I have always found my true self somewhere in between the intersection of a strategic business mind and a curious explorer of arts, culture and history. My first entrepreneurial stride came during my senior year of high school when I created a student-focused clothing line that sold t-shirts to over 2,500 students. The strategic thinker in me knew how to scope out this market gap where no one was offering the unique selling proposition of offering students institution-branded t-shirts that they could own and the choice to customise them for events like graduation, and the creative explorer in me knew how to design t-shirts with catchy visuals and relatable slogans that would be able to capture the said market gap. This ability to make the marriage between strategy and creativity has been the key driving factor in my journey thus far. For the next puzzle piece of this journey, GLOCAL seems like the right fit for me due to its holistic approach combining business with economics, history, and creativity, which I believe will provide me with an opportunity to explore different cities and cultures, enhancing my understanding of global markets and development.
The early first-hand business experience motivated me to pursue an undergraduate degree in business. However, after high school, I faced hurdles of unavoidable personal and financial difficulties that held me back from starting business school right away. Instead of seeing this as a setback, I turned it into an opportunity and began working to start building my career. I gradually returned to my studies and pursued a Bachelor of Business Administration with a marketing major at North South University, graduating with a 3.65 CGPA (≈89%) and Magna Cum Laude distinction. I even scored perfect grades in all my marketing courses. With this academic background, I increasingly understood how the development of international markets and globalisation intertwined and were closely related to the economy, culture, people, and business history. This is why the GLOCAL programme excites, amazes, and motivates me to be a part of it. I feel deeply attached to this line of people-focused, immersive side of academia.
Throughout university, I actively participated in various public speaking events, debates, MUNs, and business case-solving competitions, achieving a commendable degree of success in each. In my final undergraduate year, I developed a fondness for research as I took the Marketing Research course. Following that interest, I worked as a research assistant in the marketing department for 6 months, focusing on consumer behaviour, advertising appeal and social behaviour change. My undergraduate journey also included a fully funded exchange semester at Saint Mary's University in Canada. To add to this fantastic experience, I also aimed to gain work experience in an international landscape. I got a job at Lululemon working retail to broaden my cultural and global perspective. This international experience has been like a Hitchhiker's Guide to opening my eyes to the fine interconnection between global markets and the vibrance of local cultures. Now, I am eager to explore how diverse cultural contexts shape business practices and consumer behaviour through the lens of academia and to blend these insights into practicality - something I will be able to do through the GLOCAL programme.
Alongside my academic strides, I have built a noteworthy career of over six years as I started working early and kept balancing a full-time job throughout my undergraduate studies. Utilising the few skills I acquired off YouTube in photography, visual design, and digital marketing, I landed an internship at a leading NGO, which later helped me get a job at one of the most prominent tech startups in the country. Following that, I built myself up in the marketing agency industry and continue to do so to this day as I have found this closer to that blend of strategy and creativity that I thrive on. I contributed to over 50 multinational and local brands, helping them achieve growth and better associate with their consumers. Each new client broadened my understanding of globalisation-how local businesses adapt to global best practices while retaining their unique identities. Conversely, I observed how multinationals tailor their strategies to fit local contexts in Bangladesh, considering cultural, historical, and economic nuances across all operations, from manufacturing to marketing. These experiences have equipped me with diversified expertise in market research, consumer behaviour analysis, project management, private sector engagement, project finance management, business development, social behaviour change communication and report writing. The Bangladesh Brand Forum and prestigious international stages, such as Spikes Asia and the Beijing International PSA, have also awarded my works. With my proven track record and reputation within the industry, I was honoured to be a shortlisting jury member at Commwards 2023.
The GLOCAL is the perfect master's programme to coalesce my technical speciality, exposure to various creative industries, and passion for the arts. Concurrently, the curriculum in my chosen Track (B) complements my previous studies in business, especially with courses like The Globalised Economy, Business and Government in the Global Economy, Creative Cities: Intervention Models and Entrepreneurial Dynamics, Port Cities in Historical Perspective, Global History of Marketing and Mass Consumption, and many more. It will also assist me in progressing towards my career aim of becoming a sustainable business development consultant and historian. I want to specialise in global markets and development and contribute to the Global South's academia and research Sector. I am profoundly keen on Asian business and economic history and believe history is an efficient and effective tool for understanding contemporary political-economic scenarios, especially in East, Southeast, and South Asia. I am confident GLOCAL will enable me to achieve this by providing learnings that allow me to draw on theories from diverse disciplines in the social sciences to study how people make choices, judgments, and decisions in the marketplace, organisations, and society. The programme's emphasis on historical and social contexts of economic development aligns perfectly with my passion for business history and understanding cultural nuances.
In line with that vision, for my GLOCAL dissertation topic, I want to focus on exploring how cultural colonisation from India has impacted the market competitiveness of local businesses in the Subcontinent (and South Asia in a broader lens) and how the phenomenon has been put into hyperdrive with the emergence of digital media.
I have been following the GLOCAL Programme since 2022, from the moment I discovered it, as it just felt like the perfect platform to turn my passion into purpose. However, due to the programme not having funding last year, I could not apply even with all my willpower and readiness. But it seems like good things take time, and we must wait for the right moment after all. I'm excited to explore my ideas with like-minded individuals and gain firsthand experience across diverse cities. The rich interplay between business, creativity and history ignites my enthusiasm for GLOCAL - a breathing space of nurturing where I can collaborate with my fellow dreamers and doers who share my curiosity about how local creativity inspires and blossoms into global opportunities. And the cherry on top for a travel enthusiast like me, nothing beats the thrill of exploring Europe while diving deep into my passions-now that's a motivation on another level.
The early first-hand business experience motivated me to pursue an undergraduate degree in business. However, after high school, I faced hurdles of unavoidable personal and financial difficulties that held me back from starting business school right away. Instead of seeing this as a setback, I turned it into an opportunity and began working to start building my career. I gradually returned to my studies and pursued a Bachelor of Business Administration with a marketing major at North South University, graduating with a 3.65 CGPA (≈89%) and Magna Cum Laude distinction. I even scored perfect grades in all my marketing courses. With this academic background, I increasingly understood how the development of international markets and globalisation intertwined and were closely related to the economy, culture, people, and business history. This is why the GLOCAL programme excites, amazes, and motivates me to be a part of it. I feel deeply attached to this line of people-focused, immersive side of academia.
Throughout university, I actively participated in various public speaking events, debates, MUNs, and business case-solving competitions, achieving a commendable degree of success in each. In my final undergraduate year, I developed a fondness for research as I took the Marketing Research course. Following that interest, I worked as a research assistant in the marketing department for 6 months, focusing on consumer behaviour, advertising appeal and social behaviour change. My undergraduate journey also included a fully funded exchange semester at Saint Mary's University in Canada. To add to this fantastic experience, I also aimed to gain work experience in an international landscape. I got a job at Lululemon working retail to broaden my cultural and global perspective. This international experience has been like a Hitchhiker's Guide to opening my eyes to the fine interconnection between global markets and the vibrance of local cultures. Now, I am eager to explore how diverse cultural contexts shape business practices and consumer behaviour through the lens of academia and to blend these insights into practicality - something I will be able to do through the GLOCAL programme.
Alongside my academic strides, I have built a noteworthy career of over six years as I started working early and kept balancing a full-time job throughout my undergraduate studies. Utilising the few skills I acquired off YouTube in photography, visual design, and digital marketing, I landed an internship at a leading NGO, which later helped me get a job at one of the most prominent tech startups in the country. Following that, I built myself up in the marketing agency industry and continue to do so to this day as I have found this closer to that blend of strategy and creativity that I thrive on. I contributed to over 50 multinational and local brands, helping them achieve growth and better associate with their consumers. Each new client broadened my understanding of globalisation-how local businesses adapt to global best practices while retaining their unique identities. Conversely, I observed how multinationals tailor their strategies to fit local contexts in Bangladesh, considering cultural, historical, and economic nuances across all operations, from manufacturing to marketing. These experiences have equipped me with diversified expertise in market research, consumer behaviour analysis, project management, private sector engagement, project finance management, business development, social behaviour change communication and report writing. The Bangladesh Brand Forum and prestigious international stages, such as Spikes Asia and the Beijing International PSA, have also awarded my works. With my proven track record and reputation within the industry, I was honoured to be a shortlisting jury member at Commwards 2023.
The GLOCAL is the perfect master's programme to coalesce my technical speciality, exposure to various creative industries, and passion for the arts. Concurrently, the curriculum in my chosen Track (B) complements my previous studies in business, especially with courses like The Globalised Economy, Business and Government in the Global Economy, Creative Cities: Intervention Models and Entrepreneurial Dynamics, Port Cities in Historical Perspective, Global History of Marketing and Mass Consumption, and many more. It will also assist me in progressing towards my career aim of becoming a sustainable business development consultant and historian. I want to specialise in global markets and development and contribute to the Global South's academia and research Sector. I am profoundly keen on Asian business and economic history and believe history is an efficient and effective tool for understanding contemporary political-economic scenarios, especially in East, Southeast, and South Asia. I am confident GLOCAL will enable me to achieve this by providing learnings that allow me to draw on theories from diverse disciplines in the social sciences to study how people make choices, judgments, and decisions in the marketplace, organisations, and society. The programme's emphasis on historical and social contexts of economic development aligns perfectly with my passion for business history and understanding cultural nuances.
In line with that vision, for my GLOCAL dissertation topic, I want to focus on exploring how cultural colonisation from India has impacted the market competitiveness of local businesses in the Subcontinent (and South Asia in a broader lens) and how the phenomenon has been put into hyperdrive with the emergence of digital media.
I have been following the GLOCAL Programme since 2022, from the moment I discovered it, as it just felt like the perfect platform to turn my passion into purpose. However, due to the programme not having funding last year, I could not apply even with all my willpower and readiness. But it seems like good things take time, and we must wait for the right moment after all. I'm excited to explore my ideas with like-minded individuals and gain firsthand experience across diverse cities. The rich interplay between business, creativity and history ignites my enthusiasm for GLOCAL - a breathing space of nurturing where I can collaborate with my fellow dreamers and doers who share my curiosity about how local creativity inspires and blossoms into global opportunities. And the cherry on top for a travel enthusiast like me, nothing beats the thrill of exploring Europe while diving deep into my passions-now that's a motivation on another level.
