Felipe Caro

Felipe Caro is a Professor of Decisions, Operations and Technology Management at UCLA Anderson School of Management, where he holds the Susan Wojcicki Chair in Data Science and Innovation. He serves as the Founder and Faculty Director of UCLA Anderson's MS in Business Analytics program and previously held the Bing and Alice Liu Yang Term Chair in Management (2020-2023). Caro has been at UCLA since 2005, progressing from Assistant Professor to Full Professor in 2018.

His education includes a Ph.D. in Operations Management from MIT Sloan School of Management (2005) and Industrial Engineering and B.Sc. in Engineering from University of Chile, both with highest honors. Caro's research focuses on decisions under uncertainty with practical applications, particularly in retail operations, supply chain management, and business analytics. His work with Zara on inventory allocation models increased season sales by 3-4 percent for the Spanish apparel giant, earning him the Franz Edelman Laureate in 2009.

Caro's research portfolio shows strong trends in omnichannel retailing, sustainable operations, and analytics adoption. His recent work examines online-to-offline integration, unauthorized subcontracting in apparel supply chains, and carbon abatement opportunities. He has developed mathematical models that address real-world challenges in fast fashion, with applications spanning retail operations, supply chain risk management, and sustainable practices. His publications in top journals like Management Science, Operations Research, and Manufacturing & Service Operations Management demonstrate both theoretical rigor and practical relevance.

• 2023 MSOM Society Award for Responsible Research in Operations Management
• 2020 La Force Award for Leadership
• 2019 Risk Analysis Best Paper Award
• 2014 ENRE Best Publication Award in Natural Resources
• 2013 ecch Production & Operations Management Award and New Case Writer Award
• 2009 Franz Edelman Laureate
• 2008 Deloitte Consulting Award for Management Field Study Achievement

Caro has chaired PhD thesis committees for Anna Sáez de Tejada Cuenca and Christian Blanco, among others, and serves on numerous doctoral committees. He has received significant research funding through industry collaborations, particularly with Zara and other retail partners. His work on the Zara case study 'Staying Fast and Fresh' is widely taught in business schools globally. As an editorial leader, he serves as Department Editor for Manufacturing & Service Operations Management and Associate Editor for Management Science, shaping research directions in operations management.