Open to opportunities

Minhaj Rais

@minhajrais

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Senior strategist and competitive intelligence expert driving multi-million-dollar business growth

India

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What I'm looking for

I am looking for a role that challenges me strategically and allows for impactful decision-making in a dynamic environment.

I am a seasoned Associate Director of Global Strategy at Cactus Communications, specializing in leveraging industry research to provide strategic guidance to C-suite executives. My expertise has influenced multi-million-dollar decisions in business strategy, investments, and M&A, consistently exceeding targets worth tens of millions of dollars annually.

Throughout my career, I have successfully driven revenue scale-up initiatives, achieving $25 million in annual revenue growth through exceptional market research and stakeholder management. I have a proven track record in competitor tracking and opportunity analysis, identifying numerous growth opportunities that have resulted in significant revenue impacts. My leadership in transitioning Editage to a freelance model has not only increased profitability but also enhanced operational efficiency.

With a strong focus on training and mentoring, I have empowered teams to amplify their impact on social media and foster a culture of innovation. I am passionate about developing strategies that not only meet market demands but also position organizations for long-term success.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Associate Director, Global Strategy

Current

Cactus Communications

Jan 2024 - Present (1 year 6 months)

Conducted industry analyses and major initiative reviews to support global strategy and identify key growth drivers for products. Advised on product strategy, delivering key recommendations for developing new features and guided product differentiation in a commoditized AI landscape including Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies for various markets around the globe.

Product Strategy Go To Market Strategy B2B Sales Market Analysis Competitive Intelligence Stakeholder Management AI Landscape Analysis

Project Lead, Global Strategy

Cactus Communications

Jan 2020 - Dec 2023 (3 years 11 months)

Analyzed B2B prospects, provided business intelligence for pitches, and advised on product/service offerings as a Sales Team Strategy Business Partner. Led competitor tracking initiatives, generating in-depth reports and analysis to guide organizational strategy.

Business Intelligence Sales Strategy Competitor Analysis Investment Analysis Strategic Planning Market Research Reporting

Senior Manager, Research & Insights

Cactus Communications

May 2018 - Jan 2020 (1 year 8 months)

Spearheaded promotion of newly launched research communications services, leading to total revenue of $10M+. Empowered sales team with competitive intelligence and business insights for pitches to top publishers for forging author service partnerships.

Sales Enablement Competitive Intelligence Social Media Management Content Development

Manager, Author Engagement

Cactus Communications

May 2017 - Apr 2018 (11 months)

Developed and executed an engagement plan, moving 2% of prospects to customers, netting $350K additional revenue. Reduced turnaround time for customer engagement campaigns via HubSpot automation workflows by 50%.

Customer Engagement Social Media Management Competitor Research Data Analysis Revenue

Manager, Operations

Kolabtree, Cactus Communications

Dec 2014 - Apr 2017 (2 years 4 months)

Sourced and hired over 15,000 PhD-qualified freelance experts from top universities globally, including Ivy League universities. Secured 500+ new customers through outreach to businesses, research institutions, and principal investigators via various channels.

Recruitment Customer Acquisition Platform Development Payment Processing Content Management Hootsuite

Associate Editor

Netscribes Pvt. Ltd.

Dec 2014 - Apr 2017 (2 years 4 months)

Edited content and overlooked design work for the Times Journal of Construction and Design, RetailBiz, and a quarterly newsletter of BASF (A German Chemical Company).

Content Editing Newsletter Production Publishing Quality Control Communication Media Production

Manager (Editorial Hiring), Global Talent Acquisition

Cactus Communications

Aug 2011 - Nov 2014 (3 years 3 months)

Automated the process for hiring subject-area experts, saving 400+ person-hours monthly, and increasing freelancer hiring capacity by 3X to around 1200 per annum. Managed operations and strategized for capacity-building initiatives.

Talent Acquisition Process Automation Capacity Planning Market Analysis Competitor Analysis Recruitment Strategy

Senior Associate Editor and Reviewer, Delivery

Cactus Communications

Feb 2007 - Jul 2011 (4 years 5 months)

Assisted senior leadership in executing business transformation plans by transitioning the in-house editorial team to a freelancer-based model, enabling 5X growth in business handling capacity and 30% higher profit margins. Edited and proofread manuscripts to support cutting-edge academic research across social sciences.

Business Transformation Editorial Quality Assurance Academic & Research Mentoring Performance Improvement Proofreading

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

University of Virginia & BCG

Certification, Leading The Modern Day Business

2022 - 2022

Completed a certification program focused on leading modern businesses, gaining insights into contemporary business strategies and leadership principles.