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Experian has been named to Forbes' list of the top 100 most innovative companies in the world. The world’s most innovative companies were united by one factor at the heart of Forbes’ methodology: ‘investors’ ability to identify firms they expect to be innovative now and in the future. This ‘Innovation Premium’, alongside other factors, determined whether a company is included in Forbes’ exclusive list. For Experian, innovation is part of our DNA, from the 1950s when a punch card system was introduced to process credit information, to the present day, where our data labs are at the forefront of data science. Experian DataLabs are staffed by teams of scientists with Ph.Ds. and applied research practitioners with expertise in advanced analytics and machine learning, as well as other advanced statistical methods. The lab in North America has had some remarkable success with Fortune 500 clients where they been able to identify previously undetected risks and signals from data sets comprising billions of transactions. By analyzing many multiple variables in new ways—natural language processing against payment card accounts for example, they gain insights that are incredibly useful for our clients. For example, one of the largest banks in American asked the DataLab to find more effective ways of convincing their debit card users to use their credit cards. To develop the solutions the lab analyzed about 7 billion customer transactions over a three-year period from the bank, and incorporated Experian’s data. The lab’s solution entailed finding 550 unique segments of users that the bank could target. That was far too many so the lab culled the segments down to 20. The bank was so pleased with the outcome it has engaged the lab in an ongoing contract. The developed solution is also being used by five other major banks. Our culture of innovation is thriving as Experian continues to grow and lead the way in developing solutions and harnessing the power of data to turn insights into actions. That value added insight can help a consumer secure an affordable loan, improve their credit score, or protect their identity; or for a business to mitigate risk, help prevent fraudulent transactions, or even to ensure they are marketing their products and services to the right consumers at the right time and across the right channels.

One of my favorite sayings growing up as a kid was, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” While these words can have a very literal meaning, at its essence, it means that everything has a value to someone. There couldn’t be a more fitting circumstance to apply this saying than when you look at the automotive industry, especially in relation to leased and certified used vehicles. After all, most certified used vehicles were once leases. According to a recent analysis, Experian Automotive found that consumers in larger metropolitan areas leased more vehicles than were purchased new, and those in smaller areas tended to buy more certified used* vehicles than new. Cities such as Detroit and New York saw extraordinarily high volumes of leases. During the analysis period**, leases accounted for 67.9 percent of all new vehicle registrations*** in Detroit, while they accounted for 49.8 percent of new vehicle sales in New York. Top 5 metropolitan areas new vehicle lease penetration Detroit 67.9 percent New York 49.8 percent Flint, Mich. 49.1 percent Youngstown, NY 46.5 percent Cleveland 43.6 percent By comparison, cities such as San Angelo and Victoria, Texas had the two highest percentages of certified used registrations compared to overall vehicle sales. San Angelo had 26.7 percent of its total vehicle sales fall under the certified used category, while Victoria had 25.1 percent. Top 5 metropolitan areas for highest percentage of certified used vehicle sales San Angelo, Texas 26.7 percent Victoria, Texas 25.1 percent Corpus Christi, Texas 24.4 percent Odessa, Texas 24.3 percent Lubbock, Texas 24.2 percent “Not every market is the same. Economic and social issues often drive sales,” said Brad Smith, director of automotive market statistics for Experian. “Detroit for example, benefits from the presence of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, as well as numerous suppliers and many friends and family programs. By gaining insight into consumer purchasing behavior in their market area, dealers and manufacturers can take more targeted actions with regard to managing their inventory, capitalizing on growth opportunities, gaining new customers and improving profitability.” Further analysis found that from a brand perspective, MINI had the highest percentage of certified used vehicles compared to total vehicle registrations**** at 32.7 percent, followed by Ram (28.9 percent), Hyundai (28.3 percent), Mercedes-Benz (28.3 percent) and Kia (27.7percent). So, which certified vehicles are consumers purchasing the most? The analysis showed that the Toyota Camry had the highest volume of certified used registrations, followed by Nissan Altima, Ford F-150, Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Silverado. The next time you are in the market to buy, which will you get … new or certified used? While not every vehicle type is going to meet every person’s preference or specific situation, by understanding what metal is moving in the market, dealers, manufactures and consumers can find the “treasures” that best fit their needs. *For the purposes of this analysis, certified used vehicles are an approximation based on model year parameters (0-5 years old) **Analysis was based on January-September 2014 data ***Minimum 10,000 new vehicle registrations ****Minimum 100,000 vehicle registrations

With all the discussions around the risks of big data, the fact that it can be used as a powerful enabler of good seems to be missed. The benefits of big data can be seen throughout our day to day lives from simple things like traffic alerts to more impactful purposes like those seen in today’s healthcare environment. At Experian we serve more than 2,800 hospitals and 9,000 physician practices and use big data to help serve their patients as quickly and efficiently as possible. Our data and technology guides hospitals, physicians and patients step by step through an increasingly complex healthcare process. With Experian’s curated data sets at their fingertips, health institutions are able to guide patients in determining whether they qualify for government programs like Medicare or Medicaid, as well as if they are eligible to participate in the Healthcare Insurance Exchange (HIX) subsidies. In many cases, the system alerts a patient of eligibility for aid that they were not even aware of. “Big data” also helps provide increased safety. Data-driven insights accurately verify patient identities when they arrive at a clinic or hospital. By making sure patients are who they say they are, we help clinics and hospitals prevent fraud, ensure accurate medical records and carry out proper care. Additionally, through Experian’s Payment Plan Advisor, the same institutions can help patients develop personalized payment plans that fit their individual financial circumstances and meet the necessary payment plan guidelines. Additional tools provide patients insight into how much they currently owe a facility for previous services while giving them a clear idea of what their financial obligation will be for the current visit. Lastly, when it comes to online databases of patient medical histories, “big data” delivers enhanced cyber security. Recent healthcare reforms have made patient data available online through pharmacies, hospitals and labs. This accessibility leaves that data exposed to would-be hackers. That’s why more and more health institutions are taking steps to safeguard patient histories by adopting identity theft protection platforms and device verification technologies – the same security mechanisms used by banks. Big data, combined with technology and of course people, is enabling better, safer care and facilitating an enhanced patient experience. When managed appropriately – and in compliance with existing laws and regulations on data use – data is a force for good. So the next time you need a helping hand, don’t forget how the power of “big data” can make a big difference.