Hassan Akmal

Hassan Akmal, MBA, MPH, is the Inaugural Executive Director of Industry Relations and Career Strategies and founder of the Career Design Lab at Columbia University. An alumnus of Columbia University, Akmal blazed a successful path as a visionary, career thought leader, chair of Career Education, and Director of Career Services at several universities in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. He is a former professional tennis player and International Athlete Ambassador to the United States, and...See more

Hassan Akmal, MBA, MPH, is the Inaugural Executive Director of Industry Relations and Career Strategies and founder of the Career Design Lab at Columbia University. An alumnus of Columbia University, Akmal blazed a successful path as a visionary, career thought leader, chair of Career Education, and Director of Career Services at several universities in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. He is a former professional tennis player and International Athlete Ambassador to the United States, and serves on the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) "Future of We"-Think Tank Committee. Additionally, he spearheads Columbia's "Career Week," a five-day premier conference on career disruption, impact, and the future of meaningful work-culminating with a future of career services symposium. Akmal is the host of the Columbia University "Behind the Scenes" podcast series that consists of in-depth interviews with industry leaders discussing provocative career-related topics that set the stage for students. As a change agent, he is committed to coaching proactive career-seekers who will promote multi-level innovation in our global marketplace. He aims to foster a university-wide career culture that's vibrant and diverse, and breathes success. In 2015, Akmal pioneered a connector model based on customized connections and communities entitled "BRIDGE: Building Relationships and Interconnectedness Directed towards Graduation and Educational (and Career) Pathways" at Loyola University Chicago. He also re-imagined and re-invented the career services model by directing students to inner-"view" themselves, connecting passion to purpose-thereby crystallizing positive career outcomes in the process. By leveraging the career ecosystem that's readily available, he believes we can help realize dreams and witness their global impact. Akmal is the CEO, founder, and president of Invitation Relief, Inc., a public-benefit charity for displaced persons and health. He is a former professor of global health, financial advisor for UBS Financial Services Inc., and business development manager. Additionally, he served on the External Advisory Board for Health Systems Management at the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, and as a Loyola Chapter faculty advisor for Aahana, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to redressing social inequalities and empowering communities. With over 10 years' experience leading career and professional development, Akmal teaches individuals the importance of capturing their career and life vision, elevating personal brand in multi-layered social media, leveraging self-awareness, and purpose alignment-he believes these elements are both the keys to maximizing careers and the means of self-fulfillment. See less