In 2001, Kearney partner Chanchai Tanatkatrakul moved from his native Thailand to the United States to earn his master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas. But while he stayed in the US for nine years, working as an engineer with a Texas-based firm for five years before adding an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, at no point did he consider leaving Thailand behind.

“My goal in going to the US to study and work was to increase my expertise, and then come back home to support the growth of my country’s economy,” Chanchai says. “My time abroad was a great experience, and I applied a lot of what I learned when I returned to Thailand and began working in consulting, including some critical government projects like the economic reform plan and other national strategies.”

While Chanchai treasures the memories of those projects as well as the contacts he made through them, he now focuses his work on corporates. “Thai companies in every industry need support, which gives us an opportunity to tap into Kearney’s global network of experts,” he explains. “Thailand produces lots of food and consumer products for both domestic consumption and export. With 68 million people, it’s a big market with lots of consumers. There’s so much growth potential here for both multinational and Thai companies, so the consumer and retail industries are a good fit for me as Kearney sets out to grow here.”

After 11 years with another firm, Chanchai joined Kearney in 2023. “When I interviewed with Kearney, I felt that they were confident yet humble, successful but down to earth,” he recalls. “I like that Kearney is always willing to work with the client all the way through the implementation phase. Back when I was in industry, I saw how some consultants suggested strategies and provided road maps that were very high level and difficult to implement; it was clear that they didn’t really have an understanding of the situation on the ground.”

Some of Chanchai’s most notable consulting projects include:

Leading a business-to-consumer market analysis, go-to-market, and channel strategy development for a global consumer product company in Thailand and Vietnam
Defining the market entry strategy and site selection in five ASEAN countries, performing joint venture/partner selection, and developing an implementation road map for a leading regional e-commerce player
Designing and rolling out an innovative marketing strategy and redefined retail footprints and brand image for an iconic global consumer good to regain market shares in Thailand

Chanchai has two daughters. The family likes to travel all around the Southeast Asia region and beyond. He also enjoys working out at the gym, running, and reading.

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