Mat Povse, President of Best Buy Canada, on People-First Leadership and Retail Reinvention

In this episode of The Voice of Retail, host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Mat Povse, President of Best Buy Canada, live on the stage in Vancouver at Retail Council of Canada's Retail West stage for a wide-ranging and candid conversation on leadership, innovation, omnichannel retail, and the future of consumer technology in Canada.

Povse begins by unpacking what is currently working at Best Buy Canada, pointing to strong financial momentum driven by a clear sense of purpose: understanding why the retailer exists and how it adds value in a crowded technology marketplace. He emphasizes that Best Buy is not simply a retailer, but a people-first organization built on adaptability, humility, and a culture that embraces constant change. That mindset has enabled the company to modernize approximately 85% of its Canadian store fleet, with plans to reach full modernization across all 320 locations—an achievement Povse notes is rare by global retail standards.

The conversation explores the evolving role of physical stores in an attention-scarce world. Povse explains how Best Buy balances frictionless transactions for efficiency-driven shoppers with high-touch, consultative experiences for customers overwhelmed by complex technology decisions. This dual mandate—serving both mass market and specialty retail needs—defines Best Buy’s in-store strategy and underpins its omnichannel ecosystem.

LeBlanc and Povse also examine post-pandemic tailwinds, including technology refresh cycles following the COVID “buy-forward” period. Povse outlines how innovation from major vendors, operating system upgrades, gaming launches, and AI-enabled devices are fueling renewed demand. He positions Best Buy as a critical platform for brands bringing new technology to market, reinforcing its role as both retailer and technology authority.

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on Best Buy Express, the partnership with Bell that rapidly expanded the retailer’s physical footprint by opening 167 stores in just five months. Povse describes the initiative as “fiercely successful,” highlighting how Express locations are driving both in-store traffic and incremental online sales in previously underserved markets.

The episode also dives into Best Buy’s early leadership in retail media and marketplace strategy. Povse frames Best Buy as a platform connecting first- and third-party sellers with consumers across stores, digital channels, and media assets—while stressing the importance of protecting the customer experience. He underscores that retail media must enhance relevance, not create friction.

Finally, Povse reflects on leadership philosophy, advocating for collaborative decision-making, discretionary effort, and values-driven culture. He closes with practical advice for retailers and vendors alike: build the right team, listen more than you speak, understand your business at both micro and macro levels, and lead with honesty and humility.

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Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. 

Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.

Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.

Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.