Karthic Bala

head of data strategy at Condé Nast


Big data has occupied a preeminent place in Bala’s mind for more than 20 years. Over that span, he has created data-based products that drive revenue for digital media, programmatic ad sales, and marketing solutions.

He does it at a place that used to be associated with print alone: As one of Condé Nast’s top data people, Bala manages a team that creates tools that capture and collect data sets and builds devices to access and analyze results. His team also uses statistical models for predictive analysis in an effort to offer consumers, health and otherwise, relevant products. Along the way, Bala led the launch of Condé Nast Spire for Health, a data platform designed to optimize campaigns.

Prior to his Condé Nast tenure, Bala served as the president of the Precision Health Data Institute at Everyday Health, where he built data-led business products. Before that, he oversaw Viacom’s business intelligence and data-warehousing department as director of application development, a role in which his group supported 27 television stations, 250 websites, and a movie studio.