Mubashera Kothawala

Vice President

Mubashera is a creative and curious researcher who brings a wealth of experience and perspective to the quantitative and qualitative research projects that she leads and supports. Over the course of her career, she has conducted research in Canada, the U.S., and the UAE for a wide variety of clients in the private and public sectors.

Mubashera has a passion for sifting through layers of data and a gift for extracting the hidden gems of insight and strategic direction that clients need. She is an expert at leveraging segmentation and key driver analyses to develop realistic, actionable recommendations. Mubashera applies these talents across numerous sectors, including health care, pensions, financial services, IT, aviation, travel and tourism, numerous verticals within government, and membership and stakeholder associations.

Mubashera is a key member of our brand research team, with extensive experience leading quantitative studies and facilitating large qualitative sessions for an array of different clients. She is also a research pioneer, conducting unprecedented diversity, equity, and inclusion studies that provide an in-depth understanding of public attitudes towards, and experiences amongst, women and Indigenous, racialized, religious, LBGTQ2, and disabled populations in Canada. Her groundbreaking track record also extends to her work for private and public sector clients in the cannabis and psilocybin sectors. As recognition of this work, Mubashera sits as a member on the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC)’s Cannabis Insights Committee.

Prior to joining Pollara, Mubashera worked at Nielsen UAE, where she was responsible for managing very large, complex, multi-methodology research projects requiring a high level of sensitivity and attention to detail. With education and work experience in Canada, India, the U.S., and the UAE, she brings the valuable perspective that comes from this diverse cultural experience. She holds a Masters in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Southern California.