A Step Ahead: Thinking Forward

by Huda Imran & Mohammad Hasanain Gulamhusein

Season 2

Episode 11: Business Development in Consulting? with Srushti Kothari

Welcome to Season 2 of A Step Ahead! This episode features Srushti Kothari, a Business Development Specialist at the Boston Consulting Group. Hear about her experiences in university and tips for success in this field! Check out the episode here: https://lnkd.in/dNcfxvji Check out Srushti’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srushtikothari/ Follow us on our social media platforms so you do not miss any updates on our upcoming episodes: https://lnkd.in/dNcfxvji #career #growth #professionals #experts #education #advice #artificialintelligence #experiences #students #guidance #podcast #astepaheadthinkingforward

S2 · E11

Jul 3, 2024

31:01

Season 1

Episode 10: Consulting, a Pathway to Unlimited Opportunities? with Paras Bansal

A Step Ahead is back with an incredible episode! Paras Bansal shares his inspirational journey with us, where he pursued an Engineering degree from Punjab Engineering College, worked at BCG and Bain as a consultant, and now currently works with PUMA as a business analyst. With passions in a multitude of fields, Paras discusses how he switched careers from consulting to retail, how to take advantage of the wealth of opportunities available to us, and how to develop the right mindset for competitive interviews. Listening to this episode will not only give you an insight on the gateway to success in numerous fields, but Paras also emphasises how you can explore your interests in unlimited ways! Thanks for tuning in! Check out Paras’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paras--bansal/ Follow us on our social media platforms so you do not miss any updates on our upcoming episodes: https://linktr.ee/astepahead.thinkingforward #career #growth #professionals #experts #education #advice #artificialintelligence #experiences #students #guidance #podcast #astepaheadthinkingforward

S1 · E10

Mar 17, 2024

1:02:05

Episode 9: Shop, Click, Repeat: E-Commerce behind the scenes, with Pooja Baburaj

We're back! Episode 9 is out now! Join us for an insightful conversation with Pooja Baburaj, an E-commerce beauty & wellbeing manager at Unilever. Pooja pursued a Bachelor's Degree in International Studies at the American University Sharjah. In the episode, she discusses her journey transitioning from an international studies major to taking up a variety of business roles like Human Resources, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Organizational Development and Leadership, Brand Management and now E-commerce. Through these roles, she has honed vital skills to navigate the tough business world. She also shares how the FMCG industry drives continuous commitment, and its dynamic nature makes it a place of budding ideas and innovation. Lastly, Pooja shared her take on AI, how she believes it is changing the workspace and how it will continue to do so over the next few years. Thanks for tuning in! Check out Pooja’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pooja-baburaj27/ Follow us on our social media platforms so you do not miss any updates on our upcoming episodes: https://linktr.ee/astepahead.thinkingforward #career #growth #professionals #experts #education #advice #artificialintelligence #experiences #students #guidance #podcast #astepaheadthinkingforward

S1 · E9

Dec 20, 2023

41:39

Episode 8: Consulting Unpacked: Crafting Solutions that Drive Results, with Yara Aljabi

We're back with another amazing episode! Join us for an insightful episode with Yara Aljabi. Yara currently works as a consultant at a Big 4 firm, and she graduated with an industrial engineering degree from the American University of Sharjah. Yara shares her journey from being a student to now working as a full-time consultant. She talks about how her numerous experiences in university have played a major role in shaping her professional career. She also discusses her journey of landing the role, how she prepared for it, and the recruitment process. Furthermore, she mentions how the open-minded and welcoming work culture at her company has a wonderful impact on the employees and contributes greatly to their success. Lastly, Yara sheds light on the topic of AI and how it will be a great tool to support many operational tasks. Thanks for tuning in! Check out Yara’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yara-aljabi-924b691b3 Follow us on our social media platforms so you do not miss any updates on our upcoming episodes: https://linktr.ee/astepahead.thinkingforward #career #growth #professionals #experts #education #advice #artificialintelligence #experiences #students #guidance #podcast #astepaheadthinkingforward

S1 · E8

Sep 22, 2023

42:46

Episode 7: Energizing Excellence: Inside the World of a Project Manager, with Ahmed Fathy

Episode 7 is here! Listen to our guest Ahmed Fathy, a mechanical engineering graduate who works at GE Vernova as a Project Manager. Along with his educational experiences, Ahmed shares some incredible advice about standing out in the competitive world of engineering, details about the work culture at GE, and certain personality traits that will help you succeed in the workforce. Ahmed also discusses the lean business model in relation to GE, the energy sector, and AI. Thanks for tuning in! Check out Ahmed’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/a-n-fathy/ Follow us on our social media platforms so you do not miss any updates on our upcoming episodes: https://linktr.ee/astepahead.thinkingforward #career #growth #professionals #experts #education #advice #artificialintelligence #experiences #students #guidance #podcast #astepaheadthinkingforward

S1 · E7

Sep 12, 2023

33:14

Episode 6: Sculpting Exclusivity, The Core of Luxury Marketing, with Mohammed Essam

Here’s an insightful and thought-provoking episode with Mohammed Essam. Essam shares his journey from pursuing a degree in civil engineering, to later on taking up a career in marketing and working at a high-profile luxury brand. He shares how the luxury marketing space works and the scope of responsibilities he manages and undertakes. He also shares how he transitioned into marketing through various internship experiences and learning about marketing fundamentals, trends, and insights on a day-to-day basis. Essam also shares information about the work culture at his organisation, and how it encourages progress and provides ample opportunities for employees to grow professionally and personally. Lastly, he shares his opinion on AI and how he believes that it is a tool that assists us with a lot of tasks. Thanks for tuning in! Check out Mohammed Essam's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammed-essam-3b1803179 Follow us on our social media platforms so you do not miss any updates on our upcoming episodes: https://linktr.ee/astepahead.thinkingforward #career #growth #professionals #experts #education #advice #artificialintelligence #experiences #students #guidance #podcast #astepaheadthinkingforward

S1 · E6

Sep 1, 2023

36:12

Episode 5: Sales Strategy, the Art of Crafting a Unique Perspective, with Rand Nadaf

Episode 5 is live! Join us for a remarkable episode with Rand Nadaf, where we explore her university experiences and the variety of internships she completed during her time at university. Rand outlines a day in her life at LinkedIn as a Senior Strategic Consultant and how her role involves interacting with a lot of different people and departments. She also discusses how important it is to have a positive mindset when giving interviews and how to strategically understand the situation on the other side of the table. During our conversation, she also sheds light on the importance of human interaction in sales, how AI will support the process, but also how it will be hard to replicate human creativity. Thanks for tuning in! Check out Rand’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rand-nadaf-52725a170 Follow us on our social media platforms so you do not miss any updates on our upcoming episodes: https://linktr.ee/astepahead.thinkingforward #career #growth #professionals #experts #education #advice #artificialintelligence #experiences #students #guidance #podcast #astepaheadthinkingforward

S1 · E5

Aug 21, 2023

31:16

Episode 4: Management Magic: A Consultant's Story, with Jawad Abu Iktish

Are you interested in the world of management consulting, or perhaps have always dreamed of working at the Big 4? Then this episode is for you. Join us as we dive into Jawad’s inspirational journey. Jawad has completed over 5 internships in multinational companies as well as local firms, and has gathered a wealth of experience in various parts of the business sector. In this episode, Jawad guides us through his time at university, all the way to his current career at the largest Big 4 company. He provides some invaluable advice on how to stand out from the competition, manage your time, and prepare for a successful career. He also gives his insights regarding how AI will impact the consulting industry. Thank you so much for listening! Check out Jawad’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jawad-abuiktish Follows on our social media platforms so you do not miss any updates on our upcoming episodes: https://linktr.ee/astepahead.thinkingforward #career #growth #professionals #experts #education #advice #artificialintelligence #experiences #students #guidance #podcast #astepaheadthinkingforward

S1 · E4

Aug 14, 2023

33:18

Episode 3: A Journalist's Journey, through Research & Publishing, with Layan Abo Shkier

Welcome! A must-listen for all the young researchers, writers, and journalists! Come join us for an exciting, insightful, and experiential discussion with Layan Abo Shkier. In this episode, we discuss Layan's journey from being a university student to securing a role at Forbes Middle East, and also working on some of the most significant rankings for the middle east, like "Most Powerful Businesswomen,” "Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands,” Women Behind Middle Eastern TECH Brands,” and "Global Meets Local.” Layan also shares how the research and writing process works at Forbes Middle East and the complexity involved in every published article and ranking. Lastly, Layan shares her expectations of how AI will change the fields of research, writing and journalism. Check out Layan's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/layan-abo-shkier-285755181 Thank you so much for tuning in! Follow us on our social media platforms so you do not miss any updates on our upcoming episodes: https://lnkd.in/dNcfxvji #career #growth #professionals #experts #education #advice #artificialintelligence #experiences #students #guidance #podcast #astepaheadthinkingforward

S1 · E3

Aug 7, 2023

31:11

Episode 2: From Finance to Compliance, and Everything in Between, with Huzaifa Masood

Welcome! Join us as we discuss Huzaifa’s experiences working in Amazon and DIFC. In this episode, we delve into understanding the operational realities of Huzaifa's role as an Account Rep at Amazon, his experience as an intern, and the work culture at Amazon. We also discuss why Huzaifa decided to move from working at a world-renowned MNC, like Amazon, to now working within the Compliance-Legal department at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Furthermore, Huzaifa shares how he navigated understanding the job market by building the essential skills through his courses at university, and the extra certifications he is currently pursuing. Lastly, Huzaifa shares some exciting takes on AI, and how he believes the landscape will be changing over the next few years. Check out Huzaifa's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huzaifa-masood Thank you so much for tuning in! Follow us on our social media platforms so you do not miss any updates on our upcoming episodes: https://linktr.ee/astepahead.thinkingforward #career #growth #professionals #experts #education #advice #artificialintelligence #experiences #students #guidance #podcast #astepaheadthinkingforward

S1 · E2

Jul 24, 2023

48:05

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