<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiigFodHRwczovL3d3dy50aGVnbG9iZWFuZG1haWwuY29tL2J1c2luZXNzL2NhcmVlcnMvdG9wLWVtcGxveWVycy9hcnRpY2xlLWNhbmFkYXMtYmVzdC1kaXZlcnNpdHktZW1wbG95ZXJzLTIwMjMtYXJlLXVubG9ja2luZy10aGUtcG93ZXItb2YtYS_SAQA?oc=5" target="_blank">Canada's Best Diversity Employers 2023 are unlocking the power of a diverse workforce</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">The Globe and Mail</font>

Canada's Best Diversity Employers 2023 are unlocking the power of a diverse workforce - The Globe and Mail

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiUmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZWdsb2JlYW5kbWFpbC5jb20vYnVzaW5lc3MvYXJ0aWNsZS1ibGFjay1zdHVkZW50LXJlY3J1aXRtZW50LWNhbmFkYS_SAQA?oc=5" target="_blank">Companies use student intern programs as a pipeline to help improve representation of Black employees</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">The Globe and Mail</font>

Companies use student intern programs as a pipeline to help improve representation of Black employees - The Globe and Mail

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - College of Business

Managing Director at YASH Ventures

Chicago, Illinois, United States

YASH Ventures is a founder led fund that partners with exceptional entrepreneurs using technology-first solutions to improve industry, commerce, and livelihood. Whether it's building products that allows goods and services to be more accessible or finding ways to make industries more efficient and innovative, we provide the network, expertise, and support to help companies navigate their way to success.We are more than a traditional VC and help accelerate startup growth by not only providing capital, but digital and technology insights via our partnership with YASH Technologies, a global digital and technology advisory firm. We are committed to adding value to our investments and creating meaningful change.

YASH Ventures

Managing Director

E15 is a next-generation analytics and emerging technology company that brings unmatched industry intelligence and cutting edge analytics to food & beverage, sports, entertainment, hospitality, and retail industries to help companies make forward-looking decisions to benefit their business, fans, and customers.Co-lead a Business and Consumer Consulting practice that advises clients in sports, entertainment, food & beverage hospitality, and real estate development to make data-driven decisions that ensure capital investments and strategic decisions are financially viable, desirable by the end user, and operationally feasible.

E15 Group

Director of Business Consulting

Led capital and customer experience initiatives in Hospitality Resorts, MLB, NCAA Football, Racing, and Sportsbooks to ensure clients effectively plan for and make capital and strategic decisions that are desirable, viable, and feasible.

Manager of Master Planning

Mentor to students at St. Helen Catholic School in Chicago

Big Shoulders Fund

Volunteer

Advised C-Suite and led teams in Retail, Consumer Products, Financial Services, and High-Tech in areas of Technology Strategy, M&A, Digital, and Operating Model development. Extensive experience delivering large scale (>$50MM) transformation programs, Pre & Post Merger M&A and Divestitures, CIO Advisory, Innovation, and Operating Models from start-ups to Fortune 50 organizations.

Accenture

Strategy Manager

Delivered on business-driven technology transformations, Pre & Post Merger M&A and Divestitures, CIO Advisory engagements, and Operating Models for Retail, Consumer Products, Financial Services, and High-Tech organizations.

Strategy Consultant

- Skills based volunteer for MakerSquare to research and develop initiatives around diversity, branding, and education equality in technology• Assist MakerSquare in becoming a market and thought leader in providing equal education opportunities to women and low-income individuals in the fields of technology and engineering

MakerSquare

Part-Time Market and Branding Research Volunteer

Delivered on business-driven technology transformations, Pre & Post Merger M&A and Divestitures, CIO Advisory engagements, and Operating Models for Financial Services organizations.

Strategy Senior Analyst

Fortune 100 Chemical CompanyIntegration & PMO Lead• Integration and PMO lead for the implementation of $1B in IT assets across 15+ work streams for a chemical plant in Saudi Arabia• Advised a Fortune 100 client to use data-driven methods to stand up a PMO office overseeing the implementation of $1B in IT assets• Aligned PMO metrics, executive scorecards, and the integration strategy to business outcomes, reducing the financial impact of missed project milestones by 25%• Enabled work stream leads and the PMO office to focus on strategic and project execution activities by automating project reporting and reducing manual effort by 50%

Strategy Analyst

Illinois Business Consulting

Consultant

- Managed a $800MM technology integration budget for the acquisition of M&I Bank by BMO Harris Bank•	Reconciled integration budget bi-monthly and presented results to Integration Management Office •	Decreased a $90MM budget deficit by 10% by identifying $9MM in discretionary spending among 150 different integration projects•	Automated and simplified financial and budget reports which decreased the client’s time and cost towards the integration•	Analyzed portfolio sizes, demand, and expected growth to create templates for post-integration corporate structure

Protiviti

Risk Consultant Intern

- Utilized SAP and examined historical cost trends to create the 2012 annual operating plan for Dallas Gatorade•	Performed SOX internal controls testing to ensure manufacturing compliance in addition to conducting various cost accounting duties•	Analyzed $1MM of raw materials inventory and the materials usage variance to help reduce manufacturing costs by $150k annually•	Led a ten member cross-functional team to create a plan to minimize inefficiencies in different sectors of production •	Designed new inventory procedures that standardized documentation across the business

PepsiCo

Supply Chain Finance Intern

- Educated patrons on resources available to conduct research•	Aided patrons in obtaining library materials through use of online catalog•	Trained librarian assistants on library policies and various research techniques

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Music and Performing Arts Library

Research Assistant

- Assisted patrons in searching for library materials and using library services and resources•	Maximized library efficiency through re-organization of books

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Librarians Assistant

- Managed $5,000 of donated items and allocated them evenly to shelters•	Inspired homeless children through planned events at the shelters with youth volunteers•	Coordinated the budget and fundraiser events while minimizing costs

Neil Desai