Allure of Data in Motion Inspires Move to Confluent’s Professional Services Team

Nadine Capelle spent 16 years working for a leading capital market technology solution in France before joining Confluent as a senior solutions architect. Almost two years in, she currently works as a staff solutions architect.

So what motivated her to leave the world of fintech to pursue a new career helping customers realize their ambitions for data in motion? Let’s find out.

Tell us about your path to Confluent and what got you here.

Before joining Confluent, I used to work for a leading capital market and treasury technology solution in France. I have many years of experience working in the fintech industry. During that time, I held a number of roles including working on key financial trading applications and treasury systems, as well as leadership roles. Later when we moved to Dubai, I joined one of the most digitally innovative banks in the region, where I led the back-end engineering team.

Working for a bank with a big focus on digital transformation, it goes without saying that we were heavily invested in the need for data streaming and event-driven architecture. This is how I came to know about Confluent, and also how I met people from the company.

When I think back to my decision to join Confluent, it certainly helped that I already knew about the company, and some of the people. The truth is, I’m fascinated by Confluent’s technology and how it’s reshaping the data streaming industry and impacting our daily lives.

Can you tell us about your current team and the role you play?

I’m a solutions architect—part of the Professional Services team—and we’re responsible for helping our customers get the most from streaming. We tend to start working with customers once they come on board and begin with a deep dive.

We help them set out the design and architecture for the solution, and their data streaming strategy. And once agreed, we help them to implement it, which includes everything from testing and validation before finally taking it to production.

Sometimes customers use us because they don’t have their own resources or expertise in-house. At other times, we work with customers who are already familiar with the technology but are looking for additional consultancy and ways to implement best practices.

What do you enjoy the most about your current role?

Throughout my career I’ve always moved back and forth between two key roles: leadership and technical expertise.

Whenever I have a leadership role that involves people management, I tend to miss technology. And, whenever I'm focused on technology, I really miss the people.

We’re a small team based in Dubai—there are just five of us right now, but we are growing. So, at the moment, I'm more focused on technology. I enjoy being challenged by our customers and being pushed outside my comfort zone. It’s what makes the job so interesting. It means I’m learning new things every day.

How would you describe Confluent’s company culture?

There’s so much I could say in terms of Confluent’s values such as “earning our customers’ love,” “working as one team,” and being “fired up to get things done.

As a business, these qualities shine through in everything we do.

But the standout quality for me is the open culture that allows you to express yourself without judgment. This means you can be true to yourself and who you are. You can bring your whole self to work.

What made you interested in working at Confluent?

That’s an easy one. First and foremost, it’s the technology. I mentioned earlier that I had worked in a bank where Confluent was in the early adoption stages. I already knew the technology, and I experimented with it out of personal curiosity, but that was as far as it went. So I wasn’t as close to the action as I would have liked.

Of course, the other thing that inspired me to work at Confluent was the people. Right from my very first interview, I knew I wanted to join the team.

Finally, what’s the best decision you’ve made in your career?

The best decision was stepping out of my comfort zone and looking for new professional challenges.

Before moving to Dubai, I worked for the same company for 16 years. Throughout that time, I experienced a rewarding career trajectory and thoroughly appreciated the company's culture. But there comes a time when it‘s good to push yourself, go beyond your comfort zone, and try new things.

The decision was not easy—it involved embracing the uncertainty of settling in a new country.

It was a turning point for me, impacting not only my professional journey but also my personal growth.