Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Publications
Languages
Timeline
Generic

Shirin Jafari

San Francisco | Toronto

Summary

Dynamic and strategic VP with a proven track record of driving significant business growth, generating over $1M in new market revenue, through strategic planning and innovative solutions within global advisory sectors. Expertise in leading large-scale initiatives, including a $5M tourism master plan and a $300M venue development, managing high-performing teams, and fostering key stakeholder collaborations. Proven ability to identify new revenue streams, forge strategic partnerships, and deliver substantial financial impact and efficiency improvements.

Overview

6
6
years of professional experience

Work History

Vice President, Destination Advisory

Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL)
10.2022 - Current
  • Managed the largest tourism master planning initiative in North America at $5M with Visit California, handling overall project leadership as the prime contractor firm with 20+ external partners including a Big 4 company, logistics and stakeholder relations, Mitigating challenges and keeping the project on-time and on-budget.
  • Led 15+ successful Destination Master and Strategic Plans (federal to municipal), converting 50% to $2M+ in retained business.
  • Led 10+ member cross-functional teams on high-impact planning projects, generating $1M+ in new business and expanding JLL's presence in key markets (e.g., Canada).
  • Led financial modeling and site selection for a $300M, 200K+ sq ft multi-use venue in California, projected to generate $100M+ in annual economic footprint (first of its kind in the US).
  • Advised on $200M+ in global tourism asset development (multi-use venues, hotels, convention centers), providing financial modeling, P3 strategy, site selection, and strategic planning services.
  • Developed new revenue streams via strategic partnerships, expanding JLL's European market presence and securing reciprocal business development networks.
  • Regularly engaged and fostered trust with VIP executives (CEOs, Board of Directors, community leaders, government and elected officials), delivering high-impact presentations and securing strategic buy-ins.
  • Managed complex client situations (e.g. mayors, boards), ensuring successful project outcomes and driving long-term citywide strategies with senior leadership.
  • Revamped three proprietary JLL products, streamlining processes and saving 60% of team time, increasing operational efficiency in multi-million dollar projects.
  • Integrated AI and interactive technology into strategic planning and workflows, increasing efficiency by 30% and saving $190K annually.
  • Led a high-performing team of five, implementing new onboarding, training, and project management tools, resulting in a 35% improvement in project delivery.
  • Repeatedly guest lectured at George Washington University, San Francisco State University, and Barcelona University; presented at national and statewide industry conferences and expert panels.

Director of Destination Development Consulting

MMGY NextFactor
01.2020 - 10.2022
  • Led and optimized pipelines for the Destination Assessment Program by managing external partnerships to achieve full report and dashboard automation, leading to a client base expansion of 320+.
  • Worked cross-functionally to develop a biannual industry report by analyzing key travel industry trends and synthesizing data from global stakeholder surveys into strategic insights to inform decision-making at the executive & C-Level.
  • Managed business development activities and streamlined the proposal creation process to acquire $800k+ in projects.
  • Developed and implemented 20+ destination strategic plans through facilitating stakeholder engagement sessions, analyzing client data, conducting workshops, and developing tailored strategic recommendations and transformation tactics with clear OKRs.
    • Provided change management solutions as a liaison for international stakeholders in Japan through leading global assessments and strategic planning projects, resulting in an annual contract renewal of $50k+.
    • Managed and executed scalable strategic planning processes, achieving a %50 reduction in the preparation time of client materials and strategy roadmaps.

Lead Consultant

GWU and IUCN (Abruzzo, Italy)
05.2019 - 09.2019
  • Led and supervised the governance team with five consultants; executed strategic decision-making during fieldwork and delegated tasks to larger team from project start to culmination.
  • Collaborated with 16 international consultants in leading cross-cultural communications through seven focus groups and60+ interviews across 24 site visits within five days, generating a thorough situation assessment report.
  • Stepped in as team lead to produce comprehensive final ecotourism plan & report; delegated for an increase in team efficiency by more than 50%.
  • Completed initial and in-country research for sustainability destination assessment, including research design and progress.

Education

MBA - Destination Strategy

George Washington University
Washington DC

BA - International Relations

San Francisco State University
San Francisco

Skills

  • Technical: Statistical Analysis, LaTeX, Google Data Studio, SQL, SPSS, Tableau
  • Strategic Planning & Execution
  • Business Development & Revenue Generation
  • Financial Modeling & Analysis
  • Project Management (Large-Scale & Complex)
  • Stakeholder Management & Executive Communication
  • Team Leadership & Development
  • Innovation & Process Improvement
  • Client Relationship Management (High-Level)
  • Market Analysis & Opportunity Identification
  • Problem-Solving & Risk Management
  • Decision-making

Accomplishments

  • Ranked 2 / 34,000 in Iran's National University Entrance Exam
  • Member of Iran's National Elites Foundation

Publications

Monshipouri, M., & Jafarinassab Kermani, S. (2017). “US-Iran Relations: Competing and Overlapping Interests in a Turbulent Region,” Maghreb Review,42 (2),164-177.

Languages

English
Native or Bilingual
Persian
Native or Bilingual
German
Limited Working
Italian
Limited Working
Arabic
Elementary

Timeline

Vice President, Destination Advisory

Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL)
10.2022 - Current

Director of Destination Development Consulting

MMGY NextFactor
01.2020 - 10.2022

Lead Consultant

GWU and IUCN (Abruzzo, Italy)
05.2019 - 09.2019

MBA - Destination Strategy

George Washington University

BA - International Relations

San Francisco State University

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Shirin Jafari