Category: Spotlight

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Spotlight

Shamshuddin Lalani

IPN Spotlight: Shamshuddin Lalani (Senior Account Executive, NSX at VMware)

Shamshuddin has over 10+ years of experience in technology sales while working for VMware, Riverbed and Cisco Systems. He started his career in engineering sales and transitioned to account management and strategy. Shamshuddin works with some of the largest global companies, ranging from defense contractors for the US Government to large financial institutions on Wall Street. He has degrees in Economics, Electrical Engineering and an MBA.

What skills have helped you in your career?
Having a technical background has set me apart from most sales executives. Having an Engineering degree in combination with an Economics/MBA has given me both breadth and depth to excel in my career. It brings instant credibility when speaking with leaders in any organization. Listening is another critical skill that speaks volume. Let the customer speak; understand their business issues, drivers and challenges – so you can position your products and solutions accordingly. Most sales executives do not understand how critical this skill is.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
Networking is the KEY! Building relationships and rapport early in your career goes a long way. Establish trust, work hard and create a “marketing plan” for yourself. Find a mentor, outside of your reporting chain who can help and guide you in your development plan.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I read a lot about new technologies within my direct and adjacent fields. I attend industry seminars and networking events to build relationships. I highly recommend getting a subscription to, The Harvard Business Review, which has some great case studies and the Economist that provides a global perceptive on current events. Staying current is extremely important.

What is next for you in your career?
Continue down the path of technology sales with a focus on running a $100M sales region.

What advice would you offer to others?
Take risks! It is OKAY to fail, use it as a learning experience. You are not going to get it right 100% of the time and things are not always going to end up the way you want. If you do not take risks, you may never know your true potential. Believe in yourself.
In addition, your personal brand and credibility is very important. It is hard to build but easy to lose. If you say you are going to do something make sure you do it.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Leadership development
• Career development
• Mentorship
• Job placement

Please provide the link to your LinkedIn profile:
Shamshuddin Lalani

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Moez M. Kaba

IPN Spotlight: Moez M. Kaba (Partner, Hueston Hennigan, LLP)

Moez is the Founding Partner of the law firm of Hueston Hennigan, LLP. Hueston Hennigan is a boutique firm that handles complex civil litigation and business disputes. It has around 40 lawyers and they represent clients in various practice areas. Moez graduated from Cornell University in 2002 and from Columbia Law School in 2005. Thereafter, he clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Although Moez lives in Los Angeles, he believes he is a product of the Chicago Jamat.

What skills have helped you in your career?
• Listening
• Thinking critically and creatively
• Persistence
• Public speaking

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I largely focused on developing my legal skills after graduating law school. Although that has been important, I wish I spent more time networking. As a partner, my work is both advocacy for existing clients and developing new clients. The latter requires networking and marketing.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
A lot of reading on developments in the law. Talking to my colleagues both within and outside of my firm on their approaches to complicated legal issues. Watching other lawyers.

What is next for you in your career?
Continuing to grow our law firm and expanding our reach.

What advice would you offer to others?
Focus on being the best at what you do, without hesitation and without excuse. And don’t allow yourself to be diminished by others because you look different than everyone else in your industry.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Law student mentorship
• Legal issues

Please provide the link to your LinkedIn profile:
Moez Kaba

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Megan Jaffer

IPN Spotlight: Megan Jaffer (Task Force Lead/Strategist, Noblis NSP)

Megan Jaffer currently serves as a senior advisor to the President and Senior Management team of Noblis NSP, a defense and intelligence community contractor. As a key Strategist, Consultant, and Program Implementer, Megan works to streamline activities within Noblis NSP based on the priorities of the President and Senior Management. Megan has substantial experience in business analysis, strategic corporate communications, and managing program deliverables, as well as in budgeting, strategic planning, and change management. She has spent the bulk of her career in organizational leadership and outreach. In 2015, Megan co-founded a women in intelligence organization, which focuses on the development of professional women serving the US national security mission. Megan holds a B.A. in International Relations from DePaul University and an M.A. in Korean Studies from Yonsei University.

What skills have helped you in your career?
• Perseverance
• Hard-work
• Problem solving
• Connecting people
• Sincere listener

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I am thrilled at where I am in my career, however, there have been many lessons learned. I wish I would have worried less about the path I took and realized early on that you learn something from every good and bad experience in your career. Those experiences will help you be a better employee, student and/or leader in the future! I would have started networking much earlier in my career!

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I always try to identify one new subject matter or area of work in each job or organization I’m in that I am less familiar with and seek to get a more detailed level of knowledge on that topic. Part of that effort involves finding a mentor in that area and working with them to develop my skill set.

What is next for you in your career?
I want to continue to learn and be challenged. I look forward to helping others navigate their career paths.
My personal goal is to become a Chief Operating Officer for a defense/intelligence community contractor.

What advice would you offer to others?
Be honest with yourself and with those you work with. If you have a passion and know where you want to go with your career, never give up. A good leader knows their strengths and their weaknesses; and is not afraid to surround themselves with smart people.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Job placement
• Mentoring
• Making connections in the National Security space
• Sounding board

Please provide the link to your LinkedIn profile:
Megan Jaffer

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Javed Hussain

IPN Spotlight: Javed Hussain (Director of Global Technology Planning, Delivery and Governance, PepsiCo)

Javed Hussain has been a resident of Plano, Texas since 1995. He has over 25 years’ experience in the field of information technology and has a diverse background and extensive experience enterprise solutions and delivery. As a Global Technology Executive with PepsiCo and a Global Account Director with SAP America, he led several successful business transformations for high growth Fortune 100 companies.

What skills have helped you in your career?
Although I have extensive technical expertise, the key to my success has been my business-oriented approach, driving stakeholder engagement, building global high performing teams, and creating relationships and partnerships.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
Nothing. How could I? Looking back to reflect and learn is great. However, spending too much in the past thinking about reasons for what we could have done differently and what outcome it could have produced, is not a good use of time. My one advice is to simply focus on present. What are your priorities? What are you passionate about? What can you do now to enhance your career?

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I read a lot. I collaborate and invest time with industry leaders and experts. Speak at technology events and stay connected with various technology innovations via technology partners, providers and suppliers.

What is next for you in your career?
Every 3-4 years I have taken new into role to address business challenges while learning addressing business needs from holistic perspectives. I am looking to apply extensive technology, transformation and business experience to make much bigger contribution.

What advice would you offer to others?
Stay open to possibilities, but know what you want and why. If a right opportunity presents itself and it meets your criteria then don’t over think it and take the journey and explore.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Mentoring
• Leadership development

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Javed Jussa

IPN Spotlight: Javed  Jussa (Head of US Quantitative Strategies, Deutsche Bank)

Javed Jussa is head of US Quantitative Strategies at Deutsche Bank. He specializes in researching quantitative equity and global macro strategies for the bank’s institutional client base. Javed’s research focuses on discovering new stock-selection signals, exploring technical and mean reverting strategies, and testing risk management and portfolio construction techniques.
Javed has written research on stock selection models, global quant macro, news sentiment, accounting irregularities, pairs trading, technical factors, machine learning techniques, earnings forecasts models, SMID, and socially responsible investing. Before joining Deutsche Bank, Javed spent several years working as a quantitative analyst for other sell-side firms in both New York and Canada.
Javed holds a joint Bachelors of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and an MBA specializing in finance and statistics.

What skills have helped you in your career?
• Analytical
• Verbal
• Communication
• Presentation

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
Better understand assess and more importantly align my interests with career opportunities.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
• Conferences
• Books
• and Meet-Up Groups

What advice would you offer to others?
To try several career paths.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Career planning
• Networking
• Advice during key career transitions and events

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Shirin Lalani

IPN Spotlight: Shirin Lalani (Senior IT Program Manager, American Airlines)

Shirin lives in Phoenix, AZ but her hometown is Chicago, IL. Currently, Shirin is a Sr IT Program Manager at American Airlines. She has been trained in various Project Methodologies over the years and has a PMP. Shirin has been a PM with the company for 6 years in areas of HR, Portal, Revenue Accounting, Alliances and Reservations. Her education background consist of a Bachelor in Science (double major in Psychology and Sociology) from Loyola University of Chicago and a Masters in Business Administration (E-Business concentration) from DePaul University, Chicago. Her past experiences include working for Rotary International and EDS.

What skills have helped you in your career?
Not only I have the Business background, but have the IT certifications (Microsoft, Cisco, etc.) to go hand in hand with it. In addition, my Psychology and Sociology education has helped me with building and maintaining strong relationships with my colleagues and Managers, while helping me create network of mentors.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I wish I would’ve identified someone in my field to partner up with earlier in my career. Mentors are very important as I have realized, and having that right guidance really can make a huge difference in where you end up. Better late than never though, always surround yourself with folks that represent where you would like to be.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
Keeping up to date with project methodologies and attend seminars and forums for project managers. A member of the PMI network that allows me to network with other professionals in the area.

What is next for you in your career?
Leading a team of project managers and/or leading a team of IT professionals (Developers, QAs and PMs) in delivery of IT projects.

What advice would you offer to others?
Keep updating your skills. Always challenge yourself with new training and/or new roles. Never stop learning. Also, align yourself with a mentor or mentor(s) professionally, this relationship helps you create a brand for yourself and at the same time gives you champions around you who support and promote your skills.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Mentorship
• Networking
• Career development and planning in IT and Project Management

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Dr. Zahra Jamal

IPN Spotlight: Dr. Zahra Jamal (Associate Director for Community Engagement at Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance, Rice University)

Dr. Zahra Jamal is Associate Director for Community Engagement at Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance at Rice University. She has taught at Harvard, MIT, University of Chicago, among others, Zahra has consulted for the UN, State Department, AKDN, and Aspen Institute. She received her Ph.D. from Harvard.

What skills have helped you in your career?
• Research
• Analysis
• Communication
• Cultural sensitivity
• Multi-tasking
• Leadership/management
• Problem-solving

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
Retained better work-life balance, sought out more mentors.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
Everyday, I try to learn something new within and outside my field, be it through reading, workshops, learning from mentors, etc.

What is next for you in your career?
I’m open to whatever opportunities and blessings emerge.

What advice would you offer to others?
Ask yourself how every decision you make (be it related to education, career, family life, how you spend free time, etc.) is good for you, your family, the Jamat, the Imamat, future generations. Remember that your education and career are a means to enable you to understand and serve creation, and to leave the world a better place. So, be generous with your time, knowledge, and skills in serving society, and balance that with remembrance and prayer.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Deciding on MA vs. PhD
• Bridging academia and policy/nonprofit world
• Developing and harnessing ground-level analysis to drive policies/programs

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Adiba Karimi

IPN Spotlight: Adiba Karimi (Care Manager, Independence Care System)

Adiba grew up in Khorog, Tajikistan. She currently works as a Care Manager at the Independence Care System, Medicaid Health Plan. She has a Master’s of Social Work from Columbia University in New York and a Bachelors degree in Linguistics from Khorog State University. Her previous professional experience includes positions at UNICEF Health and Education Programs, AKDN AKF Health Education Program, ACTED Hygiene Program and Project Hope. Adiba has experience in management and working with non-profits.
Her seva work started in 1995 when Mawlana Hazir Imam for the first time visited Tajikistan. Currently she serves as a member of the National Council developing strategies for IFF (Inter Faith Families) and murids from Afghanistan, Iran, Syria and Tajikistan (AIST).

What skills have helped you in your career?
• Speaking Russian, Tajik, Farsi and English
• Teamwork
• Problem solving
• Using ethics in my work

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
Internationally managing health centers

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
Every single day is learning process for me, reading books, conversation with others, learning from my colleagues. Thinking of pursuing PhD

What advice would you offer to others?
I would quote Mawlana Sultan Muhammadshah (Salawat) “Life will have many disappointments. If one fifth of one’s hopes is realized one is extremely lucky and fortunate, so do not be discourages by disappointments.”

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Remember you are unique as a human being and you can bring unique skills and ideas to bring changes and improvements
• Do not be afraid to make mistakes or fail
• Treat every single employee with dignity, be it your boss or the cleaner, or the security

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Purnur Ilolova

IPN Spotlight: Purnur Ilolova (Program Manager, Office of International Development at Indiana University Bloomington)

Purnur Ilolova received her Specialist Diploma in Finance and Credit from Technological University of Tajikistan and her Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Prior to assuming her role as Program Manager with the Office of International Development, Purnur served as the Oncology Unit Coordinator of Indiana University Health – Bloomington Hospital, and as the Finance Department Assistant at the Aga Khan Foundation, USA. A world traveler, she is consistently looking for opportunities to contribute to building reliable institutions, and cultivating active civil society in order to improve the quality of life in developing and developed countries. Purnur currently holds a Program Manager position with the Office of International Development within Indiana University, manages US Department of State funded projects with Mongolia, Italy, Myanmar, Sub Saharan Africa, India and Pakistan.

What skills have helped you in your career?
Regional/Area study expertise

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I wish I had been a bit more flexible and realized that not everything you do has to be so tailored towards your desired career. Oftentimes, some of the experiences that come from taking a risk and going for an opportunity that might seem unrelated or less obvious prove to be the most valuable. At the same time, it’s important to stay focused and to make time to enrich yourself so that you stay fresh and continue to enhance the skills you already have for future opportunities and advancement.

What is next for you in your career?
Graduate school

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
Read, network and explore

What advice would you offer to others?
Reaching out to people in your circle

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Grad school admission
• Career consult in the same field
• Networking

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Farah Mohamed

IPN Spotlight: Farah Mohamed (Managing Editor, The WorldPost at The Huffington Post)

Farah is the Managing Editor of The WorldPost, a partnership between The Huffington Post and the Berggruen Institute focused on global news. Hired to help launch The WorldPost, her role includes running the news and op-ed sections of the website, overseeing coverage and social media promotion of produced content and soliciting and editing features and analysis on a variety of international breaking news stories and trends, including the Syrian conflict, China in Africa, rising Islamophobia and the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Prior to The WorldPost, Farah reported for HuffPost Politics, McClatchy’s Washington Bureau and The Washington Post, where her coverage of young Muslim immigrants following the Boston bombings landed her a Washington Post Metro cover story.

Farah majored in journalism and earned a double minor in international studies and Arabic at American University in Washington, DC. She also lived and studied in Amman, Jordan soon after the beginning of the Arab Spring.

What skills have helped you in your career?
Persistence, passion and perspective. Though not skills by definition, these key traits are what make the difference between working in a job related to your desired career and actually nailing that job. While core skills of my profession have proven key to career advancement, I’ve found that some of the most meaningful and rewarding experiences come from the tough decisions made under pressure.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I wish I had been a bit more flexible and realized that not everything you do has to be so tailored towards your desired career. Oftentimes, some of the experiences that come from taking a risk and going for an opportunity that might seem unrelated or less obvious prove to be the most valuable. At the same time, it’s important to stay focused and to make time to enrich yourself so that you stay fresh and continue to enhance the skills you already have for future opportunities and advancement.

What is next for you in your career?
Journalism is an interesting field in that it’s always changing and new challenges are always presenting themselves. Today is perhaps one of the most difficult times to be a journalist, but also one of the most important. Increasing worldwide polarization and negativity towards news media only inspire me to continue to hold leaders accountable and make sure the voices and stories of those whose views often go unheard and untold are no longer brushed aside. I’m also very much committed to expanding the way in which media outlets cover world news, be it including more on-the-ground voices, greater country and continent diversity or doing a better job at reporting on Muslims, Islamophobia and terrorism.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I don’t like the term media diet, but I do try to have one. I have a variety of news outlets — newspapers, blogs, online media, cable news — that I check out everyday. I also listen to podcasts, follow other journalists on Twitter, subscribe to daily newsletters and bookmark longer pieces to read later on when I have more time. I think it’s crucial, especially in my field, to be caught up on everything and to know the latest media trend making an impact. I also think it’s useful to try to network with people in your field so that you know what people outside of your office are doing and have a group of people to go to if and when you want to make a change.

What advice would you offer to others?
Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid to pursue a career that might appear less traditional or more risky. Don’t settle for something that pays better if you’re not really passionate about it. Don’t be intimidated by competitive or toxic peers and co-workers. Work hard and be resilient and creative. There will be a lot of circumstances in which you’ll find yourself having to fend for yourself without much direction. It’s easy to give up or be cynical in these cases, but figuring out how to fix or solve the situation, even when it seems above you, will give you immense confidence and satisfaction — and your superiors will likely notice.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Editing/writing advice
• Social media strategies
• Op-ed writing guidance
• Expertise in international affairs, especially in the Middle East

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.