Team
Dr. Fahim Haque
Founder and Principal Consultant
Dr. Fahim Haque is a senior strategy and transformation executive with over two decades of experience advising boards, governments, financial institutions, and corporations on governance, operating models, and enterprise performance.
He holds a Doctor of Business Administration from Florida International University, has completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, and earned his MBA from the University of Guelph, Canada.
Combining academic excellence with practical leadership experience, he specializes in aligning strategy with execution to deliver measurable and sustainable outcomes across complex environments.
He has led large-scale transformation initiatives, overseen portfolios exceeding $500M, and driven multi-million-dollar growth through structured strategies, governance enhancement, and performance systems.
Key Expertise:
• Strategy & Transformation
• Governance & Board Advisory
• Operating Models & KPI Systems
• Financial Performance & Restructuring
• Enterprise Change Leadership
Dr. Najam Hassan
Partner Consultant
Dr. Najam Hassan is an AI strategy and transformation expert with over two decades of experience across leading global organizations, including NTT DATA, Dell, Verizon, and GEICO.
He holds a Ph.D. in Business Analytics & Decision Sciences from Capitol Technology University, an MBA/MIM in Business Administration & International Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus, an M.S. in Computer Science from the Johns Hopkins University, and a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Houston – Clear Lake.
His strong academic foundation, combined with deep industry experience, enables him to help organizations leverage artificial intelligence, data analytics, and intelligent automation to drive innovation and performance.
He works closely with executive leadership to design AI roadmaps, implement scalable AI solutions, and establish governance frameworks that ensure responsible and compliant AI adoption, including his contributions to the NIST AI Safety Institute Consortium.
Key Expertise:
• AI Strategy & Governance
• Generative AI & Intelligent Automation
• AI Risk, Ethics & Compliance
• Data Analytics & Forecasting
• AI Transformation & Change Management
Other Team Members
Julien Fountain
Business Analyst
As a former Olympic athlete and international sports coach, Julien brings a unique and diverse skill set to the First Hand Group. He graduated from Thames Valley University, London UK, in 1995, with a BA Honors degree in Leisure Management & Tourism. He brings extensive project management, problem solving, and communication skills from the world of professional sports, has coached at three ICC Cricket World Cups and has lived in Houston TX since 2017. He is married to Chrissy, and they have five children and a cane corso named Ragnar.
Shaiesta Shafi
Admin Assistant
Shaiesta Shafi, MBA in Finance, is an experienced Administrative Assistant with over seven years of professional experience. She has developed strong expertise in office administration, financial documentation support, scheduling coordination, and daily operational management within fast-paced business environments. She is also a certified SAP S/4HANA FICO Functional Consultant, with additional skills in financial systems and enterprise resource planning processes. Her academic background in Finance, along with extensive administrative experience and SAP certification, enables her to contribute effectively to both administrative and business support functions as well as financial system operations.