Wes Chaar Joins Catalina as Chief Data and Analytics Officer

Catalina, St. Petersburg, Florida, named Wes Chaar its chief data and analytics officer. Chaar has received numerous awards in his field and brings an extensive track record of innovation in data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence to the shopper intelligence and personalized digital media company.

In the new role, Chaar oversees Catalina's global efforts to extend the power of shopper data and insights to bring greater value to hundreds of millions of shoppers worldwide, while increasing the efficiency, predictability and responsiveness of retailer and brand marketing initiatives. Catalina is investing significantly in new data-related initiatives that augment the value of its unique shopper data analytics engine to drive performance for retailers and brands.

"Catalina has a uniquely rich and expansive view of one-to-one consumer purchasing behavior," Chaar said in a media release. "At Catalina, our goal is to continually enrich that data to gain a true 360-degree understanding of shopper needs and preferences, enabling us to reach the right households with the right content in real time. I am excited to be part of a company with so much experience and potential in forging the future of personalization."

Chaar previously served as senior vice president of analytics, data and decision sciences at Turner Broadcasting System. Prior to Turner, Chaar held senior data analytics leadership roles in the airlines and travel industry, spearheading development of analytics for next-generation decision support systems for airline, hospitality and online retail.