ILIA, the leading management consultancy in my country, is committed to helping global and local organizations establish and grow sustainably in the Middle East. From detailed market insights to full implementation and ongoing execution support, ILIA guides clients through every market entry phase, focusing on long-term, sustainable growth. With nearly a decade of experience, ILIA has served Fortune 500 companies, SMEs, and other institutions, providing a seasoned consulting team and leveraging an unmatched network of local experts to help clients unlock the region's full potential in a responsible and sustainable way.To begin my new career roadmap towards management consultancy in sustainable development, I joined this firm as a senior strategy consultant.

Sotoon, meaning "Pillar," is Iran's leading private cloud infrastructure and AI services provider. It emerged as a spin-off from Café Bazaar Group, a successful investment by European VC Pomegranate.After participating in the company's evolution from a tech spin-off in my role as a Business Analysis Manager, I was entrusted with a mission as the Business Strategy Director to enhance productivity and mitigate risks by completing the strategic management cycle.Key Learnings:● I acquired the skills to implement a strategic management cycle, encompassing analysis, planning, translation into operations, execution, data-driven control, and risk management, in less than a year. This endeavor was for a startup in constant flux, striving to mature into a stable business.Responsibilities:● Enhancing business productivity and stability● Developing and executing functional-level strategies● Managing strategic risks● Implementing Business Analytics for data-driven decision-making● Leading the strategy team and strategic management committee Impacts:● The company's YoY gross profit increased by nearly 80%. We realized this achievement through the following efforts.● Formulated functional-level strategies aligning with top-level strategy in 3 areas: tech, product (comprising 6 products), and brand. This involved detailed goal-setting, operational plans, and roadmaps, achieved in less than 4 months.● Reduced the company's risk vulnerability by implementing a risk management program covering 6 strategic risks and their management strategies. This program was developed and implemented within 5 months.● Developed an in-house product based on Metabase, establishing Business Analytics dashboards to monitor metrics specified in the organizational and functional strategies within 7 months.● Completely redefined the product manager career ladder based on the organization's needs and priorities within 3 months.

Since Sotoon was shaped by the tech IT core of its mother company, it needed to mature in business management. I joined as a Business Analysis Manager to define and implement the Cloud Infra and AI SBU strategy. This endeavor aimed to enhance the company's productivity and financial health.Key Learnings:● Learned how to assist corporate leaders in making data-driven decisions on their strategy using business analysis techniques (architectural approach) and tailored models● Learned how to align business and individual interests● Experienced calculating and comparing the return on investment for various products● Trained in managing conflicts of interest in tough sessions with top management and guiding them to a mutual outcomeResponsibilities:● Increasing visibility in both SBUs' performance by implementing data-driven measurement● Crafting the strategic plan for both SBUs based on data-driven analysis and proven models● Improving the company's productivity by identifying root causes and resolving them using business analysis techniques● Mentoring product managers in business and strategic management skills● Managing business analysis team and leading BA workgroupsImpacts:● Established both SBUs’ directional pillars and strategies, including 6 scenarios for Infra, 3 months per each● Defined OKRs and KPI/PIs at the organizational, tribal, and product levels for 7 cloud infrastructure products and 3 non-tech teams and measured them monthly● Redefined the role of product manager based on priorities and existing gaps in less than 3 months● Improved productivity by breaking down inefficiencies into 20+ root causes and addressing them, achieving over 50% of the defined goals during my tenure● Improved financial health by evaluating 17 AI products performance, resulting in 15 mergers and 2 shut-downs● Coached 9 product managers in both SBUs on the above techniques

The Iranian startup ecosystem took flight in 2011; I was one of the early pioneers. Since 2014, I have actively contributed to business growth in 3 prominent tech groups (Digikala, Rahnema, Cafe Bazaar). I have also collaborated with 10+ successful founders, 4 accelerators, a domestic and an international VC, and 3 educational institutions, contributing to the maturation of startups/firms and ensuring measurable success. Gathering insights from 10 years of interacting with CEOs, top leaders, managers, tech and non-tech frontliners, and investors, along with evaluating hundreds of proposals and pitch decks, has honed my expertise as a consultant/mentor.BANA Talent Accelerator offers management consulting services to this ecosystem through a diverse network of senior advisors. It also invests in talented individuals through boot camps, focusing on product management. While most of my consultancy and mentorship took place during my time with BANA, I continue this pursuit as a give-back obligation whenever the opportunity arises.My Knowledge Areas:● Strategic Management● Innovation Management and Open Innovation● Business Analysis● Entrepreneurship● OKR, CFR, KPIsKey Learnings:● Tailoring theoretical knowledge to tackle practical issues empowers clients to solve real-life problems independently.● A professional consultant/mentor excels in masterfully posing the right "questions" rather than providing solutions.Impacts:● Advised 10+ startups through 3 entrepreneurship events and 4 contracts, fostering growth and resilience● Coached 190+ employees in various startups with practical knowledge and experience in problem-solving, innovation management, strategic management, open innovation, OKRs, CFRs, KPIs, lean startup, MVP, idea filtration, presentation skills, and decision-making● Introduced a career path design method to 80+ individuals, facilitating their journey toward their dream jobs (avg. NPS of ~90)

After collaborating with numerous startups across different industries at Rahnema, I worked part time with 7 Gate Ventures, Rahnema's sister company and one of Canada's designated VCs for startup visa issuance. Following the preparation of several reports on investment trends in North America, I engaged part-time and remotely with 7Gate to establish and execute the startup visa process.Key Learnings:● Learned how early-stage VCs operate and what challenges they face● Acquired the optimal method for analyzing and selecting promising startups from dozens of proposals● Became familiar with the international startup ecosystem and more VC investment trendsResponsibilities:● Studying investment trends and providing insights to the VC's admission and portfolio mgmt teams● Developing and implementing the Startup Visa processImpacts:● Prepared 3 comprehensive reports to provide insights to the VC (That knowledge influenced the direction of exits and future investments)● Implemented an end-to-end process for admission of suitable candidates through the startup visa in less than a month (It included creating a comprehensive questionnaire and a balanced score-card tool for screening multiple applicants)● Analyzed 100+ proposals from various industries and countries (during my tenure, 5 proposals reached the admission stage. So far, at least 2 startups have succeeded in receiving the letter of support)

Rahnama is one of the cornerstones of Iran's startup ecosystem. It has steered dozens of startups from the seed stage to growth alongside investments in other VCs and accelerators like Sarava and Avatech. There, I practically grasped the concept of connecting all the dots! My diverse experience in various industries, computer engineering, and MBA education, as well as inspiration from influential mentors, had prepared me to assist an established investment company's leader in managing its businesses as a senior business strategy expert.Key Learnings:● Learned to formulate the strategy for a holding company and translate it into execution● Became familiar with industries such as content publishing and ad networks● Learned how effective boards of directors operate● Practiced decision-making processes to create new businessesResponsibilities:● Strategic planning for the holding company and translating it into operations● Organizing processes and board meetings for subsidiary companies● Analyzing business development opportunities and making decisions about them● Identifying business requirements and devising practical solutions to address themImpacts:● Reporting to the CEO, defined the holding company's direction, including mission, vision, core values, strategies, and tactics within 4 months (it was a family business that had organically grown; there was no existing strategic document)● Through the successful implementation of this strategy, the holding company managed to spin off at least 3 subsidiaries, close 1 venture, exit another, and expand 2 firms into international markets, restoring financial health to the enterprise● Enhanced the efficiency of the mgmt boards of 2 subsidiaries through the development of data-driven reports based on the KPIs elicited from their plans● Implemented the OKR system for 2 operational teams and a non-tech team● Formulated a competency model for the company and piloted it with an operational team

Digikala (DK) is Iran's most successful startup, raising funds from the Dutch VC, IIIC, and the Swedish investor Pomegranate. Driven by the incorporation of open innovation in DK, I established a small, agile innovation center. Over the initial two and a half years, this team successfully executed several innovative projects, aiding DK on its path to growth and reaching the next stage of maturity.Key Learnings:● Learned how to build, manage, and nurture a team from scratch and started honing leadership skills from this point● Figured out how to transform scattered sparks into well-defined innovation projects and manage them to achieve their goals● Experienced interacting with top-level leadership● Pursued an MBA and delved deep into strategic concepts at the country's second-best universityResponsibilities:● Identifying new opportunities for business expansion, creating business cases and operational plans based on them● Implementing an open innovation approach in various business functions● Monitoring industry trends and presenting best practices and insights to the executive leadership● Promoting innovation culture and tools within the organizationImpacts:● Successfully executed 9 projects with an open innovation approach, each having a positive impact on various aspects, such as branding, intellectual properties, and efficiency (Some of them mentioned in the Projects section with their quantitative impacts)● Prepared more than 60 analytical reports to monitor the latest trends and best practices worldwide (these initiated innovation activities in different departments)● Created a successful business case for DK's business expansion (FMCG)● Prepared a successful proposal for the government to participate in the auction for Iran's second National Post Operator (our technical plan secured the 1st rank, but the financial bid was unsuccessful).● Contributed to the design and implementation of OKRs in 3 teams as a pilot initiative

Since 2003, I had been reading about innovation management, especially open innovation, alongside the experiences mentioned earlier. The outcome of these learnings led me to pivot in my career path from engineering to business management. Simultaneously, the wave of startups in Iran was gaining momentum. Combining my prior experiences, personal interest, and the startup trend, I proposed joining the most successful startup in the country, Digikala (DK), Iran's Amazon. I was fortunate to be given this opportunity and became a member of DK.Key Learnings:● Seized the chance to learn from the pioneers of the startup scene in Iran● Learned what a startup truly is and what it means for a chaotic startup to transform into a sustainable businessResponsibilities:● Defining and establishing the business development team at DK, with three primary missions: ▹ Identifying biz dev opportunities ▹ Identifying efficiency improvement opportunities ▹ Implementing the open innovation approach within the company● My primary focus was on the third mission: ▹ Conducting problem-solving on challenges directed to the team ▹ Establishing Innovation Groups to solve issues in different divisions ▹ Preparing mgmt reports based on best practices and industry trendsImpacts:● Designed and formed the business development team with 3 different, aligned divisions● Founded the DK Innovation Center (in my subsequent experience, I took on the management of this center)

With 10+ years of experience in the IT field, I was able to start working as an IT specialist in a stock brokerage firm. IT infrastructure is highly critical for brokerages. Maintaining their infra actively and securely is a round-the-clock, sensitive task. In the Iranian stock market, numerous individuals trade directly. Therefore, providing training and support to hundreds of clients was another aspect of my job.Key Learnings:● Became familiar with the mental pressure arising from the high sensitivity of the IT systems● Learned the language to communicate with IT folks● Experienced the complexities of customer support and satisfaction firsthand● Gained insights into the primary literature on the stock marketResponsibilities:● Launching and maintaining computer networks for the brokerage● Providing help-desk support● Training and supporting clients for online stock tradingImpacts:● Managed the complete relocation of the On-premise IT infra of the HQ in less than 1 week● Nearly 100% increase in the speed of resolving staff's technical issues● Telephone support for hundreds of clients, handling 30+ calls per week

During those years, many young people were striving to steer their careers towards knowledge-based professions by learning the ICDL standards. Teachers, too, had to acquire digital skills that had become much more essential than before. It was an opportunity to get coaching licenses from the Technical and Vocational Organization and teach classes to impart those standards and enhance my coaching skills.Key Learnings:● At the end of this period, I could confidently say, "I am an instructor."● Communication and teaching skills became the levers that made my future consultancy possible.Responsibilities:● Teaching standard courses in ICDL, Photoshop, and E-learning● Designing, implementing, and evaluating the effectiveness of training courses● Training and managing the performance of instructorsImpacts:● Empowered more than 550 trainees to learn global technical and vocational standards (over 40 courses, with over 90% pass rates in exams)● Mentored 3 technical and vocational instructors● Successfully designed and implemented 4 course outlines based on global technical and vocational standards

Military service in Iran is mandatory for men. Only authorities can determine the place of service for each individual. However, for those who are willing and qualified, there is an opportunity to work in a government office during this period. I seized the opportunity to work in a small town's Office of Cooperative, Labor, and Social Welfare.Key Learnings:● Learned how governmental mechanisms operate, from official correspondence and archiving to interacting with authorities● Deepened the knowledge and skills of teachingResponsibilities:● Setting up and maintaining the office's computer network● Managing the office secretariat and archives● Overseeing the education departmentImpacts:● Revamped the office computer network within 1 week● Improved the process of official correspondence and digitized archives related to 15 months● Conducted 40+ training courses on developing cooperative companies

During my undergraduate studies in computer engineering, I organized private classes based on what I learned to cover my educational expenses. At that time, real examples of digital transformation were emerging in local photography studios. I seized that opportunity to teach graphic design software, set up local computer networks for those businesses, and implement their digitalization initiatives.Key Learnings:● This experience marked my first serious exercise in understanding and managing financial challenges independently.● I also gained practical insights into the digitization of businesses.Responsibilities:● Private tutoring in Photoshop and InDesign software● Conducting private ICDL courses● Setting up local computer group networks● Designing and implementing the entire digital photography processImpacts:● Completely migrated 3 photography businesses to digital methods● Taught visual design software to 7 interns

Khaneh Aftab, meaning "the house of the sun," a small advertising agency, was my first workplace in my hometown. With my newly acquired Photoshop skills and a passion for design, I embarked on my first professional experience as a graphic designer at this agency. At that time, Photoshop 7 was a revolutionary software with extraordinary capabilities!Key Learnings:● Reflecting on this period years later, I realize it was my first foray into strategic management. To address the agency's financial challenges, I practically applied concepts like competitor analysis, SWOT analysis, and cost leadership strategy without knowing the literature! Fortunately, the team's ideas worked effectively, as mentioned below.Responsibilities:● Designing print materials such as posters, business cards, and billboards● Creating graphic design material for web useImpacts:● Upon my arrival, the agency was in a shaky financial situation. I swiftly excelled in designing printed advertisements, especially business cards. Also, the company had an abundance of ready-made templates that needed to be more utilized. We decided to focus intensely on attracting customers for business cards and posters. We improved our financial situation in less than 8 months by offering fast and affordable services in this niche market and abandoning other services.