Lefteris Karachalias
About Lefteris Karachalias
Lefteris Karachalias is a Data Scientist currently leading the Fincrime Data Science team at Starling Bank in Cardiff, Wales. He has a diverse background in data science and operational research, with previous roles at the Department for Work and Pensions and the Office for National Statistics.
Current Role at Starling Bank
Lefteris Karachalias serves as a Data Scientist at Starling Bank, a position he has held since 2020. In this role, he leads a team of Fincrime Data Scientists, focusing on developing strategies and solutions to combat financial crime. His responsibilities include advising on financial crime strategy, data science, and analytics. He has contributed to the bank's efforts by conceptualizing and building machine learning pipelines tailored to various financial crime typologies.
Previous Experience at DWP and ONS
Prior to his current role, Lefteris worked as an Operational Research Analyst at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from 2015 to 2018 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. He also held the position of Senior Data Scientist at the Office for National Statistics from 2018 to 2020 in Newport, United Kingdom. His experience in these roles involved applying data science techniques to support operational decision-making and statistical analysis.
Sales Experience in Telecommunications
Lefteris has a background in sales, having worked as a Sales Adviser at Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation in Athens, Greece, from 2007 to 2009. He held this position for two separate periods, totaling two years. His early career in sales provided him with valuable customer interaction skills and insights into the telecommunications industry.
Educational Background in Engineering
Lefteris Karachalias has a strong educational foundation in engineering. He studied at the National Technical University of Athens, where he earned both a Master of Science (MSc) and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Electrical & Computer Engineering. He further advanced his studies at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, obtaining a Master of Science (MSc) in Nuclear Energy Engineering from 2011 to 2013.
Research and Development Contributions
In addition to his roles in data science, Lefteris has made significant contributions to research and development. He completed a research internship at SCK-CEN Belgian Nuclear Research Center in 2013, focusing on radiation protection. He has also built proofs of concept (PoCs) in areas such as credit scoring and house pricing, and developed a Python package aimed at financial crime detection, AutoML, AI fairness, and explainability.