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.
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