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Shohoni Mahabub sits in her office at Falls Church, Virginia, surrounded by glowing monitors, her eyes darting between complex data visualizations. It is two o’clock in the morning, but for Mahabub, the business analyst support at Washington Glass Association, the night is far from over. She is engrossed in unraveling a challenging problem that could improve the company’s customer engagement strategy.
“In this field, the eureka moments often come when everyone else is asleep,” Mahabub says with a wry smile, her fingers moving across the keyboard. This dedication, fueled by strong coffee and an insatiable curiosity for data patterns, exemplifies the work ethic that has jump-started her career as a management professional to a role in America’s artificial intelligence (AI) powered data-driven business technology sector.
From management to strategy
Mahabub’s professional journey truly took off with her role at BRAC, where she developed foundational skills in managing large-scale initiatives. Moving to L’Oréal, she sharpened her brand management and consumer engagement expertise. At PwC, she began to blend her management skills with strategic thinking, gaining exposure to consulting and business transformation.
Her time at Standard Chartered Bank and Unilever marked a significant transition. She focused on strategic leadership and data-driven decision-making. “It was here that I honed my skills in aligning business goals with strategic initiatives, blending my management experience with a growing emphasis on strategic innovation,” Mahabub shares.
Throughout her career, Mahabub continuously enhanced her knowledge through education, professional training, and certifications. These experiences have allowed her to transform her approach from management execution to strategic leadership, equipped with a well-rounded understanding of global business dynamics.
A significant moment in Mahabub’s career came during her time at Standard Chartered Bank in Bangladesh. As an executive assistant in Country Risk, she delved into the intricate world of financial data analysis. “It was like learning a new language,” she says enthusiastically. “Suddenly, I could see patterns and insights in numbers that told stories about entire economies.”
Navigating the data deluge
In her current role at the Washington Glass Association, Mahabub’s contributions have been recognized through a 2024 Global Recognition Award for her significant achievements in business analysis. She has demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation, particularly through strategically implementing analytical frameworks that have established new standards within the industry. Mahabub’s approach combines analytical rigor with practical strategies for organizational improvement, contributing to enhanced organizational performance and data-driven decision-making processes.
Throughout her career, Mahabub continuously enhanced her knowledge through education, professional training, and certifications. These experiences have allowed her to transform her approach from management execution to strategic leadership, equipped with a well-rounded understanding of global business dynamics.
“The challenge isn’t just in analyzing the data,” Mahabub explains. “It’s in translating those insights into actionable strategies that everyone in the organization can understand and implement.” She delicately balances technical expertise and communication skills, a combination that has become increasingly valuable in business intelligence.
Mahabub’s work often involves collaborating with cross-functional teams to implement data-driven solutions. She shares a recent success story, “Analyzing call patterns and customer feedback has allowed us to redesign our IVR system to reduce wait times by 30 percent and significantly improve customer satisfaction scores.”
The future of business intelligence
Mahabub sees opportunities and challenges ahead as artificial intelligence and machine learning continue to reshape business analytics. “AI is not going to replace business analysts,” she asserts. “But analysts who understand how to leverage AI will certainly replace those who don’t.”
Her recent Global Recognition Award for excellence in her industry underscores her impact. “It’s an honor to be recognized,” she says modestly. “But more importantly, it validates that effective business intelligence is about more than just crunching numbers; it tells compelling stories with data.”
Mahabub is developing frameworks to help businesses thrive in data analytics. “The next frontier is in democratizing data analysis,” she explains. “We need to create systems that allow everyone in an organization, regardless of their technical background, to engage with data in meaningful ways.”
Mahabub turns back to her screens, ready to dive back into the sea of data. “Every dataset is a new world to explore,” she says, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. “And in each of those worlds, there are insights waiting to be discovered that could transform a business, an industry, or even society as a whole.”
In Mahabub’s capable hands, the future of business intelligence looks not just data-driven but deeply human — a fusion of analytical rigor and creative problem-solving that promises to reshape the corporate landscape for years to come.
