Paths & Perspectives: Mina Jahanshahi
This series is more than just a collection of career stories; it’s a celebration of the inspiring women who bring spatial sciences to life. It aims to showcase the diverse career paths and perspectives in our often-overlooked industry, where women are underrepresented. At Veris, we recognise that our strength lies in our diverse talents, collaborative spirit, and commitment to innovation. When we work together, we create something truly special.
Meet Mina, Service Leader – Data Insights & Solutions
Tell us a bit about your career journey.
Funnily enough, I started my career at Spatial Vision (now Veris). I was lucky that early in my career, I was exposed to a variety of project work including python coding and cartography, client management, and work winning. It gave me insight into the pillars of a consulting career taking form. From there, I got a taste of being a well-rounded consultant and I took this experience to GHD where I led the GIS team for a few years before finally landing at Veris. At Veris, I was determined to grow a spatial consulting team that would be respected by our clients and feared by our competitors.
Survey/ Spatial Science is a male-dominated industry. How has this impacted your career journey so far? How have you seen the industry change?
The bias is real, and rather than conforming inauthentically to fit a stereotype, I choose to push back even harder to change people’s prejudices. There have been positive changes in some areas of the industry, particularly regarding the representation of women with technical presentations, which makes my heart sing!
What career challenges have you overcome that you’re proud to share?
Speaking up. There was a turning point in my career when I realised that trying to be liked by everyone came at a cost to the efficacy of my job, so I made a conscious effort to speak up more.
What’s your biggest career achievement/ highlight that you’re happy to share?
In 2021, we successfully won and delivered a significant GIS project for Veris. Winning the project through an open tender demonstrated our capabilities and my expertise. Ultimately, we delivered the project ahead of schedule, which helped us secure additional work with the client. This experience highlighted the resilience needed to establish a service line, and I love that it was very technical and challenging because that’s a side of my work that few people see!
What advice would you give to young women/ people wanting to start their career in this industry?
Two pieces of advice:
- Be authentic to yourself. Hiding who you are can erode your sense of self, and people can often see when you’re not being genuine.
- It’s important to make space for the next generation; there will always be someone a few steps behind you who needs your support. This could involve helping them through onboarding or even just challenging stereotypes in the industry. We all need to work together and help the next generation.
If you could go back in time and tell your younger self one thing, what would that be?
Back yourself. Most of the time you were not sure - you were right.
Mina’s journey embodies genuine leadership and technical expertise in spatial sciences. She has consistently challenged stereotypes while staying true to herself. Her willingness to speak up, push back against biases, and create space for others demonstrates the kind of leadership that’s reshaping our industry.