Speakers & Panellists
Confirmed speakers, in alphabetical order:
Pat Bajari
Chief Economist & VP Core Artificial Intelligence at Amazon, USA
Pat Bajari leads a team of approximately 100 software engineers and scientists in machine learning, computer vision, statistics, operations research and econometrics. Since joining Amazon in 2010, his team has helped to build systems for supply chain, transportation, pricing, automated marketing, robotics, forecasting, human resources, and others. Prior to joining Amazon, Pat was a faculty member at leading economics departments including Harvard, Stanford, Duke, and Minnesota. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society, a member of the Federal Economic Statistics Advisory Committee, was an elected Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and has served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Business Economists.
Alberto Baldan
CEO of Grandi Stazioni Retail, Italy
Alberto Baldan is an experienced retailer who took on the role of the CEO of Grandi Stazioni in 2017. His past leadership experience was as Managing Director of Rinascente in 2007, extending to the role of CEO in 2012. During this tenure, Rinascente won the prestigious award for ‘The Best Department store in the world’. His prior leading assignments include - CEO of Conforama Italy, General Management at Auchan and key roles at Promodes in Italy and Spain. A graduate of Economics and Business Ca Foscari University of Venice, Alberto is also a member of the board of directors of Fiera Milano S.p.A., Hippocrates Holding, Fondazione Poldi Pezzoli and he sits on the Advisory Board of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.
Ricardo Bennett
CEO of Paris Department Store (Cencosud), Chile
Since 2014, Ricardo Bennett has held the role of CEO of Cencosud’s Department Stores division, which he joined in 2010 as Corporate GMM. In the past, he has occupied the function of General Merchandise Manager, Men’s apparel Manager and Footwear Manager in Paris. Ricardo is a Member of G100, a Board Member of Financial Retail, Scotiabank Cencosud and a Counsellor at the Chamber of Commerce of Santiago. He holds a degree in Industrial Civil Engineering from the University of Chile and an MBA from ESADE in Spain, with a major in international finance.
Chip Bergh
President & CEO of Levi Strauss & Co., USA
During Chip Bergh's tenure as President and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co) since 2011, the company has experienced a dramatic turnaround marked by outstanding performance, a return to the centre of culture and purpose-driven leadership. LS&Co returned to the public markets with a successful IPO in March 2019. Prior to LS&Co, Chip spent 28 years at Procter & Gamble in roles of increasing scope and complexity in brand management, general management and executive leadership. Chip is also Chair of the Board of HP, Inc (HPQ). In 2019 he was named one of the World’s Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine and has been widely recognised for his statements and actions on issues like gun violence prevention, climate change and social & racial justice.
Shelley Bransten
Corporate Vice President, WW Consumer Goods & Retail industries at Microsoft, USA
A passionate advocate for customers, Shelley Bransten works to ensure they are set up for success across their digital transformation efforts. During her time leading the WW retail and consumer goods business at Microsoft, she has overseen partnerships with leading companies across the globe including Walgreens Boots Alliance, Kroger, M&S and many more. Prior to Microsoft, Shelley launched business solutions that addressed challenges facing the retail industry as SVP of Retail & CG at Salesforce, and spent 16 years at Gap, Inc. running CRM and digital marketing for all their brands. She sits on the board of the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and was named on RETHINK Retail’s Top Retail Influencers list for 2022.
Dimas Gimeno
CEO & Founder of WOW Concept, Spain
An entrepreneur and investor in the retail and technology industry, Dimas Gimeno is a founding partner and CEO of WOW, a phygital retail platform that combines a marketplace and an experiential physical space. In addition, he is the founder of KAPITA - an investment firm specialised in retail & tech and the promoter of the Retail Innovation Lab which aims to foster entrepreneurship and innovation in the industry. Dimas belongs to the 4th generation of the family that owns El Corte Inglés, a group where he occupied different executive positions including as Board Member in charge of sales management and as Executive President of El Corte Inglés from 2014-2018. Dimas has a law degree and a master's degree in private law from the Universidad de San Pablo (CEU) and an EMBA from AESE Business School (associated with IESE). He also studied film direction at the Sydney University of Technology. He is the co-author, along with Luis Lara, of the book ‘Retail Reset’.
Kevin Johnson
Special Consultant & Former CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company, USA
Kevin Johnson most recently served as President and CEO for Starbucks. He first joined Starbucks in 2009, serving on the company’s board of directors during a period of record-setting transformation and growth. In March 2015, Kevin took on the role of President and Chief Operating Officer, leading the company’s global operating businesses across all geographies, as well as the core support functions of Starbucks supply chain, marketing, human resources, technology and mobile and digital platforms. He assumed the role of President and CEO in April 2017, a role he held for five years prior to retiring in April 2022. His career spans more than 30 years, scaling global businesses, including 16 years at Microsoft and five years as CEO of Juniper Networks. In 2008, he was appointed to the National Security Telecommunication Advisory Committee where he served presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Kevin’s commitment to innovation and following his heart extends beyond the world of business. He was a founding Board Member of NPower, an organization that provides nonprofits with access to technology. He is involved with Catalyst, a leading nonprofit focused on expanding opportunities for women in business. Kevin also supports Youth Eastside Services, one of the largest providers of youth and family counseling in the Seattle area. Kevin holds a BA in Business Administration from New Mexico State University.
Noel Kinder
Chief Sustainability Officer of Nike, USA
Noel Kinder leads Global Sustainability, a team committed to protecting our planet to maintain an environment where all athletes can train, live and thrive. Prior he was CSO, Noel was the Vice President of Sustainable Manufacturing and Sourcing, where he was responsible for collaborating with Nike's business units, contracted factory leadership, representatives in academia and within the NGO community on the evolution of the company's sustainable business performance policies. Noel joined Nike in 1999 and has held a wide range of leadership positions in the footwear and apparel divisions as well as roles in strategic planning and finance. In 2013, he became the General Manager of Nike Vietnam LLC, one of Nike’s largest sourcing countries, and was responsible for all manufacturing operations. He has worked with a wide range of manufacturers; from textile and apparel production in Sri Lanka and Eastern Europe to footwear manufacturing in Brazil and throughout Asia. Prior to Nike, Noel held roles that included leadership in several non-profit organisations as well as small, privately-held companies in the United States. He has also served in the United States Peace Corps. Noel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Oregon and a Master’s degree in Business from Portland State University.
Kazuhiko Kitamura
Board Chairman of T Point, Japan
Kazuhiko Kitamura joined Culture Convenience Club in 2004 after working for an information and communication company and he was in charge of the T-point program at the time of the company's founding. He was appointed President and COO of T Point Japan Co., Ltd. in 2012 and has been the President of CCC Marketing Co., Ltd. since 2014. CCC supports marketing activities that connect customers with retail stores, distributors, and manufacturers based on data of diversified lifestyles from CCC's unique members in Japan.
Vered Levy-Ron
CEO of Syte, Israel
A seasoned executive with extensive business development and general management experience, Vered Levy-Ron is the CEO of Syte, the leading Product Discovery Platform for retail. Vered was formerly General Manager and Vice President at Taboola News, Vice President of Business Development at nanotechnology incubator Landa Labs, and CEO of HumanEyes Technologies.
Leslie McNamara
Managing Director, Specialty Partners, Business & Workforce Development Citi Retail Services, USA
Working with America’s premier merchants, Leslie McNamara has built, marketed, and expanded payment and loyalty programs targeted at increasing their sales, margin, and customer engagement. A Managing Director at Citi, she has held every significant growth role within its Retail Credit business, heading up Business Development, Partner Management, and Marketing divisions. A three-time winner of PaymentSource’s Most Influential Women in Payments, Leslie has also been recognised by NYC’s YWCA Academy of Women Leaders and Delaware Today for her leadership. She heads up Workforce Development for her division at Citi, creating a young talent onboarding program, driving the Diversity, Inclusion & Equity agenda, and focusing on employee engagement strategies. She has Board leadership roles and currently serves as one of the two Vice Chairs in Thomas Jefferson University & Jefferson Health board service. She is also the Chair for the CEO Search Committee. Leslie graduated with a B.A. in Asian Studies from Wittenberg University. She is a certified instructor in Senn Delaney’s Leadership Program, holds a certificate in McKinsey Academy’s Business Leaders Forum program, and has completed Harvard Business School Executive Education program for Women on Boards.
Miguel Müllenbach
CEO of Galeria, Germany
Miguel Müllenbach has been the CEO of Galeria since June 2020, when Karstadt Warenhaus and Galeria Kaufhof merged. The new department store chain Galeria is now the biggest department store chain in Germany. As head of Galeria, he oversees digitalisation, e-commerce & cross-channel, corporate development, corporate communications, general counsel, legal & compliance, and strategic supplier management. Miguel is a member of the management team of SIGNA Retail - the owner of Galeria - which bundles all stationary and digital retail activities of the SIGNA Group. Prior to his role as CEO, Miguel was Chief Financial Officer, responsible for controlling, finance & accounting, tax, and legal. Moreover, he was responsible for facility management, real estate, supply chain and IT. Since 2014, he has been Managing Director responsible for Human Resources. Prior to joining Karstadt Warenhaus he held various management positions at Metro Cash & Carry International, the Otto Group and Fielmann.
Miguel holds several non-executive board positions in numerous supervisory boards and is member of the Board of the German Retail Trade Association (Handelsverband Deutschland).
Erik Nordstrom
CEO of Nordstrom, USA
Erik Nordstrom has held numerous positions throughout the company, including buying and regional management, before becoming Co-President in 2015 and then CEO in 2020. From 2000-2014, he was President of full line stores and from 2014-2016, he directly supported Nordstrom.com. In his current role, he supports the company’s full-line businesses, off-price businesses, finance, legal, human resources, technology, strategy and its digital properties (Nordstrom.com and Nordstromrack.com). Since Erik and his brothers took over the leadership of Nordstrom in 2000, the business has grown from US$5.1bn to more than US$15bn and has increased the number of stores from 115 to more than 360. The Nordstrom brothers also took the company international in 2014, opening the first Nordstrom store in Canada. Erik has served on the Nordstrom Board of Directors since 2006. He is a graduate of the University of Washington.
Jamie Nordstrom
Chief Stores Officer of Nordstrom, USA
Along with his team, Jamie Nordstrom has helped support the strategic direction and daily success of Nordstrom’s stores since 2014, including the company’s first international store in Calgary, Canada. He served as the President of Nordstrom.com from 2005-2014, supporting a business that grew its revenue from approximately $250 million to over $1.6 billion. Jamie and his team’s efforts led to a more seamless customer experience, including the integration of the store and online merchandising teams and the creation of a company-wide ‘single view’ of inventory. Jamie’s vision was instrumental in two important digital initiatives that improved the shopping experience for customers of Nordstrom Rack. In 2011 Nordstrom acquired HauteLook, a leading flash sale company and in 2014 he led the effort to successfully launch Nordstromrack.com. Today, HauteLook and Nordstromrack.com offer customers an easy to use, seamless online and off-price experience that encompasses both flash and persistent offerings. Prior to 2005, he worked in sales in shoes through high school and in college and held numerous leadership positions within the company including merchandise management, store management and buying.
Pete Nordstrom
President & CBO of Nordstrom, USA
Pete Nordstrom oversees strategic initiatives that touch all aspects of the company and sets the vision for how the brand inspires and resonates with customers no matter how, where and when they want to shop. He also supports the company’s merchandising, marketing and supply chain organisations. Throughout his career, Pete has helped Nordstrom innovate the customer shopping experience and redefine the role fashion plays in customers’ lives through bold investments in emerging categories and partnerships with both established and new brands and designers. He has led major strategic initiatives that have strengthened Nordstrom’s reputation in the fashion industry and kept the brand relevant, such as building the designer offering to a $1.5 billion business, evolving Nordstrom’s mix of brands and categories, and bringing in limited distribution brands as exclusive partners. Pete has served on the Nordstrom Board of Directors since 2006, and is a former Board Member and minority owner of the Seattle Sonics. Pete was a longtime Board Member and former Chair of the Seattle public radio station KEXP, which operates one of the most influential listener-supported radio stations in the world. He is also the Co-Founder of SMooCH (Seattle Musicians for Children’s Hospital), an annual fundraising event for Seattle Children’s Hospital that has raised over $20 million for patients and their families since 2012. A musician and music lover, Pete has been involved in the Seattle music scene since college. He is currently the host of The Nordy Pod podcast with new episodes every two weeks.
Anne Pitcher
Managing Director of Selfridges Group, England
Anne Pitcher is a leading industry advocate for reinventing luxury retail for a sustainable future. She successfully leads the brand to the forefront of luxury retail, increasing competitiveness, and growing its international digital reach. Anne’s knowledge extends to delivering an experiential retail environment at Selfridges including the realisation of its £300m investment in its Oxford Street store in 2018. Selfridges has been voted 'Best Department Store in the World' on four occasions and her commitment to driving sustainable change led Selfridges to become the first department store to achieve the Carbon Trust triple standard, a certification Selfridges continues to achieve today. She spearheaded the Buying Better, Inspiring Change strategy – winner of the inaugural IGDS 'World's Best Sustainability Campaign by a Department Store' award in 2016 - and was critical to Selfridges Project Earth to place sustainability at the heart of the business by committing to reinventing materials, models and mindsets underpinned by the Company’s commitment to Science Based Targets. Anne’s industry expertise has been honed over the years in roles such as Buying and Merchandising Director at Selfridges and in key positions at both Harvey Nichols and Harrods. She is a member of HRH Prince Charles SMI Fashion Taskforce and the global coalition The Fashion Pact. Anne was awarded the prestigious 2020 Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot for her work in promoting leadership roles for women in fashion.
Kevin Roche
Founder of Kevin Roche Strategy, USA
Kevin is a design global citizen who has the credentials and vision to put design front and center in any conversation. He is a retail industry leader whose background includes over forty-five years of global experience across Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and Europe. Between 1975-1999, he was the CEO and Co-Founder of FRCH Design Worldwide where he led the company’s growth from a team of 4 in 1975 to over 200 professionals. Beginning in 2000-Kevin held the position of Senior Vice President of Marketing and Retail Development for DFS Group, an LVMH company. Before re-joining LVMH in 2011 examples of Kevin’s projects included leading the planning and design of the Beymen Flagship in Istanbul, The Shinsegae flagship in Seoul, multiple projects across Germany for Karstadt and the KaDeWe Group including their flagship Gallery in Munich, the Napa Valley Wine Reserve Design and Member Experience Strategy for this. Kevin’s tenure with LVMH includes as Senior Vice President of Design and Construction for the DFS Group, Le Bon Marche. During this time Kevin led the planning, design and construction of iconic projects around the world. These include the renovation of the recently opened La Samaritaine, Paris, Il Fondaco De Tedeschi, Venice, advised on the master planning of La Bon Marche, Paris and led the renovation of the iconic Sun Plaza Galleria, Hong Kong. Kevin is a Graduate of the University of Cincinnati, College of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning. He is a recipient of their Honorary Masters Award and Lifetime Achievement Award.
Pierre-Yves Roussel
CEO of Tory Burch, USA
Since taking the helm of Tory Burch in January 2019, Pierre-Yves Roussel has overseen the brand’s accelerated global expansion, reinforced its leadership in core categories with the strategic launch of several bestselling product lines and amplified brand desirability while driving operational excellence. He joined Tory Burch after serving 15 years as Chairman and CEO of the LVMH Fashion Group and was a member of the LVMH Group Executive Committee. During his tenure at LVMH, he successfully led the repositioning and global development of the group’s fashion brands portfolio, bringing in many talented designers as Phoebe Philo (Celine), Jonathan Anderson (Loewe, J.W. Anderson), Riccardo Tisci (Givenchy), Humberto Leon and Carol Lim (Kenzo). He also collaborated closely with Marc Jacobs on his eponymous label. Prior to LVMH, Pierre-Yves worked for 15 years at McKinsey & Company in Europe and Asia where, as Senior Partner, he led the global luxury and retail practice. Committed to fostering the next generation of fashion leaders, Pierre-Yves has a history of supporting and mentoring emerging talents in the industry. In 2021, he forged a partnership between Tory Burch and the Parsons School of Design, including the establishment of a $1mn endowed scholarship fund. He served as a jury member for the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers as well as the ANDAM Fashion Award and the CFDA Fashion Incubator. He has an MBA from the Wharton Business School where he currently serves on the Baker Retailing Centre board.
Philippe Schaus
CEO of Moët Hennessy, France
Philippe Schaus has been in his current function at Moët Hennessy, the Wines and Spirits division of LVMH, since 2017 and a member of LVMH' Executive Committee since 2012. He joined Louis Vuitton in 2003 as President of the Europe Zone and was then appointed Senior Vice President, International, and finally Executive Vice President in 2009. He then joined DFS Group in Hong Kong in 2011 as Group President of Merchandising and Marketing. He was named Chairman and CEO of DFS Group in 2012. Prior to joining LVMH group, Philippe worked at Villeroy & Boch, first as International Commercial Director in Germany, before being promoted Managing Director of the Tableware Division and Member of the Board of Directors. He began his career in 1987 at JP Morgan in Brussels before joining The Boston Consulting Group in Germany in 1990. Philippe is a graduate of INSEAD.
Pete Shimer
COO of Deloitte, USA
Responsible for leading all major operating activities including finance, information technology, and corporate development, Pete Shimer heads the US Operating Committee and is a member of the US Executive Committee. During his eight years on the Executive Committee, the firm has doubled in revenues and added more than 95,000 professionals to its workforce. Prior roles included Chief Financial Officer, Managing Partner of Deloitte's Seattle office, and Lead Client Service Partner for several global clients, including Nordstrom, Nike, Amazon, Starbucks, and Costco. Pete continues to serve select large, global clients as an advisory partner. Outside of Deloitte, he serves on the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre Board and recently completed a two-year term as the Board Chair of the University of Washington Foundation. Pete is also actively involved in a mentoring program for student-athletes at the University of Washington and is a graduate of the same.
Cara Smyth
Gabelli Fellow, Founder of Responsible Business Coalition (RBC), Fordham University, USA
Cara Smyth joined Fordham University and Accenture from her post as the founding Director of the Fair Fashion Center and VP of Glasgow Caledonian New York College (GCNYC). A former global fashion industry veteran, she held senior executive positions at Jil Sander, Burberry and other venerable companies. In her role bridging industry, academia and a sustainable future, she served as a Board Member for Glasgow Caledonian University and Sing for Hope, is an RSA Fellow, a Tribeca Disrupter, and is on the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Global Sector Advisory Council. Cara serves as the Chair of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors: Fashion Makes Change; she is also Global Managing Director at Accenture in Resilient Responsible Retail/Sustainability.
Stephen Spencer
Director Store of The Future, John Lewis Partnership, UK
Stephen Spencer is an experienced and innovative leader within Retail & Commercial property functions, including real estate strategy, acquisitions, innovative store design, quality construction and facilities management. His scope of works spans across multiple omni channels, responsibility for Strategic Partners and developing the Wholesale channel. Prior to his assignment at John Lewis Partnership, he worked for Lululemon, Tiffany, Apple, HMV and Wundpets. Stephen has a passion for exploration and innovation to provide the best guest experience within all touchpoints to drive both engagement and revenue.
Simon Susman
Honorary President of Woolworths Holdings, South Africa
Having held a number of top executive positions in the group before becoming Chief Executive in 2000, Simon Susman became Non-Executive Chairman in 2010. Woolworths is a $6bn group operating in Southern Africa and in Australia where it owns both the Country Road Group and now David Jones. The businesses are bywords for quality and sustainability. Within Woolworths, Simon instigated and drove a comprehensive programme entitled the “Good business journey”. Through this programme, the Group continually strives to do business in a way that is deeply sustainable both socially and environmentally. He also architected and built the unique Woolies’ Food business. During his 10-year period as CEO, the share price rose from R2.60 to over R26.00, strongly reinforcing his view that a business, deeply rooted in values and passionately delivering on sustainability, can bring real value to all stakeholders. Simon is now retired from the Chair and Board of Woolworths but has been asked by the Board to retain a close relationship as Honorary President of the company. He also chairs the London based Virgin Active fitness business; and the Dubai based Al Tayer Retail Board.
Donnie Tantoco
President of Rustan Commercial Corporation, The Philippines
Donnie Tantoco is currently serving as President of the Rustan Commercial Corporation, which operates seven upscale department stores; he is also the President of Royal Duty Free Shops. From 1998 to 2014, Donnie was President and CEO of Rustan’s Supercenter where he was instrumental in restoring profitability and negotiating a joint venture with Dairy Farm. Prior to Rustan, he held brand management assignments at General Mills and Pepsi. A Member of the IGDS Board, he has also held the positions of President (2009 – 2011) and Vice President for Asia (2006-2009). Donnie has an MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University.
Brad Tilden
Former Chairman & CEO of Alaska Air Group, USA
A 30-plus year veteran of Alaska Airline, Brad Tilden previously served Alaska Air Group and Alaska Airlines as Executive Vice President of Finance and Planning, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Controller. He was President of Alaska Airlines from 2008 to 2016, CEO from 2012 to 2021 and served as Board Chair since 2014. Under his leadership Alaska focused on safety, low fares, profitable network growth, industry-leading operations, and remarkable service. The company earned 12-consecutive J.D. Power awards for highest customer satisfaction among traditional airlines from 2008 through 2019. Alaska Air Group is a Fortune 500 Company and is among the nation’s most profitable airlines. During his time as CEO, the size of the company doubled in both revenue and number of employees, and profits almost tripled. During his tenure as President and CEO, Alaska’s stock price increased ninefold and led the airline industry. Before joining Alaska, Brad spent eight years with Price Waterhouse and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Pacific Lutheran University, along with an executive master’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington. In addition to being named to Fortune magazine’s Top 50 Corporate Leaders in America, he was recently inducted into the International Air and Space Hall of Fame and is a Distinguished Eagle Scout. In addition to Alaska, he also serves on the boards of Nordstrom and the Boy Scouts of America.
Heath Wells
Co-CEO & Co-Founder of NuORDER, USA
An entrepreneur at heart, Heath Welly founded an internet business at age 15 in Adelaide, Australia. He went on to serve as Managing Director at Furst Media in Australia from 2004-2008, where he and partner Olivia Skuza led the company to great success across publishing, creative, and digital commerce. They both moved to Los Angeles where they founded STATE OF TOMORROW, L.A.’s first and only fashion-focused marketing and digital agency at the time. Witnessing a fashion wholesale model that was, in short, antiquated, he saw an opening to revolutionise the entire industry that led to the development of NuORDER in 2011, a B2B commerce platform revolutionising buying and selling between brands and retailers.
Ken Worzel
Chief Customer Officer of Nordstrom, USA
Ken Worzel was named Chief Customer Officer of Nordstrom in 2022. In this role, Ken is responsible for the company's customer strategy across all touchpoints to create an end-to-end experience for customers across Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack. Ken also oversees the company's digital platforms, including e-commerce, digital operations, marketing, business strategy, credit, and the Nordy Club loyalty program. Through this broad scope of responsibility, Ken helps the company better serve customers across its touchpoints through a more holistic view of how they choose to shop and engage with Nordstrom. Prior to this role, Ken served as Chief Operating Officer from 2019 to 2022, as Chief Digital Officer from 2018 to 2019, and as President of Nordstrom.com since 2016. From 2010 to 2016, Ken served as Executive Vice President of strategy and development with leadership responsibility for the company’s strategy, corporate business development, consumer insights, and advanced analytics teams. Prior to joining Nordstrom, Ken was a strategy consultant for nearly 20 years as a partner with Marakon Associates and McKinsey & Company, and advised senior executives across a variety of industries including retail, media, and healthcare. Ken holds a BA in Economics and Political Science from Yale University and later attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where he earned an MBA. Ken was a member of the Les Schwab Board of Directors from 2015 to 2018 and currently serves on the Board of State Farm which he joined in 2018.
Organised by Intercontinental Group of Department Stores in collaboration with
