The judges noted that Michael Schaefer, Senior Manager, Data Science, Burberry, played a pivotal role in transforming a creative-led organisation into one that leverages data to enhance creativity, optimise processes, and support decision-making.
Capitalising on his technical expertise, Schaefer has unlocked unparalleled operational efficiencies, inspiring his team to achieve a tenfold increase in productivity. Deploying the latest technologies and best practices has led to significant breakthroughs in predictive modelling, enhancing accuracy and yielding substantial, multi-million-pound financial gains. His business acumen, coupled with an empathetic approach to stakeholder engagement, enables him to identify and address pivotal business challenges with precision and creativity, pushing beyond well-trodden paths.
Data innovation in a creative niche
Schaefer has been part of the Data Science team at Burberry for the last six years and a member of the management team for the last three. In his first few months after joining as a fresh graduate he impressed everyone, up to the C-suite, by proposing and implementing innovative ways to generate competitor insights, which was a gap in the existing Burberry analytics and decision-making at the time.
Throughout his journey at Burberry, he continued to shine through his creativity and thought leadership, playing a pivotal role in transforming the creative-led organisation into one that leverages data to enhance creativity, optimise processes and support decision making. He led the implementation of several data products in multiple areas, delivering over £4 million in incremental annual revenues from marketing optimisations alone and in driving efficiencies in our internal processes across retail, finance, product, and supply chain. In every instance, he transformed legacy processes, many of which were based on Excel spreadsheets and human intuition, into modern, automated processes with customised, user-friendly front ends that leverage the latest technologies, data, and AI. This empowered business users to make timely and data-informed decisions.
Schaefer stands out as a leader early in his career due to his unique combination of technical expertise and business acumen, coupled with his ability to foster a creative and collaborative environment among the team and stakeholders. Below are some areas, alongside relevant evidence, where Schaefer particularly excels:
- A keen eye for emerging trends and translating those into opportunities. Schaefer was noted for being passionate about everything data, technology, and AI. By staying up to date with the trends, he identifies opportunities and ensures Burberry stays competitive.
- Emphasis on automation and the adoption of modern engineering practices. With a small team of seven data scientists across all his projects, Schaefer can produce innovative work at pace and scale.
- Creating tangible business value and solve the right problems. Schaefer’s success in driving innovation extends well beyond technology. Getting a deep understanding of the underlying complex business processes, pinpointing the exact business challenges, and truly understanding stakeholder needs is what sets him apart.
- Treating innovation as a team sport. Schaefer’s impact scales with his team, fostering a stimulating environment for individuals to flourish. He generously shares his knowledge, investing in the upskilling and personal development of all in his team.
By embodying an innovative mindset and encouraging a creative and collaborative culture, Schaefer is pushing the boundaries of what is possible and transforming Burberry with data and AI.
