Michael Nabavian

Data Modeller and Certified Data Vault 2 Practitioner. I have 25 years' experience of analysis, data modelling and solution design gained on IT development projects at NatWest, the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, BSkyB, Catlin Insurance, XL Catlin / Axa XL Insurance, and Tokio Marine HCC Insurance. My primary focus throughout my career has been data-centric project work.

My roles require me to get to grips with users' information requirements, produce data models and enhance existing data models, specify mappings and ETL pipelines, specify reports, work with developers to ensure that the required functionality is implemented correctly, write SQL regularly and at a very advanced level, and follow up on any issues found in testing.

Data Modeller at Tokio Marine HCC (2022-04 – 2026-03)

• Addressed fundamental flaws and gaps in the Data Vault (DV) that I inherited, redesigning it according to "top down" principles and thus aligning it with Data Vault best practice. Maintained close working relationship with data engineer while doing so.
• Increased the rigour and control with which the DV "precursor" data model within Erwin Data Modeller, and the source-to-precursor mappings with Erwin DI Suite, were maintained.
• Designed a layer of views (called the DV Access Layer) over the DV to allow consuming Marts and interfaces to more easily access the data.
• Raised and assisted with system-test issues, giving my point of view at meetings where technical challenges were discussed, and fixed some of the more crucial aspects of the DV solution that weren't working (e.g. PIT table loads).
• Reviewed conceptual data models in the context of the Data Design Working Group and Data Model Design and Control Group.
• Wrote and maintained a Wiki page detailing all the steps we needed to go through to generate the DV database structures and ETL artefacts via the top-down process.
• Liaised with Quest to get the Data Vault automation improved, and where the automation was still not sufficient I introduced manual workarounds.
• Despite resource constraints, the data engineer and I generated the Data Vault schema and load routines as well as the DV Access Layer views and Finance Mart, improving them in each cycle.
• Specified much of the full Data Vault Re-engineering solution, including modelling and mappings, and wrote the bulk of the migration logic.
• Worked closely with data engineer and tester to deliver it all. The solution went into Production and teething problems were minimal.
• Interfacing Surety data from Peoplesoft ARAP into the Data Vault solution, took the analysts' outputs and turned them into a viable design and detailed instructions for developers.
• Helped to keep the design and build on track in response to changes and refinements emerging from the analysis process on a regular basis.
• Played pivotal role on a project to interface Guidewire (Policy Center, Claims Center, and Billing Center) through successive layers and into the Data Vault solution.
• An external consultant and I worked closely together to get to grips with Guidewire's complex schemas and design a friendlier operational data layer for it to feed into, specifying both the database design and the mapping SQL (which was implemented in DBT).
• Designed the necessary Data Vault structures for this layer to feed, and the mappings to load it, along with Business Vault logic and structures to turn the data into financials in a generic form.
• Kept a steady stream of artefacts coming for the data engineers to build and testers to test.
• Also wrote interface SQL for getting Guidewire-related data out of Peoplesoft ARAP and into the Data Vault.

Design/Spec Lead on Claims Migration Project at XL Catlin / Axa XL (2019-05 – 2022-04)

On a high-profile and time-pressured migration project, produced over 200 specifications for populating target tables in the XL Global Claims system from several sources, most notably the Xuber claims application (SQL Server) and Genius claims application (iseries DB2).

• Wrote sophisticated SQL queries suitable for inclusion in Informatica source qualifiers, as well as writing investigative SQL queries on a regular basis for profiling and troubleshooting purposes
• Supervised three other analysts also writing ETL specs; reviewed their work and provided feedback

Data Modeller on Delegated Underwriting Authority (DUA) Project at XL Catlin / Axa XL (2018-10 – 2019-04)

Worked on a project to implement a Data Mart for Delegated Underwriting Authority business. Took over data modelling responsibilities from an external resource, as the project was not happy with his output. Used ERwin to produce a data model with approximately 50 entities and 700 attributes to support DUA business, cross-referenced aspects of the model back to individual requirements.

Analyst on Docosoft Project at XL Catlin / Axa XL (2018-03 – 2018-09)

Produced ETL specifications for an interface to get claims-related data from the Netezza-based ODS of the Legacy Catlin underwriting system (theframe) into a staging database for the "Docosoft" claims management application

Analyst on Enterprise Enablement (EE) Project at XL Catlin / Axa XL (2015-09 – 2018-02)

• Produced a variety of ETL specs to interface insurance data from the Netezza-based ODS of the Catlin underwriting system (theframe) into XL's "Conformance Layer" database
• Worked with developers to get the new interface implemented; investigated and resolved issues found in testing

Lead Data Modeller on Combined ODS project at Catlin (2013-06 – 2015-08)

Analyst and then Lead Data Modeller on project to implement a strategic Combined Operational Data Store which would provide robust, trustworthy, and well-integrated data on policies, claims, coverages, financial transactions etc., sourced from multiple systems. Work on Combined ODS was curtailed when Catlin was taken over by XL, who had their own Enterprise Data Warehouse fed by a Conformance Layer.

• Designed the bulk of the Combined Operational Data Store
• Wrote the bulk of the ETL specs for populating the Combined ODS
• Worked with developers, testers, and other analysts to deliver more and more functionality into Test in successive sprints

Analyst addressing non-project issues / change requests at Catlin (2012-11 – 2015-08)

• Engaged with Claims business users, undertook business analysis and specified remedial system changes to resolve a large number of outstanding issues with Cognos-based claims reporting. For this I received the May 2013 "Great Service Award".
• Refactored the complex ETL processing that writes outward reinsurance recoveries data to the Operational Data Store; eliminated some existing tables and introduced new tables where necessary
• Elicited requirements for a wide range of new reports, report changes, and ETL changes; in each case translated requirements into specifications for developers, wrote all necessary scripts, carried out system testing, liaised with Test team and Support team, ensured successful deployment to Live

Analyst on Cedant Performance project at Catlin (2011-12 – 2013-03)

Sole analyst on Cedant Performance project which delivered flexible cedant-performance reports via a Sharepoint portal running against a dedicated Data Mart.

My activities included: liaising with the UK Deputy Active Underwriter to elicit his low-level requirements for Cedant Performance reporting; running further requirements workshops with wider groups of users; drafting and refining report mock-ups; producing Sun models; drawing up the associated star-schema Cedant Mart model; doing the database design for an ODS Master Data database to accommodate master data from Ka