Alex Kelleher
Alex Kelleher participated in the asynchronous interview about his background in Experimental Psychology and his trajectory in Artificial Intelligence, Marketing and Entrepreneurship. The editing was done by the NoSeQueEstudiar team. Below, you will find his profile, a visual summary and the videos of the interview with transcription in Spanish.
CEO, Quantum Rise | Founder of Artificial Intelligence and Data Startups with multiple exits | Former Global C-Suite @ Deloitte Digital | Oxford University
Alex Kelleher is an innovator in Artificial Intelligence and business strategy with over 20 years of experience in technology, data and digital marketing. He has led multiple successful startups and held executive positions in global companies.
Alex has built and sold multiple AI and data companies. Currently, he is CEO and Founder of Quantum Rise, an AI consulting firm in partnership with Erie Street Growth Partners. Previously, he was Chief Data Officer and President of Data & Intelligence at Advantage Solutions (NASDAQ ADV), and Global CMO at @ Deloitte Digital.
He has founded and led innovative startups such as Cognitive Match (acquired by Magnetic), Touch Clarity (acquired by Adobe/Omniture) and Vivid Edge (acquired by Framfab/LBI).
His work focuses on combining human and artificial intelligence to drive business growth and digital transformation.
Location:
Chicago, United States
Featured Experience:
CEO & Founder - Quantum Rise (2024 - Present).
AI and data consulting firm focused on maximizing business impact.
Chief Data Officer & President, Advantage Intelligence (2022 - 2024)
Data and technology innovation leader at Advantage Solutions.
Global CMO & Managing Director, Deloitte Digital (2018 - 2022)
Global head of marketing strategy and digital transformation.
Founder & CEO - Cognitive Match (2009 - 2014).
Pioneer in Machine Learning for advertising, acquired by Magnetic.
Co-Founder - Touch Clarity (2000 - 2004)
AI-based optimization platform, acquired by Adobe/Omniture.
Academic Background:
Oxford University - BA in Experimental Psychology.
Key Skills:
✅ Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning;
✅ Growth Strategy and Digital Transformation;
✅ Data-Driven Marketing;
✅ Startup Development and Entrepreneurship.
Languages:
English (native), German (fluent).
Visual Summary NSQE Interview with Alex Kelleher
Interview with Alex Kelleher
Can you make a short presentation and tell us about your professional career?
I'm Alex Kelleher. I've spent the last two decades building startups in and around data and machine learning from the early days. They were acquired and I spent time in organizations and large enterprises. So I ran Deloitte Digital marketing globally as chief data officer for a large retail services company, and now I run an AI consulting firm.
How did you discover your career? Was it something you always knew, or did you find it over time?
I originally studied psychology and I think that has probably influenced everything I've done and what fascinates me in terms of human behavior and, increasingly, how you can influence human behavior. The field of AI and machine learning is very much about mimicking how humans think, but the reason we do that is often to help people change their behavior, enable them to do things more easily, and that's been the common thread in my career path. Obviously it varies between startups and large organizations, but I remain passionate about how you influence people's behavior.
Was there a mentor or a close family member who influenced your decision?
My parents set me on a path of academic excellence, and I think then I had a lot of people who influenced my career path, investors, colleagues and, some of the examples of great business practices. So I definitely continue to be guided by mentors and I find that kind of collaborative approach super valuable.
During your early years, how did you overcome academic and personal challenges?
For me, overcoming challenges is about moving forward, realizing that you can't control all the outcomes and unlimited amounts of optimism. It's how you deal with them, how you recover, how you pivot, particularly when running a startup, that defines your ultimate success.
Did you ever consider changing your career path?
You could say that I have changed my career many times through many, many startups and large organizations. The thread and passion has stayed the same. I'm a fan of change. I think it brings very healthy behaviors. So I 'm always open to changing my career path. Ultimately, we all have a career path and I think today's career path generally seems much less linear and one-dimensional, and I think that's a very good thing.
What skills do you consider the most valuable to develop during your career?
Probably the most important skill is adaptability to change. It seems like the world is changing faster than ever. If you're interested in getting into startups, that adaptability is super important, but really for most things in life it's dealing with change happily, head on, optimistically. And then you know the basics of working hard, being committed, keeping your word and those things clearly are always going to be important. They're always going to be important, but really knowing how to make moves in response to change is probably the most important thing.
What advice would you give to those who want to explore your field?
I think in the world of data, AI and technology in general it's really about today. It's just about getting in and trying things out. You know, go back to the basics, think about the problem logically and then, start implementing the incredible amounts of technology that are now available. It' s about get in, get out and do it. You know, make decisions, make them fast. If there were wrong decisions, making new decisions and continuing to iterate in a very agile way is definitely the best approach.
Are you currently working on any projects or initiatives that you’d like to share with us?
Sure. I run a startup, so I'm always going to talk to everyone about it. It's called Quantum Rise. We help companies transform themselves using AI. And when we talk about AI we talk about the whole world data and automation and the change management that surrounds it. It's very exciting to be in this space at this time in history, and we get to use all the latest tools and capabilities, the ones that are being released on a day-to-day basis to help our customers. So take a look at it.
Finally, is there anything else you’d like to share or any message for the next generation?
I think you have to keep a positive attitude, stay optimistic, work hard, move fast, adapt to change. I think those are the most important points. This is a great questioning and I was very pleased to be a part of this. Thank you.
Alex Kelleher
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