North America
GfK boosts Marketing Science expertise, innovation with senior-level appointments
Veccia, Conklin combine methodological sophistication with a focus on solving real-world client problems
New York City, May 24, 2012 – With two recent appointments, GfK has sharpened its focus on rigorous yet innovative analytics that inform smarter client decisions. Ellen Veccia has become GfK’s Chief Marketing Science Officer; and methodological pioneer Mike Conklin has rejoined GfK as EVP of Marketing Science.
Veccia came to GfK in January with the acquisition of Knowledge Networks, where she served as Chief Research Officer and led the analytics practice. Conklin spent 10 years on the GfK Marketing Science team, from 1995 to 2005, and is returning after six years as Chief Methodologist at MarketTools, Inc.
"The best marketing science delivers fearless innovation in the service of practical problem solving,” said David Krajicek, CEO of GfK Consumer Experiences North America. "Ellen and Mike have consistently achieved this balance in careers that place them at the top of their profession. GfK clients across our practice areas will directly benefit from their commitment to understanding the changing ways that consumers arrive at decisions.”
Veccia has over 20 years of experience in applying quantitative techniques to develop solutions for both consumer and B2B research. She holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Northeastern University in Boston. Prior to joining Knowledge Networks, she was a Principal at Mar-keting & Planning Systems (MaPS). Her background includes extensive work in a variety of methodologies, including segmentation, satisfaction tracking, brand image modeling and tracking, discrete choice analysis, conjoint analysis and qualitative research.
Conklin is widely considered to be an analytical methodology pioneer and a Bayesian research modeling expert. Along with Stan Lipovetsky (GfK Director of Marketing Science at the Minneapolis office), Conklin co-developed the Shapley Value Analysis for product line optimization and the Shapley Value Regression. During his tenure at MarketTools, he grew the analytics department from a staff of three US-based professionals to a global team of 12 and developed a full suite of analytic offerings. Mike is a graduate of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics.
Veccia is based in the Palo Alto office and can be reached at ellen.veccia@gfk.com. Conklin is based in the Minneapolis office and can be reached at mike.conklin@gfk.com.
Further information: David Stanton, T +1 908 875-9844, david.stanton@gfk.com
