NIKHIL BABU

AI · DATA SCIENCE · STRATEGY CONSULTING

I sit at the intersection of
technical depth and strategic clarity.

TECHNICAL DEPTH

I build models. AI, causal, predictive.

RAGLLM workflowsPythonCausal inference

STRATEGY CONSULTING

I advise executives on AI adoption and strategy.

RoadmapsExecutive advisoryROI quantification

END-TO-END DELIVERY

I take projects from ambiguity to delivery.

Cross-functional teamsScaled best practicesClient delivery

ABOUT

Most people who understand a RAG pipeline can't explain its strategic implications to a CEO. I can do both.

Six years across strategy consulting and applied data science, leading teams and managing clients including Microsoft, Google, Instacart, and Uber — building the technical work and presenting the findings, end to end.

We're at an unusual moment — AI is moving faster than most organisations can make sense of it. The gap between what the technology can do and what decision-makers understand is wide, and widening. I've never fit neatly into either the technical or the strategic box, which turns out to be useful right now.

CURRENTLY
Data Science Manager, Mandala Partners
PREVIOUSLY
Accenture Strategy / AlphaBeta
EDUCATION
Australian National University · Bachelor of Advanced Computing (Honours)
BASED
Sydney, Australia

EXPERIENCE

Mandala Partners

Data Science Manager

June 2024 – Present

  • Jobs & Skills Australia: architected RAG pipelines and LLM workflows in Python to categorise 40,000+ unique skills from longitudinal LinkedIn data — insights shaped national workforce policy.

  • Microsoft “Australia’s AI Economy”: co-created a strategic framework identifying high-value positions in the AI technology stack, delivering a narrative that validated Microsoft’s regional investment priorities at executive level.

  • Established firm-wide AI standards: trained 40+ staff on prompt engineering and LLM workflows, and built quality assurance frameworks for AI-assisted delivery.

Accenture Strategy

Strategy Manager

Sep 2019 – May 2024

AlphaBeta Australia was acquired by Accenture in 2021

  • Built a Python model to predict worker lifetime value (LTV) in a two-sided marketplace — subsequently productionised by the client's engineering team.

  • Developed a causal inference model estimating the financial impact of worker supply interventions; findings presented to the executive team and directly informed incentive strategy.

  • Analysed 17M+ Uber restaurant and delivery transactions to measure the economic impact of food delivery on the restaurant industry; findings delivered to executives and released as a public report.

WORK

THE WORK

Built RAG pipelines and LLM workflows in Python to process ASX 200 annual reports and categorise 40,000+ unique skills from longitudinal LinkedIn data.

THE IMPACT

Delivered quantitative insights on AI adoption patterns that shaped national workforce policy.

PythonRAGLLM workflowsLongitudinal data analysis

THE WORK

Co-created a framework identifying high-value positions in the AI technology stack for the Australian market.

THE IMPACT

Delivered a strategic narrative that validated Microsoft's regional investment priorities at executive level.

LinkedIn data analysisEconomic modellingExecutive advisory

THE WORK

Built a Python model to predict worker lifetime value (LTV) in a two-sided marketplace.

THE IMPACT

Model was subsequently productionised by the client's engineering team and integrated into their retention strategy.

PythonML modellingTwo-sided marketplace dynamicsProduction deployment

SKILLS

BUILD

I build models — predictive, econometric, and AI.

RAG pipelinesLLM workflowsML pipelinesPredictive modellingEconometric modellingSQLPrompt engineering

ANALYSE

I extract insight from complex, messy data.

EconometricsCausal inferenceExperimental designData visualisationSurvey design

COMMUNICATE

I make technical findings land with executive audiences.

Executive advisoryAI roadmappingWorkshop facilitationBusiness case & ROIStakeholder management