Most people outside the energy industry have never heard of ETRM. People inside it can't imagine working anywhere else. Dattanand Vernekar, Manager Technology at Publicis Sapient, is one of them.
For people who aren't familiar with Energy, Trading and Risk Management (ETRM) what should they know before we start?
"Energy Trading and Risk Management software is what keeps energy companies from making expensive mistakes. When an energy trader executes a deal, that transaction has to be captured, priced, settled, and risk-assessed in real time, across multiple markets and regulatory frameworks simultaneously. When the software works, nobody notices. When it doesn't, the consequences move fast. At Publicis Sapient, I lead a team of around 15 people working on ETRM software. My role is to make sure everyone has what they need to succeed, whether that's unblocking issues, translating business needs into technical solutions, or making sure the right conversations are happening at the right time."
What pulled you into this space specifically?
"Energy markets don't stand still and neither does the work. The blend of technology and business is what drew me in. No two projects are the same. Regulations shift, markets evolve, and every client brings a new challenge. The regulatory environment alone means that what worked six months ago may need to be redesigned and built again from the ground up."
What motivates you about your job?
"In practice, the role sits at the intersection of three things: the technical complexity of the platform, the business logic of the energy client, and the people on both sides who need to actually use what gets built. Most of the work is listening first, building second. I love being someone others can rely on, whether that's helping a teammate solve a problem or navigating tough client conversations. That trust keeps me motivated every day. Acting as the bridge between business challenges and technical solutions, that's where the real work happens."
You started your career as a developer. What did your career journey look like?
"The developer-to-manager path in ETRM isn't linear. It's not a ladder, it's a series of moments where you either step into complexity or step around it, and I chose the former. I stayed open to learning, took on challenges, and pushed through the tough moments. That's the honest version. The longer version involves high-pressure stakeholder conversations that didn't go perfectly, and a deliberate shift in how I approached them has gotten me to where I am today."
What's the hardest thing about this work that people underestimate?
"The stakes. When energy trading systems operate at their best, the downstream effect is real. When our solutions work seamlessly, energy companies can make faster decisions, reduce errors, and manage risk more effectively. That's a responsibility I take seriously. In ETRM, a bug isn't just a bug. Delayed settlement, miscalculated exposure, a compliance gap, all of these have financial and regulatory consequences. That weight is part of what draws technically serious people to the space and what keeps them here."
What has PS specifically given you that another employer might not have?
"This environment has given me the space to grow and constantly pushes me forward. The exposure to complex projects accelerated my learning in ways I couldn't have planned for. You're encouraged to ask questions, challenge ideas, and bring your own perspective. That sense of ownership makes the work more meaningful."
Where does AI fit into the future of ETRM?
"From predictive pricing to automating compliance, AI has the potential to transform how energy trading works. Being part of that evolution is incredibly exciting. The ETRM systems that exist today were built for a world where humans made most of the decisions. The systems being built now are being designed around AI in the loop, for risk modeling, for anomaly detection, for real-time compliance monitoring. The people building them need to understand both the technology and the market deeply enough to know where AI adds signal and where it adds noise."
That's the puzzle Dattanand Vernekar is working on. And apparently, it changes every day.
Interested in ETRM at PS? Check out our opportunities.
