Introduction
To wrap up this month’s #MoneyMatchSpotlight, we sat down with our Head of Engineering, Poorya Bagheri Faez. With over six years of experience at MoneyMatch, Poorya started as a Technology Associate back in 2017. He has since played a pivotal role in driving the company’s growth and innovation up until today! Before joining the company, he worked as a freelance Android developer, giving him a unique perspective on software development. Read on to learn how our Engineering team operates, the challenges they face, and the best practices they adopt to realize MoneyMatch’s mission!
The Team
Hi Poorya, can you tell us a bit about the engineering team at MoneyMatch?
Our engineering team operates on a highly collaborative and communicative basis. We are committed to delivering high-quality products and services to our customers. We also work closely with other departments to ensure that our technology aligns with business objectives and meets customer needs.
As the Head of Engineering, what are your main responsibilities?
My main responsibilities include setting the technical direction, providing guidance and mentorship to the team, and ensuring that our engineering practices align with industry best practices. To achieve this, I prioritize creating a supportive and empowering work environment.
How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the engineering team?
At MoneyMatch, we encourage experimentation, reward calculated risks, and invest in personal and professional development opportunities. We also conduct regular retrospectives and feedback sessions to identify areas for improvement and adjust practices accordingly.
Importance & Challenges
How do you see the role of the engineering team in supporting and advancing the MoneyMatch mission?
The engineering team plays a critical role in supporting and advancing MoneyMatch’s mission. We create scalable, secure, and reliable technology solutions that deliver value to our customers—ranging from individuals, SMEs and even enterprises such as other money transfer operators (MTOs)!
What challenges have you encountered in the development and scaling of MoneyMatch products? How have you addressed these challenges?
We have encountered challenges such as managing technical debt, ensuring stability across all of our platforms (mobile app, Pulse), and balancing delivery speed with quality. To address these challenges, we adopt modular architecture, automated pipelines, and monitoring. All the while using agile methodologies to promote transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Methodologies & Technologies
Can you discuss your experience with agile methodologies and how you apply them in projects, particularly in a fast-paced industry like fintech?
Agile methodologies, such as Scrum or Kanban, are highly effective in managing projects in fast-paced industries. We use these methodologies to encourage flexibility, collaboration, and rapid iteration—enabling us to deliver value to our customers quickly while also adapting to changing business needs.
How do you stay informed about emerging technologies and evaluate whether to incorporate these technologies into MoneyMatch’s products and services?
To stay informed and evaluate emerging technologies, we leverage industry conferences, meetups, and open-source communities. We also conduct internal research and experiments to assess feasibility and impact.
How have you implemented best practices for software development, testing, and deployment in your organization, and how do you measure the success of these practices?
We have implemented what we believe are the best practices through including modular architecture, automated testing, continuous integration and delivery, and monitoring. We measure success through metrics such as deployment frequency, lead time, and customer satisfaction.
Can you speak to your experience with leveraging AI/ML and cloud technologies?
Leveraging AI/ML and cloud technologies significantly improves scalability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Thanks to modern cloud providers we have access to technologies to automate processes, improve data analysis and insights, and enhance platform performance and security.
Focus & Future Plans
Finally, can you share with us a little on what’s in store for MoneyMatch in the pipeline? What is the team currently working towards?
I am unable to provide specific details regarding our product pipeline. However, our engineering team is focused on delivering new and innovative products and services that meet customer needs while also aligning with our business objectives and priorities.