As we begin the New Year, join us as we celebrate an inspiring story of resilience and success. Ehsan Ali, a hugely valued member of our team, overcame many obstacles and travelled many miles from his home in Pakistan to enrich the Modix workplace and Make his mark.
I was born and raised in Lahore, Pakistan, the country’s second-biggest city. Although packed with more than 14 million people, it is also rich in history, culture and heritage – the food is well-known too. Chicken Qorma, Naan Channay, Halway Puri and Fried Rahu Fish, to name just a few delights were all born there.
Growing up, I took a keen interest in sport, especially cricket. I finished school and was thinking about my future. My brother (who lived in Doha, Qatar), suggested I study computer science. So, I did, first by getting my hands on a Pentium 4 and doing basic MS Office training. I then moved on to the harder stuff, completing an Intermediate in computer science. University followed shortly after, I studied for a Bachelor of Computer Science at the University of the Punjab.
Valuable learning
Tragedy struck during my first semester when my father suffered a heart attack and died. He had been living in Qatar. It was, as you can imagine, a huge shock to our family. But my mother insisted: “You have to study; you will be a success and I will always support you.” My father’s passing spurred me to work hard and I knew I had to support my family.
During my studies, I gained my first part-time job in a call centre, I learned how to communicate more easily with customers from all over the world (and learned about selling too). It was a great experience but, more importantly, helped pay for university.
After getting my degree, I began working in software development. In 2014 I moved to Dubai, where I worked for two years. I then had the idea to go to Europe and chose Germany, mainly because I admired their football team. I was worried about the language barrier but was determined to succeed. After applying to various German universities, I won a place at Hochschule Fulda for a Masters in Global Software Development. I worked my socks off. Taking on a part-time role at a bakery, I learned how to make pizza and German delicacies. While working there, I became a little frustrated, wondering why I didn’t yet have a ‘professional’ job – I am a software developer after all. I then got some work as a backend software engineer and continued to improve my German.
The ultimate chance
Then, at last, the chance I’d been longing for came. I got a call from a recruiter who told me about a role at Modix. I jumped at the chance and after two interviews I got the job. I moved from Frankfurt to Koblenz and hit the ground running, having been immediately tasked to work on a digital retail project with my new colleagues. They are lovely people and I noticed straight away that Modix has a great working culture.
After dedicating two years to my role, I decided to set my sights on a managerial position. To prepare for this, I completed Project Manager training and subsequently applied for a managerial role. Although I wasn’t successful in my first application, I maintained my confidence and perseverance. This resilience paid off when I secured the position on my second attempt. Since then, I have been instrumental in leading several major projects. Furthering my professional development, I achieved Scrum Master certification and have since been working in this capacity with the Platform Team.
I have loved my time at Modix. My story proves, I think, that hard work and dedication can lead to success. I may have humble origins, but not once did I ever lose hope. I think hope is very important. This can be difficult to maintain, especially when you’re having a difficult day. But one day is not your whole life.
Do you know…
what we stand for and what our values are? Our commitment to operating with the highest ethical standards is unwavering, guided by our values and Code of Conduct. Discover more about who we are here.
