The Belk College of Business NEXT speaker series will take an inside look at the role of analytics in the 2012 presidential election and how lessons learned on the campaign trail can be used in business.
Andrew Claster, who served as deputy chief analytics officer for the 2012 Obama campaign, will discuss “The Analytics Effect” on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the Westin Hotel. The event begins with networking and registration at 7:30 a.m., followed by breakfast and Claster’s remarks at 8 a.m. Tickets for the presentation, which is open to the public, are $25 each or $175 for a corporate table of eight. To register, visit the Belk College website.
Claster served a key role on the Obama analytics team, which consisted of more than 50 analysts, statistical modelers and engineers who used predictive modeling, data analysis and technology to revolutionize political polling and individual-level voter targeting.
Previously, Claster was a vice president at the marketing and consulting firm Penn, Schoen and Berland, where he developed micro-targeting and communications strategies for a number of clients, including Hillary Rodham Clinton, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ehud Barak, Leonel Fernandez, Verizon, Alcatel, Microsoft, BP, KPMG, TXU and the Washington Nationals baseball team.
He completed undergraduate studies in political science at Yale University and graduate training in economics at the London School of Economics.
The Sept. 18 event is part of the Belk College’s NEXT speaker series, which focuses on emerging trends in business. The Belk College has a major role in UNC Charlotte’s new “Big Data” initiatives, which include academic and executive programs in data science and business analytics and a university/industry research consortium.
While Claster’s work in the campaign had a political bent, his presentation will focus less on politics and more on how analytics can strengthen relationships to drive business strategy, according to Belk College Dean Steve Ott.
“The election provides an interesting case study on how experts in data science and business can work together effectively,” Ott said. “We hope that attendees will come away with practical lessons they can put to use in their own businesses.”