collardeau

const getFirstName = name =>  { 
  if(name === null) return null;  // new
  return name.split(" ")[1]; 
}

const getFirstLetter = word => { 
  if(word === null) return null;  // new
  return word[0]; 
}

collardeau

const pipe = require("ramda").pipe;   // node or webpack/browserify

const firstInitial = pipe(getFirstName, getFirstLetter);