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Abbott LaboratoriesAI, Activated: Building Capability Across Global Teams
Akash as AI Marketing Transformation Lead
Interim Marketing VP/CMO and Marketing Consulting
For more than 25 years, Akash has been at the forefront of reshaping how companies go to market. A seasoned business leader with significant P/L responsibility, he has transformed innovative digital and AI technologies into real-life business drivers at McDonald's, Humana, AbbVie, and more. His growth and transformation work spans business benchmarking, customer research, and capability building, all aimed at driving innovation into complex processes and organizations. At McDonald's, Akash identified and implemented AI for personalization and advanced analytics, fueling mobile commerce growth from launch to more than $1bn in topline sales. For Humana, he used AI to predict customers' likelihood to convert by channel, saving 15% in advertising costs while increasing conversion rates. At Abbott Labs, he developed and delivered AI training and immersion for more than 60 global executives, producing an aligned roadmap on key areas of AI acceleration. Akash has been honored by Brand Innovators 40 Under 40 and AdWeek.com for pioneering digital strategies while at FCB Global and McDonald's, and he serves as an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University on AI and Marketing. He now focuses on consulting with middle-market companies looking to modernize faster, serve customers better, and compete smarter through AI.
The roles Akash steps into. Select one to see how they work in it.
A data-driven and innovative leader of Marketing and Business, Akash helps Healthcare companies with critical marketing and customer experience needs, addressing the here and now while building for the future. Over 20+ years, Akash has created over $2Bn in value through sales growth at McDonald's, Humana, AbbVie, and more. As Head of Marketing for Humana's $9Bn Pharmacy Solutions business unit, he created disciplined planning and processes while leading a 30+ person team. His analytical and forward-thinking leadership enabled Humana Pharmacy to achieve record growth: 10% 3-Year CAGR vs. the prior 3%. Before his healthcare experience at Humana, Akash led digital and CRM for AbbVie US. Here, he developed more robust consumer-centric digital experiences and performance marketing capabilities. This helped CRM and digital to achieve the highest ROI among channels for the blockbuster drug Humira. Akash can uniquely supercharge healthcare company goals due to his balanced experience in the industry and at leading marketing companies, combined with his understanding of B2C and B2B marketing. Akash has been a featured speaker on healthcare at Northwestern University, Publicis Healthcare Summit, and the Global Digital Pharma conference. He has a B.A. from the University of Illinois and an M.S. from Northwestern University.
Selected work in this role
SVP of Marketing at Guaranteed Rate Affinity
Led marketing for Guaranteed Rate's e-commerce mortgage division, a ~$300M business unit at a national financial services firm, with a 15+ team.
Director, Digital Marketing at AbbVie
Led US Pharmaceuticals digital marketing at AbbVie, heading a team of 10+ across digital, acquisition, CRM, UX, and innovation.
VP of Marketing at Humana
Led marketing for Humana Pharmacy, a ~$9bn business unit, with team of 30+ across branding, CRM, creative, production, analytics, and measurement.
Focus areas
Engagements Akash delivered through Chameleon Collective.
Personal case studies from Akash’s career before joining the Collective. These were not delivered through Chameleon Collective.
Personal workAkash as AI Marketing Transformation Lead
SVP, AI & Transformation at Monks
CREW
Chameleon Collective
Owner and Principal Consultant at AP Growth Consulting
Humana
Nordstrom Trunk Club
Rate
FCB Global
HSBC
Accenture
AbbVie
McDonald's
Potbelly Sandwich Works
SVP of Marketing at Guaranteed Rate Affinity
CMO (Interim) at Incrediwear
Head of Digital at MilkPEP
VP of Marketing at Nordstrom
Interested in bringing Akash onto your transformation? Let’s start the conversation.
