A new research centre harnessing the power of data analytics has been established at Smith School of Business at Queen's University.

The Scotiabank Centre for Customer Analytics, created with $2.2 million provided by Scotiabank, will bring together professors and students to collaborate with Scotiabank teams on applied research in customer analytics to provide data-driven solutions.

“More and more organizations are realizing the power of using big data and analytics as a competitive advantage,” said David Saunders, Dean, Smith School of Business. “We are excited by the many opportunities the Scotiabank Centre for Customer Analytics will provide both students and faculty, as well as the data-driven solutions we will produce.”

The collaboration between Scotiabank and Smith School of Business will extend beyond applied research to include community building efforts that bring together analytics practitioners and innovators across industries. Scotiabank will also provide internship opportunities for Queen’s PhD, MSc, Master of Management Analytics and MBA students.

“Our customers expect simple, seamless and personalized services; and data and analytics are key to making this possible,” said Michael Zerbs, Executive Vice President and Co-Head, Information Technology, Enterprise Technology at Scotiabank. “We recognize that analytics will fundamentally reshape the customer experience and Scotiabank will be a leader in this transformation. By using analytics, we can identify the right products and advice for our customers, at the right stage of life, helping them become better off. At Scotiabank, we know that partnerships, such as this one with Queen’s, are essential for driving success and evolving with our customers’ expectations.”   

The centre will be co-led by two Smith School of Business faculty: Yuri Levin, Chaired Professor of Operations Management and Director of the Master of Management Analytics program, and Mikhail Nediak, Associate Professor and Toller Family Fellow of Operations Management, with participation from Smith School faculty members in Management Science, Operations Management, Marketing, and Business Economics, as well as from the Queen’s School of Computing.

The Scotiabank Centre for Customer Analytics at the Smith School of Business is slated to open in February 2016.