The media and marketing worlds are swimming in data. In fact, one media executive recently told B&T that “sometimes we drown in data”.
That’s where these Best of the Best Data Scientists come into play. They help everyone from brands to agencies and beyond make sense of the data produced. Without them, our world would return to an age of superstitions, gut feelings and stabs in the dark. With them, we can see the wood for the trees — as well as getting incredibly granular with the numbers.
As ever with B&T’s Best of the Best lists, there are plenty of people who just missed out on this top 10 — we have to be ruthless and we take no great pride in doing so.
If you would like to throw your hat — or a colleague’s — in the ring for our upcoming Best of the Best lists: Media Agency Heads of Investment/Trading, Casting Directors, Social Changemakers and Experiential Producers, please email [email protected].
So, without any further ado, here are the Best of the Best Data Scientists.
10. Tatia Rashid, executive manager, data science and analytics, Quantium
Rashid has been with Quantium for nearly a decade, having previously spent four years working for Citi Group in her native Philippines and then Sydney. Keen readers might remember that Rashid won the Data Science category at the 2023 Women Leading Tech Awards. Then, we lauded her for being a critical cog in the data science and analytics teams for Woolworths. In one project working closely with store managers to help them make better, data-led decisions on resourcing challenges such as providing training, hours and stability to more than 100,000 Woolies staff. Since then, she has gone on to speak at the Women Leading Tech Alumni Breakfast, illuminating the audience with sharp insights on data management and AI.
9. Danica Bellchambers, executive director, analytics, CHEP Network
Bellchambers won the Tech category at B&T’s Women Leading Tech Awards this year and has been described as “instrumental” to CHEP’s data science and analytics function. She has devised and implemented the agency’s Synapse approach that uses machine learning, computer vision and data science capabilities to help its clients make data-driven decisions effectively and affordably — driving incredible results in the process. She also developed a data science internship at CHEP in collaboration with UNSW, giving eight students real-world experience and creating six revenue-generating products for the agency. She even led a partnership with Melbourne University to create a Carbon Conscious Campaigns initiative for its Masters of Data Science degree. She is also a mentor at her undergraduate university and a keynote speaker at her high school.
8. Dr John Hawkins, chief scientist, Playground XYZ, a GumGum company
Hawkins was present on last year’s Best of the Best Data Scientists list and, it would be remiss of anyone to leave him out of this conversation again. Holding a PhD in computer science, Hawkins has been leading the data science team at Playground XYZ for a little over three years — and continues to do so with supercharged capabilities since GumGum acquired it. In June, the company released its “ground-breaking” Optimal Attention study that saw Hawkins and his colleague, lead scientist Dr Shannon Bosshard, analysed behavioural eye-tracking data from around 20,000 consumers exposed to 55 video ads across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. This was combined with a neuroscience analysis of 1,800 ads, to understand how consumer attention is shaped at both a conscious and subconscious level. That’s not all, however. Hawkins has found time to write multiple open-source Python packages, publish peer-reviewed academic research in journals, speak at conferences and even write a book.
7. Rachel Scott, manager, marketing science, Suncorp
Scott has spent the last 15 years with Suncorp and has been applying deep scientific expertise and objective truth to its marketing operations and investments in her current role for the last six years. In fact, Scott and her team of mathematicians and data analysts provide a financial governance structure for Suncorp’s A&P investment and build predictive modelling capabilities. Earlier this month, Scott spoke at MFA EX in Melbourne about the power of “making friends with the algorithms” and how she has driven strong increases in Suncorp’s media effectiveness.
6. Sam Stark, head of advanced analytics capabilities, Endeavour Group
Another face from last year, Stark has been with the Endeavour Group (parent company of the likes of Dan Murphy’s, BWS and Jimmy Brings) for nearly three years. In June, he was promoted from his head of data science and analytics role into his new, and fancier-sounding, head of advanced analytics capabilities gig. When he’s not working to give Endeavour Group some of the best data-based marketing tools in the country — creating a “flexible, scalable and future‑focused technology platform” to give the company future-proofed tech, he also finds time to judge the Australian Effies speak at a variety of different summits and conferences for industry leaders and is even plotting a run at SXSW.
5. Professor Rachel Kennedy, associate director of product development, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute
Kennedy was a founding member of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science. During her time with the Institute, she has travelled around Australia and the world delivering bleeding-edge expertise in the fields of data science, attribution and personalisation. In the last month alone, she wowed crowds at iMedia’s Future of Marketing Summit, delivering predictions for 2050(!) and more. She has also won a suite of awards for her work, has spoken at Cannes Lions, ARF and the WARC and published countless peer-reviewed journal articles and longer treatises since 1996. One industry insider said that she has an “amazing” knack for breaking down complex ideas into easily understandable stories with a passion and energy that keeps audience members hooked.
4. Ramee Elshabasei, Lead Data Scientist, Mutinex
Elshabasei is a core member of the Mutinex team that has captured the minds of marketers in Australia and — increasingly — around the world. Having joined the team in 2021 and now working from New York, Elshabasei has been leading and guiding the business to develop its tools further. In fact, Mutinex seems to be showing no signs of slowing down (despite some minor turbulence among its leadership of late), recently announcing an automated data sharing system between UM’s data systems and Mutinex’s GrowthOS platform delivering “unprecedented” time savings and enhanced data accuracy for the agency’s clients, including foundation client, Optus. A lesser-known fact about Elshabasei is that he farms honey at home, too.
3. Jacqueline Huvanandana, head of data science and analytics, WooliesX
Huvanandana won the 2024 Women Leading Tech Data Science award, for her exceptional work leading four cross-functional data squads of 50 people to develop capabilities and deliver initiatives in personalisation and measurement in Woolies’ Everyday Rewards member experience. She has also expanded the remit of the grocer’s marketing automation platform, advocated for data-led decision-making in measurement, and used her skills to strengthen her team’s technical knowledge. What’s more, she has worked as a mentor for WooliesX, acting as an inspirational role model and speaking to young women about careers in STEM. She is part of Woolworths’ Cultural Inclusion committee, where she contributes to increasing cultural awareness, diversity, and inclusion within the group and provides technical skills when analysing required diversity across the group.
2. Aniruddh Tibrewal, head of data science, Annalect
Tibrewal has been working in the analytics and data sciences industry for more than a decade and came very highly recommended to B&T. He’s been with Omnicom-owned Annalect for a little over 18 months but in that relatively short time, his impact has been substantial. He has led the deployment of Annlaect’s Luminous cookieless attribution solution and its agile marketing mix modelling software. Both have been incredibly well received by some of Omnicom’s largest clients including a major telco and a leading airline. B&T was told by a senior member of the Omnicom team that Tibrewal has been instrumental in ramping up its capabilities. We’re expecting even more to come from Tibrewal and his team in the next 18 months.
1. Professor Dr Karen Nelson-Field, founder and CEO, Amplified Intelligence
While many on this list have an impressive potted history of speaking gigs, publishing and more, none come close to Professor Dr Nelson-Field. She is one of the most important minds in the world of marketing and has been for a number of years. With Amplified Intelligence, she has led the team on a noble mission to bring advertising back to its core function — capturing eyeballs and attention. Amplified Intelligence now works with some of the world’s largest media businesses and tech platforms — from US cinema advertising firm Screenvision to Snapchat and Pinterest — creating better advertising outcomes based on empirical data science and analysis. Plus, Nelson-Field is one of the most impressive speakers in the industry, distilling complex ideas into manageable shots of knowledge — just ask any Cannes in Cairns attendee. And that, reader, is why Nelson-Field is the Best of the Best.
