Ravi Agarwal

Ravi believes that in the age of AI, processing low-grade information is of little future importance. Instead, learners should develop higher value cognition: critical thinking; empathy; prolonged attention span; knowledge transfer between domains. In 2024, he founded and is now CEO of Cognitive Magic, a bespoke learning and training company.

He was formerly the VP of Technology at OCBC Bank, where he facilitated an agile cultural transformation while rewriting internet and mobile customer-facing software using microservices. He has also held senior software engineering management roles in major banks such as Credit Suisse, Barclays Capital, and Standard Chartered Bank.

A polymath since babyhood, he believes there is no amount of learning which would satiate his curiosities. About, for example, the art of a number, the enigma of an ethic or a Nobel literary solution to a lifelong conundrum. If he wakes up suddenly in the middle of a dark night, he won't have forgotten what he cares most about.

Decades ago he awoke to a love; the power of silicon computation in a black box calculator. A device of rare magic, it appeared to reckon faster than he ever could. What, then, was the purpose of junior maths class?

Fun fact: Ravi is currently memorizing his way through the entire back catalog of Taylor Swift's song lyrics, to help him write a book about her literary lyrical magical art. Its working title is ‘Taylor's Visions of Love.'