MERGE Hires Lauren Tucker as Chief Strategy Officer

MERGE has named Lauren Tucker to a new position: chief strategy officer. She is based in Chicago and will work across the network for select Chicago, Boston and Atlanta clients and will report to MERGE CEO Ron Bess.

“Lauren has a diverse, well-rounded background that covers strategy, planning, CRM, media and performance analytics. Importantly, every role she’s played has been data driven,” said Bess.

Tucker has a PhD in journalism and mass communications and a minor in data analytics and 25+years of experience that includes more than a decade with the Martin Agency— where she created a consumer-intelligence consultancy—and five years at Leo Burnett in media and planning. She has worked on brands across categories including Kellogg’s, Kraft, BFGoodrich, Hoover, Geico and Walmart.

“I think of myself as a solution builder who knows how to tell stories with data. I was drawn to being part of this agency at the nexus of data, strategy, creativity, and technology,” said Tucker.

Tucker was most recently the founder and CEO of Do What Matters, an insights and strategy consultancy designed to help marketers build more authentic relationships with multicultural consumers. She is also an entrepreneur, a political activist and a blogger who writes about predictive analytics and research innovation.