Data has always been an essential part of marketing strategy, but for marketers, the difference between cursory familiarity and deep analytical understanding can be transformative.
Finding data at every turn in his career and wanting to dive deeper, Murtajiz Naqvi joined the M.S. in Applied Analytics (APAN) program at Columbia University School of Professional Studies. Now a solutions manager for the Brand Innovation Lab at Amazon Labs, Naqvi applies lessons from the program while managing brand partnerships, aligning with advertisers on expectations, and supporting creatives and producers with campaign management and strategic planning.
We recently spoke to Naqvi about his journey to Columbia and his takeaways from the APAN program.
What led you to Columbia’s Applied Analytics (APAN) program?
After graduating with a degree in management science from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), I worked in performance marketing for a boutique advertising agency, in management consulting, and eventually on the Middle East frontline marketing team at Coca-Cola. In each job, data played a consistent and critical role. I saw firsthand how analytics informs strategy, supply chain, consumer behavior, product innovation, and so much more. At the same time, AI was beginning to boom. Coding was no longer restricted to a narrow subset of specialists, and I realized that pursuing deep-dive analytics would require a stronger technical foundation in advanced platforms and languages.
This realization led me to the APAN program at Columbia. The program offered a diverse technical curriculum, access to industry professionals who understand how to apply these concepts in corporate settings, and the unmatched energy and charm of New York City at my doorstep.
How did the APAN program prepare you for your current role, and what were some of the highlights of the program for you?
The APAN program gave me a toolkit that I find myself reaching into almost daily: from pre- and post-campaign analytics to utilizing AI and technical innovations for process improvement and understanding the role of data in strategy and long-term corporate planning.
I was fortunate to learn from extremely accomplished faculty and thoroughly enjoyed most of my classes at Columbia. If I had to choose a few standouts, Applied Analytics in the Organizational Context was a favorite, particularly because the conversations were dynamic week to week and the professor always tied topics back to real-life corporate examples. Strategy and Analytics was another highlight.
You were awarded the SPS Academic & Professional Development Grant while at Columbia. What were you able to do with that support?
Using the grant, along with an invitation from the conference, I was able to attend LEAP x DeepFest in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was a wonderful experience that let me attend talks by global leaders in AI and tech and interact with entrepreneurs showcasing their pre-seed ventures. I also had the opportunity to network with people visiting from all around the world and share more about the APAN program and the areas we were focusing on.
The APAN program recently unveiled new concentrations: Emerging Technologies (on technological advances in analytics) and Quantitative Management (on algorithmic decision-making, quantitative risk analysis, and optimization modeling). As a program graduate who works in the industry, how might these concentrations benefit students?
I think both make for wonderful additions to the program. Emerging Technologies comes at a great time, especially considering the exponential pace of technological innovation happening right now. As someone working in tech, I see new tools, platforms, and skills being released every day. This concentration is a logical addition that would greatly benefit those looking to unlock the next big thing in analytics. The same goes for Quantitative Management. Industries such as private equity, banking, and consulting are increasingly hiring talent with technical backgrounds and a strong grasp of algorithms and machine learning. Coupled with the fact that New York is the financial capital of the world, this concentration gives ambitious students the opportunity to focus on specific areas and tools that will help them thrive in their careers.
Is there a specific issue, challenge, or topic in the field of analytics that you think is particularly relevant to the future of the industry? How can current students prepare for it?
I think one of the most relevant challenges is the current limitations of AI in handling numbers and complex calculations. As powerful as these tools have become, there's still a noticeable gap in the availability of AI agents that can effectively handle complex datasets and provide accurate visualizations and strategic insights. That said, current students can still use these tools to better understand datasets, variables, and underlying qualitative trends, and then apply their analytical skills to draw meaningful conclusions. Building strong foundational skills in data analysis, statistical reasoning, and visualization will remain valuable, especially as businesses seek people who can validate AI outputs and fill in the gaps where these tools fall short.
About the Program
Columbia University’s Master of Science in Applied Analytics prepares students with the practical data and leadership skills to succeed. The program combines in-depth knowledge of data analytics with the leadership, management, and communication principles and tactics necessary to impact decision-making across industries and organizational functions.
Learn more about the program here. The program is available full-time and part-time, online and on-campus.
