Mark Bush, MSBA '22
The MSBA program provided the ideal platform to accelerate my career shift and gain the skills needed to make an impact in this dynamic field.
Mark Bush is Chief Data Officer at Braidr, a London-based data and analytics consultancy within Tomorrow Group, a leading marketing-focused agency. In his role, Bush collaborates with businesses across sectors to identify opportunities and elevate data-driven decision-making in high-impact areas. His projects involve deploying advanced digital measurement solutions and leveraging analytics to drive tangible results.
He recently spoke with NYU Stern about the technical skills he gained in the program, his recent career pivot into consulting (and how Stern has prepared him to best serve his clients), and what excites him about the “dynamic” field of data and AI.
Where were you in your career when you decided to pursue this MSBA program? Why did you choose Stern over other avenues?
After completing an MBA, I spent a decade in Managing Director and CEO roles within the travel sector, including at TUI Group and privately owned investor-backed companies. Over time, I recognized the critical role of data and analytics in driving success. Stern’s MSBA program stood out for its practical curriculum, distinguished faculty with real-world expertise, flexibility to work while studying, and its network of like-minded professionals—making it the ideal choice to advance my career.
Why was now the moment to make a big investment in yourself?
As CEO of a mid-sized travel business, I became fascinated with how data and analytics could drive business performance. Observing rapid advancements in analytics and AI, I realized the transformative potential of these technologies and sought to deepen my expertise. While I’d enjoyed my commercial leadership roles, I aimed to pivot toward data and AI to build a distinctive skill set that combined technical expertise with my commercial experience. To make a meaningful career shift, I knew I needed to quickly enhance my technical knowledge and build a comprehensive skill set in these fields.
The MSBA program provided the ideal platform to accelerate this shift and gain the skills needed to make an impact in this dynamic field.
What excites you about the field of analytics and artificial intelligence at the moment, and how do you see yourself contributing to the field?
I’m excited by the growing adoption of analytics and AI among smaller organizations that previously lacked the resources to tap into these technologies. I’ve seen a growing number of SMEs leveraging cloud platforms to consolidate data and use advanced analytics. This enables capabilities like customer segmentation, marketing attribution, and outcome prediction—transforming their performance in ways previously unattainable.
My contribution focuses on helping businesses embrace advanced analytics with practical, tailored solutions that drive tangible improvements. By ensuring actionable insights and addressing real-world challenges, I empower companies to become more data-driven, improving performance and maintaining a competitive edge.
By working closely with business teams, I ensure a clear understanding of their needs and priorities, enabling the development of analytics solutions that address real-world challenges. I also focus on helping businesses improve their data collection practices, often recommending new data points to enhance insights. By providing practical examples of how similar organizations have successfully used data, I aim to inspire confidence and encourage adoption of analytics-driven decision-making. Through this approach, I aim to empower companies to become more data-driven, equipping them to make better decisions, improve performance, and stay ahead in a competitive landscape.
What has the immediate value-add of the program been on your career?
I have successfully transitioned my career from commercial leadership to data and analytics consulting. While this transition started before I graduated, the MSBA greatly accelerated this process. In my current role, it’s essential to quickly assess an organization’s data maturity and pinpoint where data and analytics can deliver the most significant commercial impact. I’m continuing to learn all the time and love the work I do. It is clear to me that without the skills I gained from the program, I would feel far less capable and confident in many of the key data/analytics disciplines that enable me to deliver complex projects for clients.
What are some specific skills you gained in the program?
I was very pleased with the rapid development of my technical skills in a range of areas including Machine Learning and AI programming and working with ‘Big Data’ cloud-based platforms. The breadth of understanding around the practical applications of these skills, from revenue management to marketing attribution, recommendatory systems, to prediction and causality of ‘customer churn’ was great and helped to bring the technical skills to life.
I highly valued the content around the end-to-end business analytics process and aligning strategy and change with analytics – it’s one thing understanding how to write a script, but the real value is ensuring projects and deployment lead to creation of business value. Looking back, I have found the content from these courses particularly useful in my consulting engagements.
I’m also truly grateful for the friendships and relationships I have developed through the program. I now have an extensive, incredibly supportive professional network of the highest caliber in the world of data and analytics, as well as many new friendships. My life is richer as a result.
What three words would you use to describe your experience in the program?
Transformative. Challenging. Rewarding.