| Shafat Qazi | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Education: | Master's in Structural Engineering Bachelor's in Civil Engineering |
| Alma Mater: | National Institute of Technology State University of New York |
| Boards: | BQE Software Inc. Structural Engineers Association of Southern California Chair, Structural Engineers Association Computer Applications Committee |
Shafat Qazi is an Indian-American entrepreneur and film producer. He is the Founder and former CEO of BQE Software,[1] [2] a cloud-based project management and accounting software company. In 2018, he was listed among the top 50 CEOs by USA Today.[3] [4] [5]
Qazi was born in Kashmir and later relocated to New York in 1986. Qazi obtained his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the National Institute of Technology in India. He later pursued a master's degree in structural engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo.[6] While at SUNY Buffalo, Qazi developed a medical billing software for his personal doctor, eventually leading him to venture into the software development industry. His father retired as the principal of the Amar Singh College in Srinagar.
After completing his education, Qazi moved to Los Angeles in 1988 to pursue his career in engineering. He joined David C. Breiholz, Inc., an engineering company, and later became a partner in the firm. The firm was subsequently renamed Breiholz Qazi Engineering.[7] During this time, Qazi also served as the chairman of the Structural Engineers Association Computer Applications Committee and a board member of the association. In 1995, Qazi sold his shares at Breiholz Qasi Engineering and co-founded BQE Software with his partner, David Breiholz. BQE Software initially developed BillQuick, a project management and billing software. By 1998, Qazi left his engineering firm to focus full-time on BillQuick and his company. As the company expanded, it ventured into accounting, resource planning, and business intelligence. In 2009, BQE Software acquired another software company, OrangeLoft LLC. In 2012, BQE Software launched its product, BQE Core.
Apart from his involvement in software, Qazi has also ventured into the music industry. He created a music brand called IBM with singers Mohammed Irfan, Bilal, and Mehmeet Syed. He supported the band in organizing music concerts worldwide.
Qazi has also been involved in the independent film industry. He produced Songs of Paradise, a feature film inspired by the songs of Raj Begum and narrates the story of a Kashmiri woman who faced the barriers of societal norms in the late 1940s, particularly regarding the acceptability of women singing publicly in Kashmir and neighboring cities.[8]