Katie Thomas

Katie Thomas has built her career around understanding consumers — what makes them tick, how to meet their needs, and why they are so fiercely loyal to Heinz ketchup.  As lead of the Kearney Consumer Institute (KCI), Katie is advocate for and expert on all things consumer, identifying provocative insights, authoring opinion pieces, and interfacing with Kearney clients.

Katie’s career began in management consulting at Kearney, working on projects across Fortune 500 consumer goods, retail, and media clients to build strategies, conduct market analyses, and identify operational efficiencies.  Katie shifted gears post-MBA, moving into brand management for beloved brands from Heinz to Aidells chicken sausage.  Katie’s obsession with the consumer only deepened through consumer ethnographies and new product launches. Returning to Kearney to lead the KCI, Katie challenges existing assumptions and reframes questions with a consumer-centric perspective.

To learn more, visit: kearney.com/consumer-retail/kearney-consumer-institute