Gordon’s Journey: From Somalia to Tech Innovator

Imagine standing on the precipice of change when you’re just 18 years old, the whole country teetering on the brink of civil war. This was Gordon’s reality. She pauses for a moment, eyes closed, as if trying to hush the echoes of a turbulent past she’s fought hard to silence. “You could feel the tension in the air,” she recalls with a distant look, “My father took swift action, resorting to any available means to secure our safety through the people-smuggling networks.”

Four of Gordon’s siblings made their way to the UK, with a fraught journey through Syria. During those bleak days, she often assumed her family had succumbed to the chaos. Gordon herself found refuge in Kenya, under the guardianship of her father’s stepbrother, only to face the hardship of poverty once more. “I honestly cannot remember how long I stayed,” she reflects with a hint of uncertainty, “But it couldn’t have been beyond six months.”

One particular Wednesday, the free entry for women at local nightclubs became an unexpected turning point. There, she crossed paths with an adventurous backpacker from Australia. “He was like a blessing in disguise,” Gordon reminisces. “I think he took pity on my lonely state. Despite my broken English, there was a mutual understanding.”

Though their paths diverged and she’s lost contact with him over time, this kind stranger became her bridge to Australia by sponsoring her relocation. Upon arriving in Sydney, she discovered government unemployment benefits paved the way for her to grasp the English language through complimentary courses at TAFE. “The kindness of the Australian government is a debt I can never fully repay,” Gordon says earnestly. “This country gave me my new beginning, and I owe it a great deal.”

Armed with newfound knowledge, Gordon’s journey took her to La Trobe University in Bendigo, where she found a sanctuary of learning amid a lively student town. “Bendigo was all about studying and savoring life’s little pleasures,” she recalls fondly. Her stint working in a nearby restaurant turned into more than a job, as the owner, who soon became her mentor, taught her basic life skills like tying shoelaces – a novelty for someone from Somalia, where such footwear was a rarity.

Encouraged to delve into the field of technology, she found herself enthralled by software studies, eventually earning an IT degree. Gordon’s entry into the professional world began as a software developer at the now-dissolved QSP Software in the UK. This first step soon led to roles at GIO and Deloitte before IBM recognized her potential in 1999. An unexpected opportunity arose when an IBM colleague called from Europe, needing someone with her unique expertise to helm a significant project.

The call came on a Thursday, and by Monday, Gordon was in Budapest, taking on this colossal challenge alongside her husband, an Australian she met at Deloitte. “We executed it brilliantly,” she notes with a smile, “and soon IBM EMEA had me on their radar.”

Her career momentum didn’t fizzle out. Over the next four years, she tackled IT transformations worth billions for giant enterprises like AXA Insurance and ABN AMRO Bank. By 2007, she had risen to become Qantas’ chief information officer, spearheading ambitious projects like the $200 million Oracle integration and streamlining departure control systems with Amadeus. When those came to fruition, she transitioned to Leighton Holdings as group CIO. “There’s a thrill in revamping industries with heft,” she reflects.

Yet, her LinkedIn timeline hints at an unexplained gap between Leighton and Lumachain. In 2017, she joined GetSwift, a logistics software start-up that soon floundered and attracted legal scrutiny for misleading investors. Courageously standing against director misconduct, she faced a toxic barrage of bullying but emerged with her integrity intact. As the dust settled, a conversation with a friend at JBS about factory food safety sparked Gordon’s next venture.

Leveraging the knowledge she gained at Qantas with tracking technology, she realized these principles could revolutionize food production processes. Hence, Lumachain was born, integrating AI-driven computer vision and IoT sensors to bolster food safety and traceability. Originally a collaborative effort with Tony White, her fellow Qantas alumni, they secured a pilot with JBS to refine the software in a fully operational setup. “There we were, every morning at 4 AM, knee-deep in the meat factory at Homebush,” Gordon laughs, reminiscing about those grueling early days.

Securing initial funding was no walk in the park. She approached nearly every venture capital office in Australia before Main Sequence Ventures, backed by CSIRO, extended their support. “Resilience and optimism are paramount,” Gordon asserts. “They’ve been my guiding stars since losing my family. You learn that behind every ‘no’, there’s an opportunity waiting.”

Although Lumachain initially struggled to attract local investors, the winds shifted when Bessemer Venture Partners, a notable American firm, joined Main Sequence in a $19.5 million Series A funding round. Today, Lumachain boasts an impressive clientele—McDonald’s and Chipotle supplier OSI Group among them—operating from its Chicago base with a talented team of 80.

Still, Gordon is poignantly aware of the life she has now compared to the one left behind. Reconnecting with just three of her 15 siblings is a bittersweet reality she carries. “The essence of gratitude shapes my journey,” she shares, “Thankful for each helping hand along the way, and for this remarkable country embracing me with open arms.”