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Alex Cosmas

PartnerNew York

Helps travel and logistics companies capture real value from data science and artificial intelligence

Alex leads advanced analytics in the travel and logistics sectors. He applies the full data science toolkit to commercial and operational problems, finding performance improvement opportunities through rapid model development and deployment. Working together with executives, Alex helps companies realize strong returns from their analytics investments. He regularly serves in an interim chief analytics officer capacity while developing the in-house capabilities that will sustain impact.

A recognized expert in the use of predictive and probabilistic models to perform both deductive and inductive reasoning from large datasets, Alex specializes in the areas of customer analytics, consumer choice, revenue management, and pricing.

Examples of his recent client work include the following:

  • leading an analytics transformation for a North American distributor, including establishing a self-funding data science center of excellence and providing an analytics immersion for executive team
  • driving a digital transformation and enterprise analytics strategy for a global transportation company to leapfrog competition and significantly improve both financial and operational performance
  • developing an artificial intelligence engine to power customer lead generation for a leading aerospace manufacturer
  • architecting a digital product business for a global airline technology provider, including the analytics approach to automate and streamline airlines’ planning processes
  • transforming the approach to promotion and marketing for leading global airline, developing a first-in-class application of machine learning to achieve a “segment of one” customer experience

Alex is a member of the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science and the Airline Group of the International Federation of Operations Research Societies. He is a former advisory board member of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Big Data Advisory Committee.

Published work

Start spreading the news: New York City travel and tourism are back,” McKinsey & Company, August 2024

What AI means for travel—now and in the future,” McKinsey & Company, November 2023

The promise of travel in the age of AI,” McKinsey & Company, September 2023

The snap back of travel: Airlines’ ability to keep pace,” McKinsey & Company, November 2022

New York: A concrete jungle where dreams are still made,” McKinsey & Company, December 2021

Airline data: What next beyond crisis response?,” McKinsey & Company, November 2020

How to build AI with (and for) everyone in your organization,” McKinsey & Company, May 2020

Past experience

Booz Allen Hamilton
Principal, chief scientist

L.E.K. Consulting
Airline specialist

Lockheed Martin
Aerospace engineer

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MS, aeronautics and astronautics
MS, technology and policy program

Columbia University
BS, applied physics