Mehrdad Vaziri

About Mehrdad Vaziri

I am a Decision Scientist at Starbucks, where I leverage my Ph.D. in Geography and Environmental Science and Policy and over 10 years of experience in geospatial analytics to optimize store operations and development across multiple markets. I use my data analysis, GIS, and project planning skills to provide strategic recommendations and solutions for location optimization, market planning, and network expansion.Prior to joining Starbucks in 2021, I established geospatial analytics as a capability for a global center of excellence at HSBC, where I conducted multifaceted spatial analysis for existing and new points of presence, as well as for assessing the impact of ESG goals and climate change on the financial sector and HSBC clients. I am also a published scholar in various spatial analysis domains, with multiple publications, certifications, and honors in the field. My mission is to use geospatial insights to drive business growth, innovation, and sustainability.

Experience

1. Decision Scientist, Market Strategy

   Starbucks

   Feb 2023 — Present · Chicago, IL, US

   Identified $3 Billion in incremental sales opportunities for the U.S. and Canadian markets by collaborating with data scientists to deploy advanced geospatial algorithms for new store locations. • Unlocked $1.9 Billion in growth through the launch of a proprietary site selection tool that integrated new data streams into internal strategic systems. • Manage a $1.5 Million external data budget, overseeing the exploration, testing, and integration of high-quality datasets to enhance strategic decision-making. • Spearheaded a road traffic data initiative, collaborating with tech teams to visualize complex movement patterns within an internal mapping platform. • Developed financial sales estimates for targeted expansion areas across North America, providing critical data-driven guidance for new store openings. • Advanced Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by onboarding datasets to identify vulnerable neighborhoods, supporting the expansion of community and military-based stores. • Delivered executive-level dashboards using Tableau and Power BI to provide insights on competitive positioning and store planning to senior leadership

Education

• The University of Texas at Arlington

  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Urban Planning and Public Policy

  2013 — 2014

• University of Mazandaran

  Bachelor of Arts, City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning

• University of South Florida

  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Geography and Environmental Science and Policy

  2014 — 2019

• Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

  Master’s Degree, GIS Application in Planning

  2010 — 2012