Stephanie Bell, Director of Analytics, Sainsbury’s

My career in analytics started straight out of university. I was lucky enough to stumble across a role in a consultancy that focused on marketing and customer analytics as a fledgling graduate. The pace and variety of agency life gave me a wealth of truly valuable experience both in the technical aspects as well as across industries and products. It also opened my eyes to the sheer power of data and analytics and the value that can be driven from it; and there began my journey to get ever closer to the impact, truly being at the wheelhouse of putting that insight into action. 

 
My tenure at Nectar, the architect of the UK’s largest coalition loyalty programme, further deepened my understanding. Nectar360’s role in managing Sainsbury’s shopper marketing services showcased the synergy of insights and media expertise in connecting businesses, FMCG brands, and customers. Reinforcing my love of customer analytics, my time at Nectar was a brilliant opportunity to understand how loyalty influences customer behaviours in a unique blend of both internally facing analytics and client partnerships. Transitioning within the Sainsbury’s family, I now lead a dynamic team of Analysts, Data Scientists, and Visualisation Specialists. We are a multi-faceted function that plays a pivotal role across Sainsbury’s and Argos, supporting many of the core operations. Looking back on my early career aspirations to be ever closer to the action, it is a role where even the smallest analytical discovery can end up being shared with millions of customers every day.