First Person Meets ... Magan Naidoo: Using Data To Do Good
Computerworld, September 15,2025
We meet Magan Naidoo, Chief Data Office of the World Food Programme. Magan tells us how he started out in software engineering but transferred into data when his bosses recognised his talent for connecting technology to business problems, and flew him across continents to have him lead on an important project.
He talks about his desire to understand and solve problems from first principles rather than just do things on request. Magan gives advice to those starting out: figure out where you can add value, and work hard. He describes how important it is to really define the terms of engagement on any project, and not to presume anything. And he talks about his finest achievement being his current work building a future proof data organization to help solve world hunger.