the role of a BI dev to the role of an analyst?

I’d like to start off by saying that what matters most is the commonality between the two;the problem solving capability.

But when it comes down to it, an analyst is a person who tries to identify business trends and to tell a story. A developer finds ways to explore data, build tools and create efficiencies to enable others.

For an analyst interview, the focus might be on answering questions and telling stories with the data. When interviewing a BI developer, I like to understand what tools they have built in the past. For both, I try to figure out if they truly understood the needs of their clients or just followed instructions.

However, it really is a spectrum; the roles in Expedia aren’t so definite any more, and the profile we want depends on the job that the team is going to carry out. Sometimes a more generalist person might be appropriate for a team, but in other times you need a really technical skill set. And it is key to note that you don’t need four people with the same skillset in a team; it’s more important to be able to leverage different skills across a team.

What defines an “Expedia Group” hire to you?

The best hires I can think back on are curious, focused on the problem being solved rather than the official task itself, and are interested in the human dynamic. This is important as often the root of the issue is not immediately clear from the way a stakeholder explains it. It requires both connection with people and grit to solve problems in such a large organisation.

I also think a lot of Expedians combine that grit with humour. Across the multiple teams and groups I’ve worked in, there’s been this sense of humour and a lack of ego that underpins the culture.

Do all the Expedia offices have a different atmosphere or is there a global Expedia vibe?

The offices definitely all have a distinct culture based on the make-up of employees. In the offices where we share space with the Account Management teams there is a particularly social and outgoing vibe; smaller ones, like Geneva, are a little more intimate. If you needed to talk to somebody in Geneva, you would always be able to show up at their desk with a question.

And what would your advice be to anybody thinking about moving to Geneva specifically?

Switzerland is a great location in the centre of Europe; it’s super easy to travel from. Furthermore, the Swiss are a very active and outdoorsy nation, so there are loads of activities to get stuck in with. And Geneva is one of the easiest cities in the world to commute around. It’s definitely a bit quieter than London or Prague, but there’s a strong social culture amongst the Expedians who have relocated.

What advice would you give to somebody joining Expedia Group today to succeed?

Approaching everything with a problem-solving mentality has been really important for me. Lots of people are excited about getting the most exciting, glamorous, high-visibility opportunity. I’ve had the best outcomes from going for the “messy” problem nobody else wants to tackle and just making it work.

I’ve also had to learn that when somebody is asking you for something, they’re not asking for the “right way” or whose remit it sits within; they want the problem solved. In a big company like Expedia Group it could be tempting to “pass the parcel” but it’s important to have the drive to solve the tricky problems and to take responsibility for subjects.

I’d also say it’s important to understand your personal motivations and drivers, which might change over time. I like my current role as I really value making the life of the people I work with more effective, and that is validation I receive every day. Knowing I add value to my colleagues is really important for me.

Finally, I have found a lot of value from having a mentor; I would recommend every Expedian to sign up for the available mentorship programs. Leadership are generally very easy to talk to and interested to know that junior people are getting on well, and the visibility a mentor gives you across the organisation can be invaluable.