Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Generic

Akash Kaura

Staff Data Scientist And Policy Tech Lead, Economic Graph Research Institute
San Francisco,CA

Summary

Experienced data science and policy leader with nearly a decade of expertise in utilizing data analysis, engineering, user research, and strategic partnerships to deliver impactful solutions at the intersection of technology and policy. Currently serving as Staff Data Scientist at LinkedIn, overseeing the creation of scalable, policy-relevant data products informed by the Economic Graph to shape global decision-making on pressing social and economic issues. Contributions have driven transformative outcomes, earning LinkedIn recognition as a premier labor market data partner for multilateral organizations such as the World Bank and OECD, policymakers, and commercial stakeholders. Spearheaded notable projects directly leading to multimillion-dollar revenue streams, improved EGRI data foundations, and insights into critical domains such as AI, cybersecurity, and the green economy. Leadership extends to mentoring cross-functional teams and navigating complex regulatory landscapes to ensure operational excellence and foster innovation. Ability to interface with high-level policymakers, deliver robust data-driven insights, and lead diverse teams while committed to advancing organizational vision, driving impact, and cultivating partnerships that unlock new opportunities for growth and influence.

Overview

10
10
years of professional experience

Work History

Staff Data Scientist, Economic Graph

LinkedIn
San Francisco, California
03.2023 - Current
  • Successfully led initiatives that have resulted in improved data reliability and significant revenue generation, while also engaging with key policymakers to solidify our position in the labor market data space with a specific focus on the workforce for artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and the green economy.
  • Spearheaded cross-functional initiatives generating ~$2M in revenue through co-branded reports with HP and Intuit, and positioning LinkedIn as a leader in insights-driven collaborations.
  • Managed end-to-end lifecycle of data science projects, ensuring alignment with business objectives and timely delivery of results through effective project management practices.
  • Developed predictive models using Python and R to analyze large datasets, enabling data-driven decision-making and revenue acquisition.

Senior Data Scientist, Economic Graph

LinkedIn
San Francisco, California
12.2020 - 03.2023
  • Spearheaded the development and launch of Upshot LMI, a key initiative during COVID-19, earning significant media recognition.
  • Championed the creation of the Company Formation Index, a flagship metric utilized across multiple teams.
  • Coordinated the onboarding of key datasets to state-of-the-art infrastructure, reducing execution time by 71%.
  • Mentored team members and led collaborative projects, fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and innovation.
  • Led high-level policy engagements including workforce data requests for the White House.
  • Mentored junior data scientists on best practices in model development and deployment, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the team.

Data Scientist, Economic Graph

LinkedIn
San Francisco, California
07.2019 - 12.2020
  • Used my expertise in data analysis, crafting policy relevant insights, data engineering and user research the product lifecycle from conception to launch to sunset, leading a cross-functional team with Engineering, Policy and Communications to develop the data product.
  • Served 1K users at LinkedIn and Microsoft, and highlighted as a resource in the National Governor’s Association’s Good Jobs for All Americans report, and used in hundreds of policy conversations.
  • Through 2020, I led a cross-functional team to bring this product to the broader public in a differentially private manner including publishing research on the subject.
  • Engaged with stakeholders to define project requirements, translating business needs into technical specifications for effective solution delivery.

Data Scientist, Economic Graph

LinkedIn
Singapore
07.2017 - 06.2019
  • Led the development of strategic partnerships with senior policy and research stakeholders throughout the APAC region, in partnership with the Director of Public Policy, to establish LinkedIn as a trusted source of economic insights (Tsinghua University, India Workforce report w/ Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Skills Development, Australia Department of Treasury co-presentation).
  • Represented LinkedIn at key external events held by prominent organizations with senior policy officials in APAC e.g. World Bank Global Innovation Summit and National Trades Union Congress, Immigration New Zealand, Briefing Australian MPs, and ADB’s 2018 conference on technology, jobs and skills.
  • Led initiatives to enhance data quality management processes, reducing discrepancies by implementing robust validation techniques and protocols.
  • Translated business requirements into data-driven solutions, providing value-added insights that directly contributed to the organization''s strategic goals.

Insights Analyst

LinkedIn
Singapore
06.2016 - 07.2017
  • Advised LinkedIn’s largest clients in APAC (DBS, Singtel, Standard Chartered, Agoda, Singapore Public Sector organizations like the Ministry of Manpower) on workforce and talent strategies using data driven analyses.
  • Sales representatives supported were top quota achievers in the region with deals worth $500K+, renewals of million-dollar contracts, and upsells as large as 50% on certain key accounts.
  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to design and implement data-driven solutions, improving operational efficiency across departments.
  • Utilized SQL for querying large datasets, ensuring data integrity and accuracy in reporting for stakeholder presentations.
  • Presented analytical findings to senior leadership, translating complex data into clear narratives that drove strategic planning sessions.

Marketing Specialist

Vault Dragon Pte Ltd
01.2015 - 04.2015
  • Designing and implementing a multi-channel marketing strategy.
  • Optimizing marketing channels using A/B testing.
  • Creating content for creative channels such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Wordpress Blog.
  • Managing the launch of the Vault Dragon blog, sourcing for writers and managing content strategy, optimal posting times, post length: http://blog.vaultdragon.com/
  • Preparing pitching decks for interfacing with key partners and potential stakeholders.

Education

BBA - Second Major in Political Sciences

National University of Singapore
Singapore
06-2016

Skills

Data Analysis

Data Engineering

Trino/Presto

SQL

R programming

Business requirements gathering

Large dataset manipulation

Time series analysis

Team collaboration

Spark

Hadoop

Hive

Airflow

Azkaban

SQL databases

Python programming

Timeline

Staff Data Scientist, Economic Graph

LinkedIn
03.2023 - Current

Senior Data Scientist, Economic Graph

LinkedIn
12.2020 - 03.2023

Data Scientist, Economic Graph

LinkedIn
07.2019 - 12.2020

Data Scientist, Economic Graph

LinkedIn
07.2017 - 06.2019

Insights Analyst

LinkedIn
06.2016 - 07.2017

Marketing Specialist

Vault Dragon Pte Ltd
01.2015 - 04.2015

BBA - Second Major in Political Sciences

National University of Singapore
Akash KauraStaff Data Scientist And Policy Tech Lead, Economic Graph Research Institute