Liwaa Audi
SEB Data Engineer
Why challenges and innovation keep Liwaa inspired at SEB
Liwaa has been working as a Data Engineer at SEB for nearly two years. He made the shift from web development to data engineering in pursuit of new challenges and a deeper passion for problem-solving. Today, he and his team are playing a key role in SEB’s ongoing transformation to the cloud. While his professional heart lies in IT, Liwaa also has a background in football coaching – a passion he continues to nurture alongside his tech career.
Tell me your story. How did you join SEB?
Before joining SEB, I mostly worked with startups as a backend or full-stack web developer. At one point, I decided it was time for a new challenge, so I transitioned into data engineering and data solutions. I had heard that SEB was one of the best in this field, and also one of the top employers in Lithuania. Some friends of mine were already working here and encouraged me to apply.
What was your impression of SEB before joining?
Honestly, I was a bit hesitant to join a large company after working in small startups. But during my first interview with my current manager, he reassured me. He told me that although SEB is a large organization, our team operates with a startup mindset – we’re always encouraged to innovate and try new things. That really appealed to me.
Now that I’m here, I can say SEB has exceeded my expectations. We’re free to share ideas and develop our own solutions. There’s a lot of brainstorming and collaboration, which is exactly the kind of environment I enjoy.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
Since childhood, I was always trying to fix things and understand how they worked. I had a strong passion for technology from a young age. After my first few years of high school, I transferred to a technical school to focus more on IT. I knew this was something I wanted to pursue, and I was confident I could learn the rest along the way – through books, experience, and curiosity.
Have you ever considered a different career path?
Yes, actually. Back in my home country, I was involved in football coaching, and I even earned a coaching certificate. Football is still a big passion of mine, and I’d love to continue coaching here in Lithuania alongside my job in IT.
You’re working on SEB’s cloud migration. What does that involve, and what are the challenges?
It’s pretty straightforward – rather than relying on local servers, which use a lot of energy and require significant maintenance, we’re moving to cloud-based services. Cloud solutions use centralized servers that can serve multiple companies. This approach helps reduce energy consumption, simplifies data transfers, and is more sustainable overall.
That said, SEB is a large organization, so moving all our data to the cloud takes time and coordination. It’s a huge effort involving multiple teams across the company.
What challenges do you face as a data engineer?
For me, the biggest challenge was the transition from web development to data engineering. Web development started to feel repetitive. But in data engineering, every day is different. One day you’re transferring a small dataset, and the next you’re dealing with massive volumes of data, troubleshooting, and making fixes along the way. There’s always a new challenge – and that keeps it interesting.
What skills are essential for a data engineer?
You need to be a problem-solver and enjoy facing challenges. Beyond that, most technical skills can be learned through courses or hands-on experience. The field is always evolving – especially now with the rise of AI. The possibilities are incredible, and that’s what keeps me passionate about this work.
Why is innovation important in technology?
To keep up. If we don’t innovate, we risk falling behind – using outdated systems that could lead to security vulnerabilities and inefficiencies. Technology is moving forward fast, and innovation is how we stay competitive and secure.
What do you like about working at SEB?
What stands out the most is the people. Everyone is supportive, open to collaboration, and genuinely happy to see others succeed. The work-life balance is also excellent, and I appreciate how proactive management is when it comes to employee well-being.
Do you prefer working in a team or individually?
Both, actually. I love brainstorming with my team, designing solutions together, and catching up in the office. But when it comes time to write code, I need to focus and work independently.
Is there a lot of creative freedom in your role?
Yes, there is – but with boundaries. We are a bank, so even though we can be creative with our solutions, we also need to follow strict security and regulatory guidelines.
