RELX | Reed Elsevier is expanding the role of its Philippine operations as a global center for data science, with Filipino professionals helping develop artificial intelligence (AI), analytics, and decision-making tools used by customers worldwide.
The company’s data science teams in the Philippines support products across legal intelligence, scientific research, risk analytics, and healthcare. Their work helps lawyers, researchers, financial institutions, and healthcare organizations make faster and better-informed decisions using trusted data.
The investment shows the growing demand for data science talent as more companies rely on AI and analytics to improve operations and develop new products. It also highlights the Philippines’ increasing role as a source of high-value technology and analytics work, beyond traditional business process outsourcing.
RELX, which has more than 150 years of experience in legal, scientific, and risk information, gives its Philippine teams access to large, trusted datasets used by millions of professionals globally. These data sets are used to build AI models, predictive analytics, and decision-support systems.
The company’s local teams also use data science to improve internal operations. This includes reducing manual work, improving editorial processes, automating enterprise queries, and helping employees focus on tasks that require human judgment.
“I find working with data exciting because it helps us uncover what we might otherwise overlook — hidden opportunities, unexpected patterns, and the stories behind the numbers,” said Rhina Jae Arcala, digital solutions partner at RELX | Reed Elsevier. “It’s not just about reports or dashboards; it’s about driving meaningful change. When we use data to refine our processes, eliminate inefficiencies, and empower better decision-making, we’re not just optimizing operations, we’re opening doors for innovation and progress.”
Arcala said one of the most important skills for today’s data scientists is turning complex technical information into practical business solutions.
“Data science here is about translating the complex into solutions,” she said, explaining that teams must balance technical results with business needs so that people can actually use the insights.
According to RELX, its teams begin projects by identifying the business decision that needs to be made instead of immediately building AI models. This approach is especially important in industries such as law, research, healthcare, and financial risk, where accuracy, context, and trust are critical.
The company also stressed that AI is changing the role of data scientists rather than replacing them. While generative AI (GenAI) can help with coding, analysis, and experimentation, people remain responsible for deciding which problems to solve and how AI-generated results should be interpreted.
“It’s changing the ‘center of gravity’ from just producing output to producing outputs that move us toward better decisions,” Arcala said.
To prepare employees for this shift, RELX provides training in prompt engineering, AI model development, and responsible AI practices. Teams also have access to enterprise AI tools and collaborate with global colleagues to share knowledge and improve technical skills.