'''David C. Edelman''' (born 1961) was Chief Marketing Officer at Aetna from 2016 to 2020, leaving after the merger with CVS.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveedelman/details/experience/ |access-date=14 March 2023}}</ref> Since July, 2021, he has been a Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Business School.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=725039 |access-date=14 March 2023 |title=David C. Edelman - Faculty & Research - Harvard Business School }}</ref>

== Education == He graduated from Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York in 1978.<ref name="Insiders">{{cite web |title=Executive Profile Aetna Inc. David C. Edelman |url=https://app.boardroominsiders.com/profiles/aetna-inc-david-edelman |website=Boardroom Insiders |accessdate=21 February 2019}}</ref>

Edelman attended Harvard University from 1978 to 1982.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}} He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 1982, and after 18 months at Booz, Allen, and Hamilton, subsequently earned his MBA degree, with an emphasis in marketing, from Harvard Business School in 1986.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Galetto |first1=Molly |title=Anatomy of a CMO: What Makes a Successful CMO? |url=https://www.ngdata.com/anatomy-of-a-top-cmo/ |accessdate=24 October 2018 |publisher=NG Data |date=July 11, 2017}}</ref>

== Career == Edelman began his career at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) from 1986 until 1999.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dipasquale |first1=Cara B. |title=The Player: Edelman will try to bring it all together for Digitas |url=https://adage.com/article/news/player-edelman-bring-digitas/51775/ |accessdate=24 October 2018 |publisher=AdAge |date=July 8, 2002}}</ref> He served as a Partner and Vice President and was instrumental in building their e-commerce practice and “Segment of One Marketing” strategy service line. He ran the marketing for their East Coast operations, coordinating publishing and conferences.<ref>{{cite news |title=Segment-of-One Marketing |url=https://www.bcg.com/en-us/publications/1989/strategy-segment-of-one-marketing.aspx |accessdate=24 October 2018 |publisher=Boston Consulting Group |date=January 1, 1989}}</ref>

In 1999, Edelman joined Digitas, becoming the leader of their strategy and analysis practice.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}} In 2002, Edelman was promoted to the role of Chief Marketing Officer, which was a new role created by chairman and CEO David Kenny to scale Digitas’ business and increase brand awareness.<ref>{{cite web|title=Digitas Names David Edelman to New CMO Post|url=http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/digitas-names-david-edelman-new-cmo-post-56078/|website=AdWeek|date=29 April 2002 }}</ref>

In 2008, Edelman joined McKinsey & Company as a partner, where he co-led the Global Digital Marketing and Sales Practice and served as Chief Marketing Officer for the Marketing and Sales Practice. During his 8-year tenure at McKinsey, Edelman worked with CMOs and senior executives across industries, advising client organizations on implementing digital transformation strategies and developing new digital capabilities.

In 2016, Edelman joined Aetna as its first Chief Marketing Officer,<ref>{{cite web|title=Aetna Taps McKinsey's Edelman As CMO, Former Digitas Exec Expert On Digital|url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/284669/aetna-taps-mckinseys-edelman-as-cmo-former-digit.html|website=MediaPost}}</ref> and led the launch of Aetna’s rebranding with a campaign focused on “you don’t join us, we join you.”<ref>{{cite web|title=You don't join us, we join you|url=https://wejoinyou.aetna.com/|website=Aetna}}</ref> He built an “Office of the Consumer” to guide design of new member experiences, and centralized marketing technology.

In addition to his current role at Aetna, Edelman is also on the Board of Trustees of The Walnut Hill School for the Arts, in Natick, Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Walnut Hill School for the Arts Board of Trustees|url=https://www.walnuthillarts.org/about/leadership}}</ref>

== Speaking, contributed writing and awards == Edelman speaks frequently at industry conferences around the world, and has published numerous articles in leading business publications such as the Harvard Business Review and Forbes on topics ranging from branding in the digital age,<ref>{{cite journal|title=Branding in the Digital Age: You're Spending Your Money in All the Wrong Places|url=https://hbr.org/2010/12/branding-in-the-digital-age-youre-spending-your-money-in-all-the-wrong-places|journal=Harvard Business Review|date=December 2010 |last1=Edelman |first1=David C. }}</ref> to mastering digital marketing,<ref>{{cite web|title=Mastering digital marketing|url=https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/mastering-digital-marketing|website=McKinsey & Company}}</ref> and improving CMO/COO collaboration.<ref>{{cite journal|title=A Step-by-Step Plan to Improve CMO-COO Collaboration|url=https://hbr.org/2015/01/a-step-by-step-plan-to-improve-cmo-coo-collaboration|journal=Harvard Business Review|date=28 January 2015 |last1=Edelman |first1=David C. |last2=Stone |first2=Dorian |last3=Fanderl |first3=Harald }}</ref> He has also written extensively about digital strategies,<ref>{{cite web|title=Are today's marketers confident in their digital efforts?|url=https://qz.com/132767/are-todays-marketers-confident-in-their-digital-efforts/|website=Quartz|date=7 October 2013 }}</ref> consumer behavior,<ref>{{cite web|title=Identifying moments in the customer journey: Interview with McKinsey's David Edelman|url=https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-cee/insights-trends/thought-leadership/identifying-moments-customer-journey-interview-mckinseys-david-edelman/|access-date=2018-02-19|archive-date=2018-02-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220033627/https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-cee/insights-trends/thought-leadership/identifying-moments-customer-journey-interview-mckinseys-david-edelman/|url-status=dead}}</ref> using data to make better decisions,<ref>{{cite web|title=McKinsey & Company Tells Digital Marketers To Increase Agility, Remove Friction And Trust Your Data|date=18 August 2024 |url=https://which-50.com/mckinsey-company-tells-digital-marketers-to-increase-agility-remove-friction-and-trust-your-data/}}</ref> and the Customer Decision Journey.<ref>{{cite web|title=McKinsey Digital Leader: The Journey Wins, Not The Tech|date=20 April 2016 |url=http://chiefmartec.com/2016/04/mckinsey-digital-leader-journey-wins-tech/}}</ref> Edelman has participated in webinars and podcasts discussing the digital customer journey,<ref>{{cite journal|title=Shaping the Digital Customer Journey|url=https://hbr.org/webinar/2015/11/shaping-the-digital-customer-journey|journal=Harvard Business Review|date=26 October 2015 |last1=Edelman |first1=David C. |last2=Singer |first2=Marc }}</ref> marketing technology, and digital transformation in healthcare.<ref>{{cite web|title=Aetna CMO: Digital Transformation in Healthcare with David Edelman|url=https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/aetna-cmo-digital-transformation-healthcare-david-edelman|website=CXO Talk}}</ref> He also periodically guest teaches classes at Harvard Business School.

Edelman has been listed among Twitter’s most influential CMOs and smartest marketers on Twitter by publications like Forbes,{{cn|date=June 2024}} Business Insider,<ref>{{cite web|title=54 Smart Thinkers Everyone Should Follow On Twitter|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/smart-people-to-follow-on-twitter-2012-6?op=1/#ger-dooley-author-brainfluence-16|website=Business Insider}}</ref> and Inc.<ref>{{cite web|title=25 Interesting CMOs Worth Following on Twitter|url=https://www.inc.com/larry-kim/25-interesting-cmos-worth-following-on-twitter.html|website=Inc.}}</ref> for multiple consecutive years<ref>{{cite web|title=Top CMOs on Twitter|url=http://www.smmmagazine.com/exclusives/top-cmos-on-twitter/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611152447/http://www.smmmagazine.com/exclusives/top-cmos-on-twitter/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 11, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Top 20 Business Thinkers on Twitter|date=28 December 2017 |url=http://cultbizztech.com/top-20-business-thinkers-on-twitter/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107230228/http://cultbizztech.com/top-20-business-thinkers-on-twitter/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 7, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=15 Of The Most Interesting CMOs On Twitter|url=http://resources.hartehanks.com/blog/15-of-the-most-interesting-cmos-on-twitter}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=25 Interesting CMOs Worth Following on Twitter|url=https://medium.com/marketing-and-entrepreneurship/25-interesting-cmos-worth-following-on-twitter-62d2e45c1831|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220033648/https://medium.com/marketing-and-entrepreneurship/25-interesting-cmos-worth-following-on-twitter-62d2e45c1831|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 20, 2018}}</ref> and has contributed to a book on social media marketing.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Social Employee|date=2 July 2013 |url=https://bluefocusmarketing.com/book-the-social-employee/}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edelman, David Carl}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Aetna employees Category:Booz Allen Hamilton people Category:Chief marketing officers Category:Harvard Business School alumni Category:McKinsey & Company people Category:Midwood High School alumni