YCCI Board of Advisors Meeting Recap
New York, NY, October 8, 2024 – The Yale Center for Customer Insights (YCCI) held its annual Board of Advisors meeting on Tuesday, October 8, hosted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) at their Hudson Yard offices in New York City. The meeting was kicked off by Board Chair Christine Barton, and in attendance were esteemed board members representing a broad spectrum of industries and expertise: Michiel Bakker, Jen Berliner, Matt Chmura, Jon Cummings, Sara Dent, Steve Fingerhut, Rohit Kichlu, Kalindi Mehta, Vikram Nangia, Joel Rampoldt, Joel Renkema, Arun Sinha, Ramon Soto, and Vanessa Vachon. In attendance from YCCI were Treeny Ahmed, Victoria Ambrozaitis, Daniel Blanchard, Ravi Dhar, Jenna Kalkwarf, and Jennie Liu.
The event opened with an insightful year-in-review from YCCI Faculty Director, Professor Ravi Dhar, who highlighted the Center’s latest projects, partnerships, and events. This was followed by a strategic discussion led by Christine Barton and YCCI Executive Director, Jennie Liu, focusing on YCCI’s future trajectory and key priorities in the coming years. Following productive breakout sessions for more focused, collaborative discussions, the meeting concluded with a compelling presentation by Tong Wang, Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Yale School of Management, who showcased her innovative research on how interpretable AI can drive actionable business outcomes.
Key topics discussed included:
- The need to refocus on deep human insights in the era of data proliferation and AI.
- Understanding consumers in a changing landscape, from post-pandemic behavior shifts to inflationary pressures.
- Expanding the application of behavioral science across business functions, including innovation and R&D processes.
- The growing role of the employee as a stakeholder and the value that marketing and insights can provide to the organization internally.
The day concluded with a dinner, giving board members the chance to further engage in meaningful exchanges, deepen personal connections, and continue to expand on the day's topics.
YCCI extends its sincere thanks to all participants for their continued dedication and contributions to advancing the Center’s mission.