Khaleel Shaheena

I started my professional career after finishing my Masters in the late nineties, when the IT industry was going through the Y2K crisis. It was the Mainframe era, so I started off working as a Mainframe developer and then followed my interest in databases to become an Oracle developer. Within a year, I moved to the US where I continued to work as a consultant on a couple of government projects. I then moved to a company called Tick mark where I met Rajesh. Little did I know at the time that it would be a life-altering long-lasting relationship. After 7 years there, I moved to work at Citibank in New York where I had the opportunity to try my hands on Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence.

I stayed in New York with my friends which still remains in my mind as an evergreen memory. I have always loved travelling and I used to go on short trips with my friends during the weekends. The Niagara Falls is a favorite destination of mine that has always held me in awe. I am also a big foodie and wherever I go I like to taste authentic food with its original flavor. Around New York city there are outlets and restaurants that remain open 24*7, and there have been occasions where I had dinner even at 2 AM. I like to taste all kinds of food, but Biriyani and Kebabs are my favorite dishes.

After a couple of years at Citibank, I wanted to shift my base to Chennai, which is when I reached out to Rajesh, and he had a position for me in Mage (then MENTIS). Since joining the team, Mage has always felt like a second home. There is always a need to learn modern technologies and adapt to new things at Mage. Being part of the Customer Success team has been a rewarding experience and I have had the wonderful opportunity of collaborating with versatile and talented young minds.

Learning and sustainability are key values that I uphold. Learning has always been a continuous process and I try to derive inspiration from everyone around me, irrespective of their age or position. When I try to approach things from their perspective, on how they go about their life and make decisions, I always learn something new.

The pandemic has certainly enforced us with a lot of restrictions but on the positive side, working from home has let me spend a considerable amount of time with my 3 children. My home was transformed into a mini office, with me and my 3 kids sitting with laptops and putting on headphones, which was certainly a different experience for all of us. It has been fun to see them grow up and spend time with them while balancing my work commitments. I was able to guide my eldest son through career decisions and play with my youngest daughter. I also enjoy going to beaches with my family. In my leisure time I like to spend as much time as possible with my kids and occasionally we plan and go for vacation trips well during the weekends.

Having seen the world through the eyes of a seeker has pruned my outlook, giving me a philosophical approach to my profession. I try to keep things as simple as possible and leisure and peace to me is stretching myself in the coziness of a sofa and enjoying a movie with my children.