From the mountains to data, my career has always been about solving real problems.
Connecting 3+ years of tourism logistics and expedition leadership in Nepal with postgraduate Applied AI and Data Analytics study at the University of Bradford.
Raj Hamal
Data Analyst & MSc Applied AI
My professional journey started in Nepal's tourism industry, working directly with people, operations, logistics and the realities of running journeys in challenging environments.
Over more than three years, I progressed from an Operations & Marketing Intern to a Tour Manager and Senior Trekking Guide, managing international trekking and adventure programs across Nepal.
That experience taught me how to make decisions when conditions change, coordinate people and resources, manage information, and keep things moving when there is no room for confusion.
"I see data as another way of understanding the problems I have spent years solving in the real world."
THE NEPAL CHAPTER
Before the dashboards, there were mountains.
My career began in Nepal's tourism and adventure industry. At Apex Himalaya Treks, I progressed from Operations & Marketing Intern to Tour Manager and Senior Trekking Guide, taking responsibility for both the planning behind the journey and the experience on the ground.
I managed and supported 40+ multi-day international trekking and expedition programs, working with international clients, guides, suppliers and internal teams. The role went far beyond guiding.
Operational Scope & Responsibilities
MORE THAN GUIDING
I learned to manage the system behind the journey.
Working in tourism showed me that successful trips depend on much more than what happens on the trail. There are bookings to track, permits to manage, suppliers to coordinate, payments to reconcile, guides to assign and clients to keep informed.
I started building practical systems using Google Sheets to organize operational information, track booking pipelines, permits and guide assignments, and make important information easier for the team to access.
"Better information leads to better decisions."
"I don't see analytics as only numbers, dashboards and technical tools. I see it as another way of understanding a problem before making a decision."
Co-Founder / Operations · Alpine Ace Treks
Involved in building Alpine Ace Treks, thinking about how a travel business is built, positioned and operated.
THE TURNING POINT
I wanted to understand the numbers behind the problems.
The more operational experience I gained, the more curious I became about the information behind everyday decisions. Why do some processes take longer than others? Where are costs increasing? What patterns are hidden inside customer and operational data?
That curiosity led me into data analytics. I completed the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate and began working on independent projects using real-world datasets.
THE UK CHAPTER
Now I'm building deeper technical capability.
I am currently studying MSc Applied Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics at the University of Bradford. Moving from professional operations into postgraduate study has given me the opportunity to build a stronger technical foundation while exploring how data and artificial intelligence can be applied to real problems.
How I Approach Problems
Start with the problem, not the tool.
Before working with a dataset, I want to understand the question behind it and what decision the analysis needs to support.
Clean, structured and reliable data matters more than building a complicated dashboard.
I look for patterns, changes and relationships that can help explain what is happening.
Analysis should lead somewhere. The final result should be understandable and useful to the decision maker.
FROM NEPAL TO BRADFORD
A career that changed direction without losing its foundation.
Science Education
Kathmandu, Nepal
Operations & Marketing
Apex Himalaya Treks
Tour Manager & Guide
40+ Expeditions
Data Analytics
Google Certificate
MSc Applied AI & Data
Univ. of Bradford
Career Target
Data Analytics & AI
What I Bring
My background sits across two worlds. Real-world operations taught me how businesses, people and processes work. Data analytics is teaching me how to understand those processes through evidence. Applied AI is opening the next layer: exploring how intelligent systems can improve the way problems are understood and solved.
Where I Am Now
Currently based in Bradford, UK, studying MSc Applied Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics at the University of Bradford. Building toward opportunities across Data Analytics, Business Intelligence, and Applied AI.