Reinventing consumer insights

Dr. Mathieu Trepanier is the CEO & Co-Founder of Tsquared Insights. He is a regular guest lecturer at INSEAD (France) in both the MBA and HCILP programmes on topics related to digital insights and reputation leadership. He collaborates on a number of research projects in the fields of computation linguistics, behavioural finance, and strategy. Mathieu is also an associate researcher at the Swiss Institute for International Economics and Applied Economic Research at the University of St.Gallen (Switzerland). He holds a Ph.D. in managerial economics and strategy from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University (USA), a M.Sc. in applied economics from HEC Montréal (Canada) and a bachelor’s from Laval University (Canada). He also studied finance at Audencia School of Management (France). In his free time, Mathieu likes to play squash and sail on lake Geneva.

Caroline Thibodeau is the COO & Co-Founder of Tsquared Insights. She is primarily involved in combining smart data technologies, human creativity, and the right skill sets to solve important challenges in marketing, consumer insights, reputation management, strategy, and beyond. Prior to co-founding Tsquared Insights, Caroline oversaw consulting engagements at FirstSight Group (USA), a boutique management consulting firm established by professor Daniel Diermeier, now dean of the Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago, USA. Caroline holds a M.Sc. in applied economics from HEC Montreal (Canada) and a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a specialization in international business management from Laval University (Canada). She also studied marketing and finance at the Audencia School of Management (France). In her free time, Caroline likes to sail and practice ski touring.

Carole is in charge of Human Resources at Tsquared, where she mostly deals with selection and recruitment, on-boarding newcomers, as well as structuring the HR function, tools and processes. Before joining Tsquared, Carole worked both for big multinational groups and smaller companies, in Switzerland as well as abroad. In parallel to her activity in Tsquared, Carole is an independent HR consultant and professional coach and trainer. In her free time, she studies oenology and is an theater amateur actress.

Gilles Haumont is the Chief Commercial Officer of Tsquared Insights. He has a BA. Hons in Political Science from Sciences Po Paris and an MBA from l’ESSEC (French top 3). After 5 years in Finance (Société Générale) and Management Consulting (Accenture), Gilles went to occupy senior management positions for the past 25 years in leading groups in the Luxury Industry such as Richemont and Kering. He led the international expansion of Cartier as Retail Director, and held similar roles at Boucheron (International Director) and Harry Winston (Vice President Retail). Gilles then managed private companies in the Luxury sector as CEO: Muzo International, Hédiard and Mellerio. He has worked in all key markets around the world and has lived in the UK, Australia, the USA and Switzerland. In his free time, Gilles writes novels (three published so far), plays with his five children and runs marathons.

Ivan leads R&D at Tsquared. He has more than 20 years of experience in a leading FMCG company analyzing consumers around the world, discovering insights about their needs, wants, passions and interests. He also worked for the US government seeking pricing “anomalies” for various brands, companies and industries. Ivan holds a Computer Science degree from Sofia Tech University. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling the world (amongst the 80+ countries and islands he has visited, Hawaii is his favorite destination), speculating in the stock and bond markets, reading books and cooking tasty meals.

Dr. Lewis Armitage is an Analyst and Data Science specialist for Tsquared, where he leverages modern computing languages and statistical techniques to deliver advanced data insights. He holds a Ph.D. in physics from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and a Master’s degree in physics from Cardiff University. Before joining Tsquared Lewis worked for the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) where he specialised in big data analytics, with the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) where he focused on the latest scientific research techniques and at Manipal Institute of Technology as an assistant researcher on cancer detection in biotechnology. Some of Lewis’s favourite leisure activities include hiking, skiing and wine tasting.

Mikael is the Director of Analysis of Tsquared Insights, where he leads consumer insights projects across markets and industries and develops new ways of understanding consumer behavior using data science. He holds undergraduate degrees from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) and the University of Geneva and a Masters from Oxford University. Prior to joining Tsquared, Mikael spent a number of years doing graduate work in sociology at Oxford, including a stint as a visiting scholar at Tokyo University where he researched the future of urban societies. He is fluent in a dozen programming languages and six natural ones, including Japanese and his three native languages, Finnish, English, and French. When not at the office, he can be found reading, cooking, playing music, and especially spending time with his family, preferably near a lake.

Pascal works with the Geneva Tsquared Insights team, contributing to projects across a variety of industries for world-leading FMCG companies. In his job he is motivated by tackling the latest and most challenging questions facing clients in any given country market. His areas of particular interest include luxury and the food industry. When he is not at work, Pascal can be seen on his bike, in the Alps, practicing team sports, or cooking homemade pasta. He loves to travel around the world discovering new cultures … and eating amazing specialties. Bilingual in Swiss German and French, Pascal is also fluent in English, standard German, Mandarin Chinese, and … (to be continued). Some of his latest academic credentials include an MS in Asian Studies from the Geneva Graduate Institute, and a CAS from Peking University.

David is an Associate Professor of Marketing at INSEAD and a Senior Academic Advisor. The core of David’s research and teaching intersects digital technologies, customer centricity and brand management. He helps professionals and organizations to (1) unlock value through digital analytics and insights, and agile communication strategies; and (2) successfully drive their digital transformation. He does this by focusing on how technologies create new customer behaviors and business practices. David is also an expert on how luxury and fashion brands should leverage status and style.

In recognition of his academic contributions, David was named 2017 Young Scholar by the Marketing Science Institute. He is also a passionate educator and was among the top 40 bestselling case authors worldwide in 2018. He also won the 2017 and 2018 best marketing case awards by the Case Center for his work on L'Oréal Paris’ big data strategy and the digital transformation at AccorHotels, respectively. David has designed, directed and delivered many executive education programs or workshops for companies such as Google, Cartier, Moët Henessy, Diageo Reserve, l'Oréal Paris, Pernod Ricard, Silversea Cruises, Ferrero, Adecco, Celgene, Sanofi, Abbvie, Biogen, Grünenthal, Takeda, Mizuho, Ajinomoto, Nitto Denko etc. and teaches in several of INSEAD’s flagship executive education programs. He has also launched and teaches MBA electives on Digital and Social Media Strategy and Value Creation in Luxury and Fashion. He holds a PhD in Marketing from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Prior to joining INSEAD, he was a faculty member at HEC Paris and has experience in the advertising industry.

Daniel is a Data Scientist at Tsquared Insights where he leads the development of an application used to analyze online consumer behavior. His background is in Computational Biology and he holds a Master of Science in Bioengineering from the EPFL, and a degree in Biology from the National University of Uruguay. He worked in Colorado as a Mathematical Modeler Biotech Intern, then at EPFL, Switzerland, as an Assistant Researcher in the Laboratory of Computational Systems Biotechnology. His mother tongues are English and Spanish, and he also speaks French. In his free time, Daniel enjoys spending time with his family, partaking in outdoor activities, cooking, and creating music.

Damian is Data Engineer at Tsquared Insights. An econometrician by training, Damian studied at HEC Lausanne and at the University of Amsterdam, from which he holds a MSc. and a Bachelor’s degree, both in economics, specializing in Macroeconomics and Statistics. He currently leads the Predictive Analytics team at Tsquared, having previously worked in the Business Economics division at Caterpillar. Using a combination of programming languages, he is always exploring new methods and sources for creating robust forecasting and big data systems. Born in Bulgaria, Damian lived in the US, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, benefiting from a diversified cultural exposure. Outside of work he enjoys following the technical and strategic evolution of Formula 1, along with learning new Kendama tricks.

Alexandra joined the Tsquared team mid-2018, contributing to landmark FMCG studies in her role as an Analyst. She has graduated with a Business Administration degree from the University of Bath and worked in various data-driven roles, both agency-side and client-side. Being born in Romania and having lived in the UK, Hong Kong and now Switzerland, Alexandra loves cultural diversity and the variety it brings to her day to day work. Outside of work, when not travelling, she makes the most out of what Switzerland has to offer: panoramic hikes, adventurous skiing and delicious cheese!

Pierre is a Vice President at Tsquared and passionate about data and analytics. He’s spent the past 15 years advising leading FMCG and OTC companies on issues such as marketing & sales ROI, pricing & trade management, customer management and assortment. Pierre started his business career in Cincinnati, Ohio (USA) working with Procter & Gamble on media and pricing optimization prior to moving to Geneva in 2009 to take on European responsibilities. In the past four years Pierre’s focus has been on scaling analytic solutions across global organizations to drive competitive advantage. Pierre earned a dual master’s degree in Business (MBA) and Arts Administration from the University of Cincinnati in Ohio (USA); he also holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California (USA). Pierre lives in Nyon, where he grew up, with his wife and daughter; he enjoys travelling, the arts, skiing and hiking in the Alps.

Agnieszka is Senior Analyst at Tsquared Insights. She works on identifying market opportunities across industries and assessing efficiency of marketing campaigns through consumer search behavior analysis. Previously Agnieszka managed ecommerce focused projects in a fast-growing startup, helping international consumer goods brands improve their online presence. She has a background in Social Psychology and is fluent in 4 languages. After having lived in different countries, Agnieszka landed in Switzerland. When she is offline, she is traveling or enjoying Swiss mountains, food and live concerts.

Dario is Junior Analyst at Tsquared Insights. His main interest is about understanding how digital technologies can leverage psychological factors to change human behavior. He holds a Master’s degree and a Ph.D in Psychology from the University of Milano-Bicocca. During his Ph.D Dario developed specific competences regarding digital interventions in some prominent European research centers: Centre for eHealth & Wellbeing Research at the University of Twente and Centre for Behaviour Change at the University College of London. Before joining Tsquared, he worked as visiting researcher at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) focusing on development and evaluation of smartphone apps for health-related behavior change. During his spare time Dario enjoys playing outdoor sports activities and travelling to meet new cultures and taste exotic foods

Hayfa is an Account Director at Tsquared, putting her strong expertise in consumer insights at the clients’ service. With 17 years of global experience in building and strengthening brands’ equity and growing share and volume, she has held various marketing roles within multinational companies such as Procter and Gamble, in diverse industries including FMCG, Telecom and Pharmaceuticals. She has always followed a consumer-centric approach throughout her different roles, always aiming at anchoring business and brand strategies on relevant and non-generic consumer insights. She holds a Masters in Business Administration and Management and a Masters in Sciences. Lebanese by origin, she has made Geneva her hometown twenty years ago, where she lives with her husband and twin boys.

Isabelle holds a Master in Business and Management from EDHEC Business School in France, with specialization in Marketing. Her passion is to understand what people do and why they do what they do and to translate her learning into consumer-led recommendations. She has a dual experience in the agency side (Nielsen) as well as on the client side where she worked on global brands like Gillette, Pampers, Gucci, Fairy or Febreze. During her career leading FMCG companies (Gillette, P&G and SC Johnson) she has built an extensive experience in Consumer and Shopper Insights, Business Analytics and Marketing Strategy. Recently she worked as an Insights Consultant at UNICEF in Geneva. Isabelle has worked in Germany, France and Switzerland. Outside work she likes skiing, running, practicing Pilates and she also is a passionate reader. She is also a member of an entrepreneurs club in Annecy, where she lives.

Florent holds a Master in Computer Software Engineering, a Bachelor in Electronics as well as a Master in Business Administration from the IAE business school in Grenoble. He is currently studying at the Geneva university, with the intention to obtain a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Sustainable Development. Florent grew his career from electronics to software development, then large scale industrial project management, to leadership roles in domotics, SaaS, Internet of Things (IOT), R&D and Engineering domains. His last employer was the Somfy Group where he was Business Group Director for the Smart Home Division. Florent’s mother tongue is French. He speaks English fluently.
Outside of work, Florent likes running, basketball playing, meditating, oenology, and is part of different sustainable initiatives in the Annecy area.