As 2021 begins, we reflect on a challenging year while looking forward to what this new year brings. This past year was especially notable for IPN, as it transitioned from hosting in-person events to becoming a digitally-connected organization. It is dedicated to providing value to the Ismaili professional community by promoting diversity, opportunities for career development and professional growth, and collaboration, and this year, all while connecting one another in a world online.
Ali Velshi
IPN had record-breaking numbers of social media engagement, new members signing up on IPNonline, online event attendance, and participation in new IPN initiatives. In addition, IPN volunteer teams grew by 85% this year, collaborated on creating new programs, marketing strategy, creative design, engaging content, and events during the pandemic.
Some of IPN's notable accomplishments from 2020 include:
- 14,000 attendees across a variety of virtual events and networking sessions
- 3,000 Jamati Members benefiting from IPN’s Career Coaching, Job Search Support, Certifications / Upskilling, and Connect Programs
- Launch of new and focused professional communities (i.e. Emerging Ismaili Professionals, Product Management, Accounting, and Entrepreneurship)
Suneera Madhani
‘Making the Leap to Entrepreneurship,’ with Suneera Madhani, CEO and Founder of Fattmerchant
With the support of its volunteers, IPN has been fortunate to be able to assist and positively impact our Jamat. Let’s take a look back and reflect on ways IPN helped bring our community together virtually.
1. A successful transition to virtual events and engaging sessions online
Ismaili professionals in all industries are eager to connect with other individuals in order to improve their professional skills. Beginning in March, IPN transitioned all events online and used this time to transform the organization to be able to support and connect Ismaili professionals. The creative design, marketing, and online events teams have gone above and beyond in supporting the needs of the numerous online events conducted by IPN. This led to attendance for the virtual events increasing as these virtual events were offered more frequently.
2. Supporting college students and recent graduates
We would also like to recognize all 2020 graduates. We understand the difficulty of graduating during a pandemic, and we celebrate their accomplishments, and applaud their resilience at this time. Some of our targeted programming for young professionals this year included:
Dr. Karim Lakahni
The EIP Summit: Another 2020 initiative targeted towards this audience, the Emerging Ismaili Professionals Summit, was featured in an article a few months ago as an event with a “collaborative structure catered to students who are more interested in having a conversation about their interests.” The Summit was well-received by participants as a “one-of-a-kind event revolutionizing the way young emerging Ismaili professionals interacted within our community”
3. The launch of new initiatives
IPN launched new initiatives targeted towards fostering growth within the Ismaili Professional community. Regional chapters created programming to serve the larger Ismaili community; for example, the Product Management panel put together by IPN West earlier this year, led to the creation of the Product Management Guide. These national and regional programs helped professionals stay, and develop their skills during this time.
More examples of new programs created include:
- The Ismaili Connection podcast, showcasing Ismaili professionals across diverse industries that you can find here.
- The IPN Career Coaching and Job Search Support Program helps Jamati members with career guidance, resume reviews, LinkedIn profile updates, interview preparation, and introductions to Ismaili connections at their target companies and industries.
- The IPN Certifications Program provides upskilling, certifications, and training to Jamati Members to prepare them for in-demand careers, such as Robotic Process Automation, Product Owner, and Agile ScrumMaster certifications.
- The IPN Job Board presents opportunities sourced through Ismaili professionals. Jamati members can get connected with Ismaili connections to discuss these roles or post jobs from their companies.
- New communities formed from IPN’s Alliances with focused programming and groups for professionals in the fields of Accounting, Product Management, and Entrepreneurship.
- Emerging Ismaili Professionals began hosting specialized events to provide guidance for college students and recent graduates. These included First-Year Focus events, and the Post-University Preparedness Program for careers in investment banking and management consulting.
Kabir Barday
‘From Professional to Entrepreneur,’ with Kabir Barday, CEO of OneTrust
4. Focus on Civic Engagement
In 2020, IPN began focusing on the importance of civic engagement and being politically active in the presidential election process. It hosted live watch parties during the presidential debates where attendees participated in dialogues with fellow Ismaili professionals. It also hosted conversations with Ismaili professionals on foreign policy and policymaking.
Tell IPN about your professional accomplishments!
Throughout the year, IPN grew and developed alongside the Ismaili professional community. Thank you all for being a part of IPN. IPN is here to support you! IPN can help with your career development, connect you with other Ismaili Professionals, and help with your job search. Please reach out to IPN at [email protected].
Lastly, IPN would like to hear from you, if you have experienced a career accomplishment or major milestone, IPN would love to hear about it. Write a LinkedIn post with #ipnshoutout and tag IPN, to be considered for a feature in the IPN newsletter or IPN social media.
