Posted: April 4, 2024
By: Emilie Mossman
Armaan Ahluwalia (BMgmt’13) has had a lot of cool jobs, most recently joining the BWT Alpine Formula 1 team in the U.K. as Head of Strategic Commercial Solutions where he combines his love of sports, strategic business acumen and interpersonal skills.
He oversees a team that uses data and storytelling to ensure that sponsors and brands have a marketing platform (for example, through hospitality or a placement on the car itself).
“I've always wanted to live in the U.K.,” Ahluwalia says. “My mom is British, so I was able to get a British passport.”
Finding the right fit
Ahluwalia, who is originally from Winnipeg, is no stranger to diving into something and figuring out the details along the way.
While he's now focused and clear about his aspirations, “I changed my major at Dal three times,” he says with a chuckle. He first applied to the Faculty of Science at Dal hoping to move into medicine or pharmacy. Then he switched his major to political science. It wasn’t until he met some people in the INDISA (Indian Subcontinental Students Association) that he decided to pursue business.
“[Being part of INDISA] was like building a culture and a community because I was missing mine back home,” Ahluwalia explains. “I was always talking about business so one of my friends suggested I look into the Bachelor of Management Program.” It was the perfect fit. “I just fell in love with the program and courses,” he says.
Ahluwalia joined the board of the Dalhousie Alumni Association (DAA) in 2022, and has remained connected to Dal since graduating from wherever he’s living.
Ahluwalia reflects very fondly on his time in Halifax. “I loved my time at Dal. I’m even wearing my Dal socks today!” he says, lifting a foot. His enthusiasm is infectious, and it becomes evident why he had such a great time during his undergraduate studies — he tried everything. From writing for the Dal Gazette (despite having no journalistic training), to co-hosting a sports show on CKDU radio (despite having no broadcast training), Armaan’s “say-yes” attitude followed him past his graduation from Dal.
Saying yes
“I knew I wanted to work in sports, so I found a master's program that would allow me to that.” Ahluwalia completed his MBA with a focus in sports business at San Diego State University. “After that, I just started reaching out to people who had jobs I was interested in,” he says. He kept a spreadsheet of names and numbers to ask them how they got to where they were.
His organization and persistence paid off. “Those contacts urged me to apply for positions they were hiring for. I got introduced to people and went from there,” he says. “I'm very proud of my network and what I've built. I love to connect with people. I like to understand how people tick, then I think about how I can help them to get where they want to go.”
“Dal has an amazing community where everyone's helping each other. It’s a recognizable brand all over the world,” he says.
Ahluwalia hasn’t returned to Halifax for several years, but in his capacity as a board member of the DAA, he is planning a homecoming trip for Alumni Days in May. “I can’t wait! I’ll get to see friends and family,” he says. “Dal is super special to me. I met many of my best friends there and we still keep in touch to this day. I've been to almost all their weddings. Dal gave me the opportunity to explore what I was passionate about and make connections with people that have followed me all over the globe.”