Mayand

“Capgemini Canada’s culture puts a lot of emphasis on work/life balance. And it’s not just talk, I really feel it every day. That is unique here.”

Capgemini Canada invited employees to apply for a team spot in the inaugural Capgemini International Rugby Cup (IRC) in fall 2023. A country-wide vote selected the eight employees who would join nine other teams consisting of 14 nationalities in Paris to compete in a friendly rugby match.

My rugby journey

How I got selected to participate in Capgemini’s Rugby Cup in France

When we got the email that Capgemini was a sponsor in the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and would be hosting its own tag rugby tournament in Paris, I knew I wanted to join. I’m in good shape, but I was in India at the time applications were due, and I didn’t have a lot of time. I decided to create a video of me doing 100 pushups and 100 squats in five minutes. And I knew that if I failed in my attempt, I would not be able to retry. But I tried it and was successful! That earned me a lot of votes from team members across Canada and that’s how I got selected.

My most memorable moment from the trip

It was all memorable. Most of us were playing rugby for the first time and we did pretty well! I expected it to be really amazing, and it was more than I expected. If I had to pinpoint one moment: there was a 90-minute bus ride from Les Fontaines, Capgemini’s university campus in Chantilly France, to Paris. I thought it would be boring, but we were sitting with the French team and we sang songs, shared jokes, and it was unexpectedly fun!

On the day we were heading back to Paris, I won an original replica of the ball that was used in the World Cup. There was no space in my luggage, so I decided to deflate it. I asked the campus staff for help, and a young waiter took out a pen and autographed it! He completely misunderstood my request!

Canada’s rugby team ready to take the field. L-R: Ryan La Marche, Guillaume Gilliard, Cyril Saint-Amans, Mayand Tiwari, Fady Youwakim, Michelle Nifco, Catherine Audia. Missing from the photo: Sindhu Raj.

My Capgemini journey

My journey to Capgemini Canada

I’m currently based in Saskatchewan, but I’m originally from India. I joined Capgemini India as a campus recruit and then worked as a software developer for a telecommunications company in New Hampshire and Maine. Then I moved to Los Angeles to work on an account and…after that I moved to Seattle, and finally I came to Canada in 2017.

Today I work as a solution architect. My job is to help clients understand the “as-is” state of their systems and processes, and to realize the “to-be” state based on their vision. Once we help them visualize this, my job is to bridge the gap in “as-is” and “to-be.”

How Capgemini empowers me to master my skills

In a role like solution architect, you need a lot of autonomy, responsibility, and trust. You need to be creative in developing solutions for the client. Capgemini gives me the autonomy to test and develop my skills. We’ve also got access to learning platforms and a strong community where l can get feedback.

How I’m working toward getting the future I want

The same principles I apply as a solution architect, I also apply in my career. I try to understand the “as-is” state – where I stand, my skills, and my vision for what I really want to do. Then I look at the skills I need to acquire. I also get feedback from my leaders and mentors to get their perspective about how to achieve my vision.

My best advice to new employees

These days we experience an overload of information. Everyone is sharing information, but listening is also required. Technology and processes come and go, but what really matters is that you truly listen to your client, and truly understand their problem. This has not changed during the 16 years of my career. What has helped me excel is that I have been receptive to my clients, and I am proud of that.

Why I’m proud to work here

We have really great leaders here and they’re all very approachable. If I need mentorship in my career, I can get it. We have a very strong community, and a lot of our culture is community-driven.