Home » Areas of Study » IT / Information Systems » Moving initiatives through technology: Sanjeev Michael Masih

Moving initiatives through technology: Sanjeev Michael Masih

Alumni , Areas of Study IT / Information Systems | Apr 16, 2013 |

by Emily Raleigh (GSB ’16)

There is no denying that technology is consuming our world. Sanjeev Michael Masih (GSB ’07) has experienced the technology boom first hand.

As a risk-management consultant for Accenture, Mr. Masih’s job responsibilities change from project to project, but they all boil down to one question: “How can we optimize the business to lower the risk?”

It’s a question he uses technology to answer.

Mr. Masih works on the functional side of technology and business, meaning that he uses tech to drive specific projects forward. Falling into technology was natural for him, as it goes hand in hand with commerce. “It’s an interwoven environment,” he says.

The same wasn’t true of Mr. Masih’s Fordham education, back in the mid-2000s. He graduated in December 2007, when technology was not intertwined with a Gabelli School of Business education in the way it is these days.

“I did not benefit from the programs GSB has now,” Mr. Masih says, “and I didn’t know how much of an impact technology would have on the financial world that I am in today.”

While tech was not a feature of his curriculum, he was able to encounter it in the outside world, as an intern. Mr. Masih took an internship with Bank of America that led to a full-time job, which he began while still a full-time student.

“By the time I was a junior in college, I was managing six analysts,” Mr. Masih recalls. “It really helped me understand what was happening with technology.” Soon enough, his skills started to align with tech. It became a natural fit for him to lead a team that had a foundation in the IT field.

Mr. Masih’s management work in business technology has taught him the value of something that most people don’t associate with tech: good communication. It actually is quite important in IT, where many highly skilled workers come from different countries and have varied cultural backgrounds.

To prepare for this workplace reality, Mr. Masih encourages Fordham students to go out and experience New York City and its diverse population, saying that it will help them learn how to work alongside people in the tech field.

“Technology is a very diverse group of people, and you need to know how to successfully communicate with them,” he says.

In terms of academic preparation, Mr. Masih recommends taking as many business classes as possible, but he also suggests learning softer skills, such as how to give good presentations and deliver a crisp message with a clean PowerPoint. He highly advocates for internships, knowing the impact his first one had on his career.

Finally, Mr. Masih mentions the power of doing social work.

“Helping people is very important,” he says. “You will feel good about what you have accomplished, and it can be a good way to network with people in an informal setting. You help folks in need, and it pays back.”

 

 

Connect with the Gabelli School of Business

© 2024 Gabelli School of Business

GabelliConnect is the news site of the Gabelli School of Business at Fordham University. Read about career opportunities, campus events, student and alumni success stories, and more.