Yimeng (Margaret) Cai 蔡祎萌

I am a Marketing PhD Candidate (Job Market 2026-2027) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler Business School). I have a strong passion for generating data-driven and decision-making insights.

My research focuses on applying advanced quantitative methods and machine learning to marketing problems, particularly in social media, influencer marketing, e-commerce, and retailing. With a background in business consulting at Deloitte, I aim to bridge the gap between research and practice, leveraging innovative methods to solve real-world business challenges. I am motivated by the potential to make a tangible impact in this technology-driven world.

I am advised by Katrijn Gielens (Tilburg University) and co-advised by Jan-Benedict E.M. Steenkamp (UNC Kenan-Flagler).

Research Interests

  • Branding (dissertation focus)
  • Quantitative Marketing
  • Digital and Social Media Marketing
  • Influencer Marketing and Creator Economy
  • Retailing

Methods

  • Econometric Modeling
  • Causal Inference
  • Machine Learning
  • AI-Driven Content Analysis

Education

  • Ph.D. in Marketing, Kenan-Flagler Business School, UNC at Chapel Hill (expected 2027)
  • M.S. in Business Analytics (Customer Analytics), Washington University in St. Louis (2021)
  • B.B.A. in Business Administration (minor in Accounting), Capital University of Economics and Business (2018)