In his 1978 book Chase, Chance, and Creativity: The Lucky Art of Novelty, neurologist and Zen Buddhist Dr. James H. Austin outlined four types of luck: blind luck, luck from motion, luck from awareness and luck from uniqueness.
Over the course of her career, Meenakshi (Vora) Ghoge has seen the third type — luck from awareness — function as a transformative element on her path, which began as a functional consultant in India and has spanned two continents and two decades of growth and advancement while balancing the needs of her family and her career ambitions.
“The third type of luck emerges when you persistently pursue a direction, even if you’re not 100 percent sure, and your luck keeps multiplying,” she said.
The Four Types of Luck
In his book, Austin outlines four types of luck, which he identifies as Chance I, II, III and IV and describes as:
- Chance I: blind luck — “The good luck that occurs is completely accidental. It is pure blind luck that comes with no effort on our part."
- Chance II: luck from motion — “Chance favors those in motion. Events are brought together to form ‘happy accidents’ when you diffusely apply your energies in motions that are typically nonspecific.”
- Chance III: luck from awareness — “Chance favors the prepared mind. Some special receptivity born from past experience permits you to discern a new face or to perceive ideas in a new relationship, and go on to comprehend their significance."
- Chance IV: luck from uniqueness — “Chance favors individualized action. Fortuitous events occur when you behave in ways that are highly distinctive of you as a person.”
Today, Ghoge is the senior director of data and analytics for Mondelēz International in the Americas, and this philosophy of seizing opportunities and continually moving forward is reflected in her current priorities at Mondelēz, especially when preparing to turn challenges into opportunities.
Mondelēz’s AI Community of Practice is central to this transformation. CoPs bring together a group of people who “share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly,” according to developers of the concept Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner.
By fostering a systematic approach to leveraging AI through its AI CoP, the company aims to maximize the potential of its data scientists and ensure they have the right tools and support.
“We want to ensure all of our data scientists have the right path to success, access to technology and data. It’s about having a systematic approach to make the biggest impact,” Ghoge explained.
Experimentation and governance are also key components of this strategy.
“We need to build a mindset of quick test-and-learns, learning to accept failures because sometimes the only way you learn is by failing. At the same time, we want to ensure we stay compliant with all laws,” Ghoge said. “This work around AI strategy in the United States is not just about savings or productivity anymore; it’s about proving the revenue growth we’ve promised.”
One of the flagship AI initiatives at Mondelēz is the “suggested order” tool, which recommends products and quantities to sellers, similar to Amazon’s recommender systems. This tool has been scaled across multiple countries, reaching over 1.7 million stores. Another significant project focuses on optimizing pricing and promotions through advanced machine learning models, ensuring competitive yet profitable product pricing.
Underlying these initiatives is the people at Mondelēz. Ghoge’s leadership is also dedicated to building the right teams and organizational structures to support them. She highlighted the importance of upskilling and creating a collaborative environment to accelerate analytics at Mondelēz.
“Building the right organization, ensuring we have the right people in the right jobs, and upskilling folks where needed are crucial to accelerating analytics in Mondelēz,” she said.
Inside the AI Community of Practice
Tamer Ebied leads Mondelēz’s global AI CoP, focusing on enabling data scientists and machine learning and GenAI engineers to expand their business and technical AI capabilities through training, networking and applying their knowledge to critical business use cases.
Ebied’s own career path, which has spanned various industries and functions, showcases the power of the third type of luck and has provided him with a distinctive perspective and a versatile skill set.
“Unlike many of my peers, I do not have formal training in computer or data science. Instead, my diverse experiences across various industries and functions — ranging from roles in consumer goods and financial services to positions in manufacturing, consumer insights and sales — have been unified by a steadfast passion for data and a commitment to solving complex business problems,” he said. “This unconventional journey has equipped me with a distinctive perspective and a versatile skill set, allowing me to bridge the gap between technical expertise and strategic business acumen.”
He emphasized the strategic nature of the AI CoP at Mondelēz, aimed at transforming the company into an AI-native organization.
Notingly, Ebied also highlighted the importance of moving beyond the hype surrounding Gen AI to define the most impactful use cases for the business. This involves focusing on education and aligning projects with existing skill sets and platforms, ensuring efforts are practical and scalable.
“The future of AI at Mondelēz looks incredibly promising. Our goal is to leverage these advanced technologies to drive efficiency, creativity and strategic decision-making across all levels of the company,” Ebied said.
The AI Community of Practice in Action
According to Ebied, Mondelēz’s AI Community of Practice focuses on four core offerings:
- Training programs: Delivering personalized, practical curriculums
- Expert guidance: Providing access to subject matter experts through the AI CoP Concierge
- Resource management: Maintaining an AI CoP Marketplace with up-to-date tools and learning opportunities
- Community building: Fostering a collaborative network for knowledge sharing and support
New Frontiers in AI and Machine Learning
As the leader of the New Frontier and Delivery team, Lin Xin supports the delivery of advanced AI/ML use cases throughout Mondelēz. Xin’s team is involved in building core FMCG capabilities across the product life cycle — from research and development to sales functions — and it engages in AI projects through design, development, governance and consulting roles.
Xin emphasized the importance of establishing a robust AI use-case governance framework to ensure compliance with responsible AI policies. His team also plays a crucial role in training and development, creating content and conducting sessions to upskill both practitioners and a broader audience.
One key project Xin’s team is working on is the expansion of Mondelēz’s COVEX program into its Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa region using AI/ML to aid distribution growth choices and progress checks. Despite challenges related to data quality and model transferability, the team collaborates closely with cross-functional teams to develop reusable code and align data collection efforts with operational realities.
Reflecting on the broader impact of the AI CoP, Xin noted, “The company takes AI/ML seriously. All AI use cases are reviewed by leadership. This structured approach ensures that our AI initiatives are innovative and strategically aligned with business goals.”
Building Success at Mondelēz
Reflecting on her career and advice for others, Ghoge emphasized perseverance and passion.
“Keep doing what you love, and believe in yourself,” she said before reflecting again on the third type of luck — the one brought on by awareness. “Everything may not be crystal clear about your next steps, but continue to build your foundation and enjoy your work. There are many paths to success, and everyone has their own journey.”
Mondelēz’s AI CoP, driven by leaders like Ghoge, Ebied and Xin, is transforming the company into an AI-native organization. By focusing on training, expert guidance, resource management and community building, Mondelēz empowers its AI practitioners to drive innovation and business growth. This strategic approach, coupled with a belief in the power of luck, movement and perseverance, positions Mondelēz for a future of sustained success and competitive advantage in the AI-driven world.
