Neela Pal

Neela joined Arnold in March 2005 and is currently the Director of Arnold's Business and Brand Strategy Group. In this role, Neela heads Arnold's Strategic Insights capability, which includes Business Strategy, Human Nature (Arnold's Planning group), and Analytics. She leads a team of business strategists, planners and analysts to help clients address a variety of growth and brand/marketing issues. Neela has worked across a number of businesses including Volvo, Ocean Spray, CVS/pharmacy, Carnival, The Bahamas, GSK, Hershey's and New Business. Most recently, Neela was the Strategic Insights member of the pitch teams that helped win the University of Phoenix and American Eagle brands.

Before joining Arnold, Neela spent four and half years at McKinsey & Company, one of the world's leading strategy consulting firms, as a Senior Engagement Manager. Neela's projects spanned a variety of areas from operations to go-to-market strategy, with a primary focus on developing branding and marketing strategy for Fortune 500 clients. Categories she has successfully consulted in include traditional packaged goods, retail, and pharmaceuticals.

Prior to McKinsey, Neela enjoyed a successful first career at marketing powerhouse Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati as a Brand Manager. Neela spent six years in the companies and food and beverage division working on such brands as Hawaiian Punch, Crisco and Olean, and she helped to bring several new products to market. Her solid marketing experience there included managing the brand's P&L and conducting consumer research, brand positioning, competitive analysis, retail and channel strategy, pricing strategy, brand extension development, and advertising and communications plan development.

Neela received her MBA from Harvard Business School and Bachelors of Science in Economics from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Neela lives in Newton, MA with her husband and has her hands full with three kids!