praise for Russell Walker
“Russell is the “go-to” guy for all things quantitative, not only for his superb analytical capabilities but for his keen relationship and bridge-building talents.”
– Dave Taylor, Principal at ICF International
“Russell is a thought leader who impacts the bottom line by creating new ways for technology to impact the business. He embraces the ideas of others and leads by doing. He makes any manager a star.”
– Yancy Dennis, Enterprise Business Architecture Director
Russell Walker is a clinical associate professor at the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University, an award-wining author, and a trusted advisor to companies around the world, including Microsoft, IBM, John Deere, and Pepsico. His research focuses on managing risk and harnessing value through analytics and big data – topics he has studied across a variety of industries and geographies.
The recipient of the Kellogg Impact Award for his excellence in the classroom, Dr. Walker teaches courses on big data and analytics, strategic data-driven marketing, enterprise risk, operational risk, and global leadership. He is the founder of the Analytical Consulting Lab and Risk Lab, experiential courses that pair students with companies like the Chicago Bears, United Airlines, and LinkedIn to tackle real-world problems.
He is the author of two critically acclaimed books, including From Big Data to Big Profits: Success with Data and Analytics (Oxford University Press, 2015), which examines data monetization strategies and the development of data-centric business models in the new digital economy. He has also authored many popular business cases and articles for Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes Business, and The Los Angeles Times, among others.
A fluent Spanish speaker, Dr. Walker has led the Kellogg Global Initiatives in Management (GIM) program in Latin America and the Gulf States and frequently speaks on business opportunities in emerging markets. He has been invited to speak at various leading international organizations including the US State Department, the World Bank, the SEC, The Bank of England, and the International Finance Corporation.
Dr. Walker began his career with Capital One Financial, where he helped pioneer the usage of analytics in marketing, risk management, and international market entry.
He holds an MS and Ph.D. from Cornell University, an Executive MBA from the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University, and a BS from the University of South Florida.
