2023 Business Analytics Competition

Ayan Bhattacharya

Ayan Bhattacharya is a Managing Director at Deloitte Consulting focused on artificial intelligence and digital transformation. He works with C-suite leaders to integrate AI into the enterprise and advance data product development, including MLOps and large language models, to drive meaningful business outcomes.

Before joining Deloitte in 2016, Ayan led client engagements and go-to-market initiatives at IBM Watson, working with Fortune 100 organizations across industries. He has spent more than a decade advising Fortune 250 companies on the adoption and application of AI.

Earlier in his career, Ayan led commercialization strategy at leading information and data companies. As a Director at Thomson Reuters and Reed Elsevier, he focused on corporate strategy, M&A in data analytics, and scaling digital workflow solutions for professionals in finance, legal, tax, and scientific research.

Vivek Anand

Vivek Anand is a seasoned operations research professional with over a decade of experience applying analytics and optimization techniques to solve business challenges in pricing, revenue optimization, inventory, finance, and fintech. He currently serves as Director of Advanced Analytics at a Fortune 500 fashion retailer, where his team leverages analytics and operations research to optimize inventory and pricing outcomes.

Previously, Vivek consulted for multiple billion-dollar organizations, including Fortune 50 companies, helping drive top-line and bottom-line growth through pricing and revenue optimization strategies.

He holds a master’s degree in Operations Research from Columbia University and a BS-MS dual degree in Mathematics from IISER Pune, India.

Kendall Drew

Kendall Drew is a Consulting Solutions Director at Microsoft, where she leads teams delivering consulting solutions for U.S. enterprise customers. She joined Microsoft in 2017 as a Business Intelligence Technical Specialist, helping organizations adopt Microsoft’s BI tools.

Prior to Microsoft, she led product and engineering teams as Director of Business Systems for Levy Restaurants, a subsidiary of Compass Group.

Kendall holds a BS in Industrial Engineering and Economics from Northwestern University and an MBA from Cornell Tech.

Igor Elbert

Igor Elbert is a member of the Technology Advisory Board for Data Genie and a Program Advisory Board Member at NYC Data Science Academy.

With more than 20 years of experience in big data, he has worked across finance and supply chain analytics, including roles at Salomon Brothers and leading data science teams at Gilt, Finery, and CB Insights.

Sam Meldrum

Sam Meldrum brings over 15 years of experience at the intersection of business and technology, specializing in data-driven commercial strategy and predictive modeling.

Currently Global Client Director at Salesforce, he works with strategic clients in the health and life sciences sector to develop and deliver global commercial solutions.

Sam holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Delaware and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

Annette Nielsen

Annette Nielsen, MA, is Executive Director of the Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center. She previously led the NYC office for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, supporting food systems, resilience, and access initiatives.

An award-winning food writer, her work has appeared in publications including The Washington Post and Eating Well. She has served on numerous boards and advisory groups related to food policy and education.

Nneka Penniston

Nneka Penniston has over 15 years of experience in business analytics across healthcare, education, finance, and pharmaceuticals. She is currently a Senior Manager of Data Science at Bristol Myers Squibb.

She has also taught as adjunct faculty in Columbia University’s M.S. in Applied Analytics program and is passionate about mentoring young learners through coding and data projects.

Nneka holds a BS in Statistics from Hunter College and an MS in Business Analytics from NYU Stern.

Abhi Sawhney

Abhi Sawhney is an analytics and data science leader with experience across startups, big tech, and consulting. He most recently served as Global Head of Business Insights and Analytics at JioSaavn.

Previously, he held analytics roles at Amazon and Deloitte. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Tech and a master’s in Engineering Management from Duke University.

Swapnil Srivastava

Swapnil Srivastava is Executive Vice President and Global Head of Analytics at Evalueserve. With over 15 years of experience, he helps organizations leverage analytics for strategy, operations, and digital transformation.

He has led global data science teams and is a recipient of the “40 Under 40 Data Scientist” award. He is also a member of the Forbes Technology Council and a published author.

Paul Thompson

Paul Thompson is VP of Industry Strategy for Health Plans at DXC Technology, where he leads strategy and innovation initiatives in the healthcare sector.

His career includes leadership roles at Cigna, Aetna, and DXC Technology, focusing on healthcare strategy, product development, and operational improvement.

He holds a BA from Fairfield University and an MBA from the University of Connecticut.

Craig Willingham

Craig Willingham is Managing Director of the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute, where he leads research, strategy, and partnerships focused on food system equity.

He previously worked with the NYC Department of Health and has contributed to numerous public health and food policy initiatives. He is also an educator and published researcher in the field.