The CPG View

Chewy has built an incredibly loyal customer base. How do you ensure that advertising remains a helpful and additive part of the shopping experience?Chewy recently launched a newly optimized version of its retail media network, Chewy Ads. What drove the refresh, and what key features or enhancements does it introduce?With new formats like video ads, offsite placements, and deeper performance insights, how are these updates helping brand partners drive discoverability, conversions, and long-term growth?Many CPG brands are expanding into pet care. What advice would you offer to brands looking to break into this highly loyal category—and how can retail media accelerate their success?Chewy’s success is rooted in trust and strong customer relationships. How do you balance the need to grow ad revenue while preserving the authenticity and credibility that pet parents have come to expect? 

As the Global Head of Technology Officers Practice at Russell Reynolds Associates, you’ve guided companies through significant leadership transitions. What are the most notable shifts you’ve seen in the role of top tech executives over the past decade, and how are organizations adapting to these changes? You’ve led searches for pivotal roles, such as CIOs and chief inclusion officers, across diverse industries. What key qualities or traits do you prioritize when identifying candidates for these high-stakes positions? Your involvement in initiatives like the Information Technology Senior Management Forum and education-focused boards highlights your commitment to developing the next generation of leaders. What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges in building a robust pipeline of tech executives? Based in Atlanta, a city experiencing tremendous growth in tech and business, how do you see the region shaping the future of technology leadership and innovation? What role do you think Atlanta plays in the broader tech ecosystem?  With your extensive experience and insights into leadership, technology, and community development, what are you most excited about for the future—whether in tech, leadership, or beyond?

Can you share your journey into the CPG world? What sparked your interest in this field, and how have your experiences shaped your approach to building brands and driving growth within the industry?With nearly two decades of experience working with global brands like Jack Daniel's and Stella Rosa, how do you think the beverage alcohol industry has evolved in terms of eCommerce?You've been crafting omnichannel programs to build strategic partnerships. How does the integration of online and offline sales channels change the way beverage alcohol brands approach their customers?With your experience across different tiers of the industry, how do you see technology, consumer behavior, and regulatory environments shaping the future of eCommerce in the beverage alcohol sector? What role will data and digital transformation play in this evolution?How are you leveraging data and personalization to create more tailored experiences for customers and improve online sales performance?

Can you share the inspiration behind founding Volcanic Retail and some of the key factors that drove its rapid growth, leading it to be one of the fastest-growing retail brands? With your experience scaling over 500+ brands worldwide, what common challenges do you see brands facing in today’s retail landscape, and how do you help them overcome these? You’ve held roles from consultant to CEO, even teaching business—how have these diverse experiences shaped your approach to leadership and innovation in retail? Having collaborated with high-profile names like Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner, what have been some of your biggest takeaways from working with industry icons? With your deep involvement in the retail ecosystem, especially through initiatives like Retail War Games and Retail Collective, how do you envision the future of retail, and what strategies should brands focus on to stay competitive? 

As the Chief Experience Officer overseeing a wide range of teams—Creative, Strategy, CX, Retail Media, and DTC—how do you ensure alignment across these diverse functions to deliver a seamless customer experience?Creative and customer experience are often seen as separate disciplines, but you manage both. How do you balance creativity with customer insights to craft experiences that are both engaging and effective for clients? Retail media and direct-to-consumer channels are evolving rapidly. What trends are you seeing in these areas, and how is OCG adapting its strategy to help clients stay ahead in an increasingly competitive marketplace? With customer experience being more crucial than ever, what innovative approaches or technologies are you implementing to enhance the customer journey? Can you share any recent successes where these innovations made a significant impact? Looking to the future, what excites you the most about the evolving landscape of retail media, DTC, and customer experience? Are there any emerging trends or technologies that you believe will have a lasting impact on how brands connect with their audiences?

Can you tell us more about the specific challenges that Kraft Heinz faced when it comes to reaching consumers through the digital shelf? What was the process like of selecting your tech partner to help address those challenges? How did your team work to create content that would effectively maximize the algorithm across retailers? Looking ahead, what are some of the trends or innovations in the digital marketing and content space that you and your team are keeping an eye on? With the increased demand for quality content from consumers, what are some of the strategies and tactics that you and your team have implemented to ensure that Kraft Heinz is meeting those expectations? 

Given your experience in shaping the online future of CPG and FMCG, could you share some key strategies or insights on how CPG companies can successfully navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape, especially in the context of e-commerce, direct-to-consumer models, and retail media?Having held roles in various countries and grown businesses globally, what unique challenges and opportunities have you encountered in different markets? How do you approach adapting CPG strategies to diverse consumer behaviors and market dynamics across countries? In the realm of new Shopper & Consumer Experiences, could you highlight a specific initiative or innovation that you've been involved in, either at Colgate Palmolive or Bimbo Bakeries, which significantly impacted customer engagement and satisfaction? How do you foster a culture of innovation within a large CPG organization?You've successfully grown businesses from $0 to $500M+ twice. What are some key principles or leadership strategies you believe contributed to this remarkable achievement? How do you balance the responsibilities of a P&L role with the need for continuous innovation and adaptation in the fast-paced CPG industry? 

You've had an incredibly diverse career. Can you share how those experiences shaped your entrepreneurial journey and brought you to where you are today with Retention.com and RB2B? What excites you the most about the work you’re doing now with Retention.com and RB2B? Is there a particular opportunity that you’re especially passionate about? What was your secret to building such a lean, high-growth, and profitable business, and what advice do you have for other entrepreneurs looking to bootstrap their ventures? You’ve been documenting your journey with the “Billion Dollar Challenge” series. What inspired you to share this process so transparently, and how do you think building in public impacts your brand, your team, and your audience? The landscape of digital identity is rapidly evolving, especially with the move toward a cookie-free world. How do you see Retention.com and RB2B shaping the future of identity-driven solutions, and where do you see the greatest opportunities in SaaS over the next few years?

You've spent a significant part of your career at the forefront of new-age marketing, especially in digital and e-commerce. What major shifts in digital commerce do you anticipate in the CPG industry over the next few years? As the Global Digital Commerce Director what are the key strategies you're focusing on to enhance consumer penetration and increase e-commerce conversion rates? With your extensive experience across multiple global markets, what are some of the most important factors to consider when building digital strategies that work across diverse regions? How do you balance local relevance with global scale? You’ve mentioned the importance of agile cross-functional teams in driving business outcomes. How do you foster collaboration between different teams, such as marketing, e-commerce, and product development, to ensure alignment in your digital commerce strategies? What excites you most about the future of digital commerce in the CPG sector? Are there any emerging technologies or trends that you believe will have a significant impact on how consumers shop and engage with brands online?"  

Can you walk us through your career journey and share the pivotal moments that led you to become the Head of Ad Sales at DG Media Network?You’ve mentioned that you get energy from working with brilliant people and cultivating partnerships. Can you share an example of a collaboration that inspired or energized you recently?Designing go-to-market strategies is a key focus for you. What’s a recent strategy you’ve developed that you’re particularly proud of, and what impact did it have?DG Media Network is driving innovation in retail media. What excites you most about the future of your team’s work and the opportunities for the brands you partner with?What advice would you give to someone aspiring to lead ad sales in a fast-paced environment like retail media? And how do you see the role of marketing and ad sales evolving in the next five years?