Merkle (www.merkle.com), a leading customer relationship marketing (CRM) firm and the nation’s largest privately held agency, today announced the appointment of Vijay Konduru to director, social media analytics. In this role, Konduru will focus on harnessing social media data, as well as integrating social analytics and measurement to further strengthen Merkle’s Connected CRM™ approach for clients looking to maximize their returns from social media.

Vijay will be tasked with further developing Merkle’s social media analytics strategy and team. He will help clients analyze social media data; develop real-time insights and long-term strategies to optimize tactics; and set up measurement and attribution frameworks to manage social media programs.

Prior to joining Merkle, Vijay spent more than nine years in various marketing analytics and strategy roles with Capital One Financial Corporation. Most recently, he built and led the Enterprise Social Media Analytics and Strategy team within Capital One’s Digital organization. He has a vast amount of experience in quantifying the impact of social media programs and bridging the gap between social media data and internal CRM databases. He has been recognized for his work and thought leadership both internally at Capital One and at external forums. In 2009, his efforts earned gold medals in the Best Triggered Personalized Email category and Best Test category at the Marketing Sherpa Email Summit.

Vijay holds two master’s degrees in engineering from the University of Minnesota and Purdue University and recently completed his MBA at The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

“I joined the Merkle team because of its reputation as an analytic powerhouse with world-class talent and an innovative approach to social marketing,” said Konduru. “I’m excited about the opportunity to work with Merkle’s clients to integrate social efforts and measurements across media and channels, during all stages of the customer relationship and to make social media an integral part of the Connected CRM™ value proposition.”

“Vijay’s expertise and extensive education made him the ideal candidate to build our social media analytics team and help Merkle clients quantify the impact of their social media efforts,” said Jennifer Veesenmeyer, vice president, digital analytics, Merkle. “In addition, his experience building effective teams will be a crucial asset in the continued development of Merkle’s social analytics competencies.”