Brian Smith
Executive Vice President, Research & Insights
As Senior Vice President in GBK’s Seattle office, Brian works with clients across technology and other sectors to apply customer insights and data analytics to help them solve some of their toughest marketing and business challenges. He brings a wealth of experience across areas including marketing strategy, customer insights, analytics, technology and management consulting with previous roles at Microsoft, Deloitte, among other major brands.
Prior to joining GBK Collective, Brian was a Senior Vice President with research consultancy PSB Insights, a WPP Group company, where he consulted with clients on opportunities in emerging cloud services, enterprise computing, cybersecurity, and technology policy. He also previously consulted to technology and health care companies in strategy and operations with Deloitte Consulting.
In addition, Brian drove marketing strategy and implementation at Microsoft for nearly a decade. In the Windows business group, he developed the commercial Cloud IT campaign and drove the worldwide go-to-market launch of Windows 10 Pro, brought the first Windows tablet devices to market, and developed the consumer retail messaging and positioning. In several roles focused on emerging markets, he worked with in-country teams to innovate new approaches to product development, pricing and licensing, and channel development for China, Brazil, India, Russia, and Southeast Asia.
Prior to driving marketing and strategy for major brands, Brian had a deep background in technology and business operations, having worked as an IT engineering lead and implementation manager for several investment banks in New York City.
Brian holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in international business and marketing and a BA from Whitman College in German and politics.