About Farhana Sethi
My Story
I am a dynamic and purposeful technology leader with over 20 years of experience driving innovation and excellence in Fortune 500 companies. My expertise spans Quality, Governance, Design, Process Optimization, Program Management, and Service Delivery. Recognized for my contributions to Artificial Intelligence, I have been honoured with the prestigious Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award for three consecutive years, starting in 2023. Throughout my career, I have spearheaded high-impact initiatives that have generated millions in return on investment, consistently delivering transformative solutions and strategic value.
Portfolio Management: Driving strategic oversight and execution across multiple projects and programs to ensure alignment with business objectives. Managing high-value initiatives that optimize resources, mitigate risks, and enhance efficiency. Leveraging data-driven insights and financial analysis to prioritize investments, maximize ROI, and support executive decision-making. Leading cross-functional teams to ensure seamless execution, stakeholder alignment, and continuous improvement in service delivery and operational excellence.
Program Management: Spearheading the full product lifecycle, from feasibility analysis and scoping to requirements definition, specification, design, development, quality assurance, integration, and implementation across multiple program-level projects. Leading client and user interactions to gather requirements, assess risks, finalize technical architecture, and manage discussions on effort, cost, and time estimation. Ensuring seamless client coordination and reporting.
Service Delivery Operation: Overseeing service delivery functions with a strong focus on end-to-end incident and service request ownership. Consistently meeting deadlines and turnaround times while maintaining quality standards and strict adherence to SLAs. Collaborating with clients to address needs, implement enhancements, customize solutions, and resolve software-related issues in alignment with delivery schedules.
People Management: Leading a team of 50 Data Scientists and analysts in the development of advanced data analytics solutions using innovative technologies such as Azure Cloud, MS SQL, Tableau, SharePoint, Power BI, and O365. Responsible for screening and hiring business system analysts, Data Scientists, and developers to support HR. Managing supervision, training, organizational planning, staffing operations, and technical project oversight, ensuring the delivery of 60 BI (Data Analytics) solutions per quarter.
Project Management: Driving project activities with a structured approach, including scoping, estimation, tracking, chain management, delivery management, and post-implementation support using Scrum and Agile methodologies. Managing projects within predefined budgets and deadlines, overseeing offshore/onshore delivery management for technical deliverables. Leading BI Data Analytics solutions for Schlumberger functions with a consistent output of sixty solutions per quarter.
IT Infrastructure: Ensuring compliance with company policies in IT infrastructure and facility administration. Evaluating organizational IT requirements for software, hardware, and other products, while efficiently managing procurement. Streamlining operational processes and advising management on modern techniques to maintain a robust and efficient system.
Governance & Quality Process: Establishing a robust Data Stewardship Framework, defining Data Standards and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to drive effective governance. Developing and implementing best practices and frameworks for Integration Strategy, ETL Strategy, Conceptual & Logical Data Model Development, Event Management & Alerting Requirements, Master Data Reporting, Backup & Archival Strategy to ensure operational efficiency and compliance.
Data Governance Strategy & Implementation: Designing a comprehensive Data Governance (DG) Communication Plan and defining KPIs to measure governance effectiveness. Identifying and consolidating key use cases to inform tool selection and proof of concept (POC) decisions. Leading the implementation of Data Dictionary, Data Catalog, Metadata Solutions for data governance, quality assurance, and metadata management within the selected DG tool.
Over 15 years of experience in Oil and gas industry, 5 years in Technology industry
Various research papers in International Peer reviewed Journals with Seven Citations. Google Scholar link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=tPoixqcAAAAJ&hl=en
One US Patent related to Software Innovation
Defining, designing and developing Governance & Quality framework for Business Intelligence solutions. Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) solutions, Business Intelligence Portfolio management.
Process automation
Business Management
Continuous Integration and Continues Delivery (CI-CD) deployment for BI components (Azure ADW, AAS, and Power BI) including automated testing.
Architecture
Technical architecture design Management
Defining, designing and developing Cost Model vs. utilization for BI Solutions. Responsible for delivering Business Intelligence solutions that enable business functions (HR, Finance, P&S, OI, Logistics, and Materials) to achieve objectives of cost reduction, improve business insights, decision-making, and service quality.
Business Intelligence
Service Delivery Management
Defining Data Stewardship Framework, Data Standards and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Governance. Implementing Data Dictionary, Data Catalogue, Metadata solution data governance, data quality, and metadata managementtool.
Governance
Service Delivery Framework
My Professional Affiliations
My Technical achievements
I acquired professional training , certification and implemented skillsets as mentioned below:
Technology trainings and certifications
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From |
Name |
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Alteryx |
Alteryx Advance |
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Apache Hadoop |
Big Data (Hadoop) |
|
Automation Anywhere |
AA Certified Advanced RPA Professional |
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AWS |
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, AWS Cloud Practitioner, AWS Security, AWS Machine Learning, AWS Certified Data Analytics, AWS Data Protection and Disaster Recovery |
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Cisco |
Cisco Certified Network Associate |
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Databricks |
Apache Spark 3 – Databricks Certified Associate Developer |
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Dataiku |
Dataiku Core & Advanced Designer, Dataiku ML Practitioner |
|
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Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate, Google BigQuery for Data Analysts, Google Project Management Professional Certificate, Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate, Google Cloud Platform- Big Data & Machine Learning, Generative AI from Google Cloud |
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Hong Kong University |
Full-Stack Web Development with React Specialization, Web UI Framework Bootstrap, Server-side Development with NodeJS and MongoDB. Spark AR Creator |
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HP |
Advanced Connected Backup |
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IBM |
Generative AI, IBM Professional Certificate, IBM Artificial Intelligence Certification, AI Product Manager Professional Certificate, AI Developer Professional Certificate, Data Science Professional Certificate, DevOps Professional Certificate, Software Engineering Certificate |
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ISACA |
Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Mastery (Expert Level) |
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Microsoft |
DP-600 – Implementing Analytics Solutions Using Microsoft Fabric, Microsoft – MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer & Internet), Microsoft – MCTS (MCSA Windows Server Technology Specialist and Office SharePoint Server, Microsoft – MCSA (Specialize in Security – Network, Internet Security and in Messaging), Microsoft – MCP (Clustering Services, Management and Active Directory Services), MCT Specialist in SharePoint Application Development , MCT in Advanced Tools & Scripting with PowerShell, MCSA in Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases, Designing and implementing a Microsoft Azure AI Solution, Implementing a Machine Learning Solution with Microsoft Azure Databricks, Hands-on Azure Synapse Analytics, Data AI: Enterprise Business Intelligence (BI) with Azure Analysis Services, Microsoft Certified Azure Solution Architect |
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Oracle |
Oracle Database development |
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RedHat |
Red Hat – Certified Linux System Administration |
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University of Michigan USA |
Python Programming for Everybody |
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UPenn USA |
AI For Business Specialization |
Leadership trainings and certifications
From | Name |
University of Pennsylvania USA | People Analytics and AI Applications in People Management |
University of Michigan USA | Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills |
Stanford University USA | Innovation and entrepreneurship & Principles of Economics |
SLB | Managing people in Schlumberger & Sustainability & transition technologies |
Section4 | Product & Business Strategy, Innovation, Data & Analytics, Psychology of Engagement and Storytelling |
Scrum.org | Professional Agile Leadership – Evidence-Based Management & Professional Scrum Master |
Rutgers University USA | Supply Chain Management & Procurement Negotiation Specialization |
Rice University USA | Finance for Non-Finance Professionals |
PMI | Project Management Professional |
LUMA | Design Thinking Practitioner |
LSSI | Lean & Six Sigma |
Johns Hopkins University USA | Human Resources Management |
ITIL | IT Service Management |
HubSpot | Digital Advertising and Sales |
Yale University USA | Financial Markets |
Awards and recognition
From | Name |
SLB | Performed by SLB – Bronze Award & amp! Monster Outreach award |
Microsoft | Most Valuable Professionals in AI Platform (Azure Machine Learning Studio) |
Microsoft | Azure Database for MySQL – Gold Contributor award |
Women in Tech | Nominated and shortlisted as a Finalist for the ‘Globally Renowned Women in Tech’ |
Designed, architect, developed and managed following software apps.
- Global BI Portfolio of 5K Plus BI solutions using Azure Web Service, .Net Core and Azure SQL warehouse. Reference for research
- Corporate Information Model Catalog using Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) cubes. Reference for research
- Continuous Integration & Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) for Microsoft Azure environment. Reference for research
- Stock Replenishment app, Open PO centralization, Logistic and shipping Management app. Reference for research
- Governance Framework for Business Intelligence. SLA and security. Reference for research
- Predict Employee attrition trend and HR Personnel Scorecard.
- Global Product line dashboard for Obsolescence and Inventory Forecast Management and reporting.
- Global Distribution Service Centre Planning and Reporting app.
- Travel cost management and Mobile Billing app.
- Global eClaims reporting and Invoice tracking app.
My Academic Education
- Professional Certificate in Reservoir Geomechanics from Stanford University , California United States
- Professional Certificate in Internet of Things from Stanford University ,California United States
- Professional certificate in Data Science: Machine Learning from Harvard University, Massachusetts United States
- Masters in Business Administration – American University Sharjah, U.A.E
- Bachelors in Engineering – Electrical & Computers Engineering from NED University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi, Pakistan