Pavan Karnam
Doha,DA
Summary
Experienced Business Analyst with 15+ years of success in the airline industry. Skilled in comprehending and translating business and systems requirements, conducting user acceptance testing, and providing comprehensive end-user training. Applies past experiences to inform decision-making, ensuring effective project management and leading cross-functional teams. Proficient in agile methodologies, leveraging expertise to drive successful outcomes.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
2
2
Certification
Work History
Lead Business Analyst / Product Owner
Qatar Airways
05.2014 - 10.2023
- Spearheaded digital transformation initiatives that improved operational efficiency by 75%, aligning technology solutions with business goals
- Led the Beyond Business Program revamp, expanding corporate loyalty redemption options with QDF, Almaha, Wogi, and Uber for Business vouchers
- Played a pivotal role in Galaxy 2.0 upgrade, enhancing sales and incentive management capabilities
- Implemented Salesforce (Sales Cloud) to streamline customer relationship management and integrate with Galaxy for seamless sales operations
- Championed E-commerce and Loyalty innovations, including:
- Revamped Qmiles loyalty program to enhance the Privilege Club experience
- Launched the Student Club program, providing exclusive benefits to student travelers
- Integrated Avios with non-airline partners (Accor, Avios conversion) to expand redemption options
- Developed upgrade options using Avios to boost premium cabin occupancy
- Led the Frequent Flyer Program (FFP) digital transformation, introducing a digital FFP card for seamless member access
- Analyzed cost of sales, corporate audit reports, and ancillary sales performance, optimizing revenue growth strategies
- Delivered 90% improvement in project execution efficiency through effective backlog prioritization and Agile execution
- Successfully led high-impact commercial projects, including New Sales Platform (NSP), Super Wi-Fi, chargeable seats, and Oryx Airport hotel bookings
- Managed cross-functional teams of 15+ members to drive enterprise-level IT solutions
Lead Business Consultant
Cathay Pacific Airways
11.2010 - 04.2014
- Led One World Alliance integrations, successfully implementing TAM Brazil, US Airways, Srilankan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Malaysia Airlines, and Air Berlin into the alliance ecosystem
- Enhanced FFP and booking system integrations, improving interline operations and ancillary revenue by 30%
- Played a key role in Premium Economy Cabin rollout and excess baggage & premium upgrades for CX passengers
- Led cross-functional teams to conduct gap analyses, UAT testing, and system integration for Amadeus Altéa migration
- Developed new ancillary revenue streams through digital upgrade solutions
- Optimized loyalty program alignment with alliance partners
Product Support Analyst, AOL Travel
American Online (AOL)
12.2008 - 10.2010
- Partnered with Orbitz to integrate car rentals, hotels, and cruises into AOL Travel, enhancing e-commerce capabilities
- Led the development and execution of the AOL Travel Price Guarantee program, ensuring seamless feature implementation
- Managed content development for AOL Travel guides and HuffPost Travel, improving platform engagement
Software QA Engineer
Merrill Lynch
03.2007 - 11.2008
- Led functional testing and defect management for GLOSS, ensuring seamless financial transaction processing
- Documented use cases and conducted regression testing to maintain system integrity
Education
Bachelor of Technology - Electrical Engineering
JNTU
Hyderabad01-2002
Skills
- Effective Stakeholder Engagement
- User Needs Assessment
- Performance Gap Evaluation
- Strategic Business Planning
- Product Development Management
- Data analysis
- Data mapping
- Enterprise resource planning
- User acceptance testing
- Business solutions development
- Business process improvement
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Strategic planning
- Project management
- Stakeholder engagement
- Risk assessment
- Agile methodologies
- Product development
- Release planning
- Change management
- Problem-solving
- Consulting
- Analytical thinking
- Business acumen
- Business case validation
- Business process mapping
- Customer needs assessment
- Market research
- Multitasking and organization
- Competitive analysis
- Search engine optimization
- Quality assurance processes
- Vendor relationship management
- Data-driven decision making
- UX design
- Product performance analysis
- Cross-functional team leadership
- Design thinking
Certification
- CBAP - Certified Business Analysis Professional
- CPM - Certified Product Manager
- PMI PMP Certification (In progress)
Accomplishments
Corporate Loyalty Program: At Qatar Airways, I revamped the Corporate Loyalty Program, increasing corporate penetration from 50% to 75% within 2 years and driving 30% higher engagement through strategic partnerships with Wogi, Uber for Business, and Priority Pass. This also led to a 20% increase in retention and a 25% boost in program sign-ups, while also increasing Qrewards burning rate.
- Salesforce Implementation: I led the successful implementation of Salesforce CRM for Qatar Airways’ B2B program, improving lead management, customer relationship tracking, and sales reporting, which resulted in a 30% increase in B2B sales efficiency.
- QMICE Program Strategy: I strategized and executed Qatar Airways’ QMICE program, increasing events booked to 100+ and earning recognition as the Best Qmice Program in the Middle East for two consecutive years.
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Partnership: At Cathay Pacific, I led the Asia Miles partnership with retail partners, which increased Asia Miles membership and significantly enhanced the value proposition of the loyalty program, providing members with more ways to earn and redeem miles.
- Product Ownership: I have successfully led end-to-end product ownership, from ideation to launch, ensuring timely delivery and high-quality standards in all my projects. At Qatar Airways, I managed a cross-functional team of 15+ members, achieving a 90% improvement in delivery efficiency and a 40% increase in customer satisfaction.
Timeline
Lead Business Analyst / Product Owner
Qatar Airways
05.2014 - 10.2023
Lead Business Consultant
Cathay Pacific Airways
11.2010 - 04.2014
Product Support Analyst, AOL Travel
American Online (AOL)
12.2008 - 10.2010
Software QA Engineer
Merrill Lynch
03.2007 - 11.2008
Bachelor of Technology - Electrical Engineering
JNTU
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