Learning to Think Like an Engineer
Growing up, Danaly was drawn to the logic and structure of math and science. It wasn’t until a cousin shared her experience studying chemical engineering that Danaly saw how those interests could lead to a real career. She pursued chemical engineering at university, where she built strengths in analysis, systems thinking, and problem-solving.
By her final year, she began rethinking where she wanted to apply those skills. Conversations with professionals in the field – including reflections on safety, team structures, and long-term growth – made her more curious about environments where she could collaborate across disciplines and work on systems that directly affect people’s lives.
Discovering a New Direction
That shift became possible through the Dell Young Leaders programme, which invited her to a graduate tech talent evening at Old Mutual, one of South Africa’s largest financial services providers. There, she saw how her training could be used to fix real customer pain points, like delays in processing withdrawals or confusing account updates. That one event led to a graduate placement and, eventually, a full-time role helping Old Mutual modernise how financial services reach more people across the country.
Engineering Better Experiences
At Old Mutual, Danaly focuses on making financial services faster and more transparent, so customers can manage their money with fewer delays and fewer questions. As a systems analyst, she designs workflows, tests how different systems interact, and builds in communication checkpoints to keep customers informed without needing to call in or follow up.
One of her proudest contributions: helping implement South Africa’s new two-pot withdrawal system, a national policy shift that required major updates across the industry. Danaly’s work helped reduce delays in processing withdrawals and cut down on customer enquiries by improving how and when people receive updates about their funds – earning internal recognition and improving an essential service for thousands of people.
