Alumni Feature: Shehrina Kaman

Shehrina Kamal is the Vice-President of Product Management at Everstream Analytics, where she leads a global team focused on developing AI/ML-driven solutions for supply chain risk, multi-tier mapping, and sustainability. With over 13 years of experience in B2B SaaS and 6 years in leadership, Shehrina has a proven track record of building and scaling high-performing teams across three continents. Her customer-centric approach and innovative vision have been instrumental in bringing market-leading products to life, earning Everstream recognition as one of the world’s most innovative companies by FastCompany. Shehrina's expertise spans product vision and strategy, roadmap definition, and talent development, making her a key player in the advancement of supply chain technology. Shehrina is a proud alumna of North South University. She is from Batch 2005 and studied Economics as her Bachelors degree. Interview Questions for Shehrina Kamal 1. Could you tell us about your journey from your time at North South University to becoming the Vice-President of Product Management at Everstream Analytics? What key experiences or challenges have shaped your career? I finished my Bachelor of Science in Economics at North South University and landed an internship opportunity at the DHL global headquarters in Bonn, Germany through AIESEC, which I was active in during my time at NSU. My internship was at DHL Express in Global Sales, where I was responsible for requirements management, roll-out and adoption of a internal sales platform. This was my foray into product management, though I didn’t realize it at the time. Towards the end of my internship, I started looking for full-time employment. This was 2010 when macroeconomic conditions were not great and opportunities were limited. Nevertheless, I was hired into the Corporate Communications team at Deutsche Post DHL, where I supported various communication initiatives. From there, I made my way into the innovation department of DHL, managing its external partner network. Through the course of this role, I was tapped to support partnership activities of a new innovation project within DHL to address supply chain resiliency. I soon took on a full-time role in this initiative, becoming the 3 rd employee of the emerging start-up. Fast forward 12 years later, I have had a front-row seat in building a company from scratch in a fast-growth environment through VC funding and developing an industry-leading supply chain resiliency solution. The path wasn’t always linear, but curiosity and willingness to try anything twice kept me going and led me to where I now realize I always wanted to be. 2. What drew you to product management? I have always loved looking at an abstract problem and coming up with ways to solve them through understanding what needs solving. What needs solving is never straightforward either – because if it is, then someone probably has done it already. It takes patience and perseverance to understand what truly needs to get done, and then combine it with market readiness and feasibility to create a solution around it. It requires that problems be looked at from all angles and that’s what keeps me motivated – continuously stretching myself. There is no end to innovating, but keeping an eye on what solves a real problem, whether it scales and how it drives business growth makes product management a true cross-functional role and that’s what gets me excited everyday. 3. In a rapidly evolving tech landscape, how do you ensure that your product strategies stay aligned with market demands and customer needs? I live by a couple of core tenets: listen to your customers, don’t fall in love with your own ideas, keep an eye on the competition, follow industry developments, and understand how technology is shaping the industry. Then tie it altogether to see the big picture. Make targeted bets. There will never be enough resources to do all the things that need doing, but making some targeted bets will help you stay aligned with market demand and customer needs. 4. Who is/are your role model(s)? What are the things that inspire you? I am often inspired by resiliency and perseverance, in all shapes and forms. From witnessing my parents build and demonstrate resiliency in the face of adversity, to reading stories of ordinary strangers who have lived extraordinary lives – I often find myself seeking out narratives of resilience that help me see life from different perspectives. Most recently, I have been inspired by the student-led protests in Bangladesh that achieved the impossible. On a professional level, I am continuously inspired by strong, female leaders that push boundaries in non-traditional industries (for women) and I am lucky to be surrounded by such women who I learn from everyday. 5. What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates who aspire to pursue a career in product management or the tech industry? While what you study and what grades you get are important, it is not the most important thing in predicting professional success (unless you intend to pursue a highly-specialized path). Focus on understanding who you are, what makes you get up in the morning and what you are/can be good at. Dabble in hobbies. Your profession does not have to be your passion, but spend enough time on understanding yourself so you are not miserable at work. Be intentional in developing soft skills as you work towards acquiring technical skills. Be curious. Focus on being a well- rounded, well-informed, empathetic human being. That is what will set you apart.

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