David Bersoff is the Head of Research for the Edelman Trust Institute, Edelman’s think tank dedicated to advancing the study of trust in society. As the Institute’s Chief Trust Scientist, David is responsible for ensuring the quality, integrity, and scientific value of all of Edelman’s trust-oriented research, which includes the annual Trust Barometer, the biggest and longest running global study of institutional trust, as well as yearly topical studies examining issues such as climate change, trust in the healthcare system, trust in the workplace, trust in brands, and racial justice. He also oversees all of the Trust Institute’s external research projects done in partnership with other academic, social policy, and philanthropic institutions.

Prior to joining Edelman in 2016, David spent 17 years as a consumer insights and marketing strategy consultant at The Futures Company and Yankelovich. In his last 5 years with The Futures Company, he served as its Chief Insights Officer and was a member of its global board of directors. In that role, he ran the Global Insights Group and drove the research, data analysis, IP creation and product development strategy for all of their syndicated consumer insights offers. In addition to his background in IP development and insights product management, David has also served as a trusted advisor and marketing/brand strategy consultant to major clients in industries as diverse as financial services, automotive, media, professional organizations, energy, and the military.

Before entering the consulting world, David spent 12 years engaged in social science research at Yale and the University of Pennsylvania, where he was an assistant professor of social psychology and research methodology and served on its IRB.

In addition to his work for the Edelman Trust Institute, David’s thought leadership activities include serving on the advisory boards of research projects stewarded by the Global Listening Project, Weave: the Social Fabric Project, and the World Values Survey Association.

A skilled story-teller and versatile writer, Dr. Bersoff has publications in scientific, management, and social policy journals, including a recent article in the Harvard Business Review. His wry wit and lively presenting style also make him a popular and highly rated convention and event speaker.

David holds a BA summa cum laude in Philosophy and a Ph.D. in social psychology, both from Yale University.