Shama Patel

Experience

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  Software Architects

  Mar 1991 - Mar 1994

  Senior Manager

  During her tenure at Software Architects, Shama focused her attention on managing multiple business and technology integration projects primarily in the area of human resources. She led the digitization of HR records, at a time when digital technology was in it's infancy. She also developed and implemented change plans for the shut down of a popular and renowned catalog service.Her primary client was Sears Logistics. Her accomplishments included:• Manage the digitization of 1000's of personnel records and led the business change effort• Establish a nation wide support organization across 13 cities to support the catalog closure• Design and implemented succession planning, affirmative action and other HR processes• Manage multiple small projects in support of logistics Show less

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  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  Mar 1994 - Jan 2000

  Principal

  At PwC, Shama was instrumental in building the Business Intelligence (BI) practice for the aviation industry. BI, a precursor to Big Data, was an emerging field at that time. She played a leadership role in evolving data warehouse projects into analytical solutions to solve complex business problems. She also worked on complex systems integration projects to build data warehouses and move from mainframes to distributed systems platforms. During this period she honed her skills to manage large scale, multi-year, multi-million dollar engagements across multiple industries progressively playing various roles including analyst, project manager, program manager, client relationship manager and trusted advisor for clients in the US and Europe. Her accomplishments included:• Transform $200K technology contract into $5M multiyear account • Create $15M+ annual consulting revenue stream in the aviation industry• Negotiate and closed $1M deal to implement data management solutions• Manage 80+ team for infrastructure development and worldwide technology deployment • Manage 40+ team members to design, develop and deploy customer data warehouse.• Implement Business-Technology alignment and engagement practices for large programs.• Provide leadership for Unix-to-mainframe migration for $20M+ systems integration program Show less

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  Accenture

  Jan 2000 - Oct 2001

  Associate Partner, Travel and Transportation

  While at Accenture, Shama served as the aviation industry global Customer Relationship Management (CRM) practice leader and led the creation of industry wide CRM blueprints, roadmaps, and scorecards that positioned Accenture as a leader in the airline industry for solving complex business problems. She also helped build a rich and varied practice by developing new business, identifying industry trends, evaluating innovative technologies and coaching and developing young managers. During this period she primarily focused on CRM strategy development, organization alignment, designing innovative customer focused marketing functions and technology enablement for the travel and transportation industry with clients in the US, Europe and Asia. Her accomplishments included: • Develop unique point of view on operationalizing CRM for the airline industry• Architect winning response to CRM strategy resulting in $300K strategy project• Drove $2M in new revenues by commercializing CRM competency for the aviation industry• Avert $1M in budget overruns by jump starting stagnant customer database design project• Advise cross-border teams in Europe and Asia in CRM strategy and industry specifics• Develop change plans for the launch of a major loyalty program as a separate business entity Show less

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  CommerceLoop

  Nov 2001 - Jun 2005

  Founder and Principal

  Shama launched CommerceLoop in response to the events of September 11th which was a turning point in her career. CommerceLoop was setup as a consulting practice that focused on building management talent and resilience to take on change initiatives, across a broad spectrum of industries. During this time, she led a number of initiatives, set them up for success and transitioned to capable and empowered leaders. She also developed strategic plans for start-ups and entrepreneurs and helped them develop new business and setup for success. Her clients included IES Abroad, NORC, Ruan Transportation, CNA Insurance, 8to18, James Jordan Foundation and other startups. During this period she helped her clients:• Reduce labor by 15%; increased productivity by 20% by re-designing phone-survey processes. • Create a $15M+ annual consulting revenue stream for consulting firm.• Secure $700K engagement to design and develop loyalty program for Loyalty consulting firm• Generate $4M of new business by generating leads and proposals for IT outsourcing companies• Secure a $15M government survey contract for opinion research company• Manage $2.5M contact center implementation. Show less

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  United Airlines

  Jun 2005 - Jun 2008

  Managing Director, Corporate Strategy and Planning

  Shama led business integration and alignment for a major change initiative to develop a common platform that would allow United, Lufthansa and other Star Alliance partners deliver a cohesive and integrated customer experience enabling hassle free international travel. Her team drove customer facing, business process consistency across major international airlines. Her accomplishments included:• Transform $300M infrastructure program into a value focused, business change initiative• Deliver $150M+ in annualized benefits by re-engineering processes and technology enablement• Design communication strategies and plans across 20 divisions leveraging multiple vehicles• Establish governance; decision rights and change plans to support large-scale initiatives• Drove alignment across 20 divisions through a cross matrix governance structure• Enroll 50+ change champions in the field ensuring “grass-roots” engagement• Design value proposition for centralizing training to enable training of 20,000 field agents• Implement cross-border processes and practices across US and Europe• Reduce application development time by 20% using principles of business process management• Reduce 40 person years of development by process improvement and complexity reduction• Present change management methods and practices at multiple conferences Show less

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  Drive Change

  Feb 2009 - now

  Managing Director and Founder

  Shama Patel is the founder of Drive Change, a consultancy that helps business leaders drive large scale transformation from ideation through implementation, using structured methods and frameworks. The focus is on building the organization's resilience to rapidly respond to change. Shama's experience in managing change ranges from strategy definition and cross-functional alignment; governance and organization design; extreme facilitation and conflict resolution; leadership and team development; and executive coaching and mentoring across a wide variety of industries and business processes. Her industry expertise spans travel, retail, health care and education. While many of her clients are focused on technology driven digital marketing, she has also advised service and information technology functions. Her clients include United Airlines, Sears Holding, Accretive Health, Star Alliance, IES Abroad, etc. During this period she has helped her clients: • Establish a high performing team delivering over $3B in revenue through improved targeting• Deliver over $47M incremental revenue through omni-channel personalization • Drive alignment across 13 autonomous business units in support of personalized marketing• Develop $200M international growth opportunity for higher education• Establish a mobile marketing function that doubled on device sales in under one year• Setup a social media customer service organization engaging over 30+ functions• Design a comprehensive digital marketing strategy across 10+ channels including mass media• Establish enterprise wide program and change management practices• Instill the discipline of annual planning that motivates and inspires teams towards action• Develop leaders and teams that lead and communicate with power Show less

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  Department of Digitalization, Copenhagen Business School

  Aug 2019 - Dec 2023

  PHD Candidate

  Titled Summer of 2020: Situating Digital Media in Scaling Affective Contagion - A Case of the George Floyd Video, Shama's Ph.D. thesis delves into the mechanisms through which digital media (videos, images, memes, etc.) plays a pivotal role in scaling affective contagion, galvanizing individuals, and social movements to instigate change within their communities. By scrutinizing the extraordinary reaction to the George Floyd video and events in the USA and Denmark, the thesis contends that select digital media possess the remarkable ability to evoke profound reactions and emotions, giving rise to what can aptly be termed an affective contagion that scales beyond institutional, geographical, and cultural boundaries, motivating individual and collective action. These digital media, through their continuous and recurrent presence in our mediatized society, wield a profound influence over the dynamics and structure of the social landscape, such that even in their absence, they persist as pivotal reference points and catalysts for transformative change. The thesis’s main contribution is in presenting a conceptual framework that helps scholars understand how certain digital media amplify affective contagion. Additionally, it introduces material-affective assemblage thinking as a novel theoretical lens for examining highly affective phenomena and digital epidemiography as a research method to harness and harvest affective digital trace data.qualitatively study digitally mediatized affective contagion at scale. Publications can be found in the publications section. Show less

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  New York University

  Sept 2024 - now

  Post-Doctoral Faculty Fellow

  As faculty fellow at NYU Stern School of Business, my research explores how digital media fundamentally alter power dynamics in forming new social identities and reformed subjectivities that galvanize individuals and social movements to drive societal change. A key example of this research is my doctoral work analyzing the impact of the George Floyd video and how it organized social movements as a digitally mediatized affective contagion at scale. This study demonstrates my interest in understanding the organizing principles behind contemporary forms of activism catalyzed by digital media and how they shape civic and political participation in support of social justice and nature conservation. My work provides valuable insights into methodological approaches and interpretive frameworks that help unfold and analyze pivotal media events as emergent digital phenomena.Link to bio at NYU: https://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/shama-patel Show less