The FMCG Guys

Christina Rapsomanikis is VP of Connected Commerce at Mars Petcare. From sales at Unilever to launching her own DTC business and leading digital at Coty and now Mars, Christina has seen the evolution of e-commerce from every angle. She joins us live from Mars’ London offices to talk about how digital has moved from the sidelines to the center of FMCG strategy. Tune in to hear about: Christina’s career journey across FMCG, beauty, and pet care What “Connected Commerce” really means at Mars Why consumer-centricity is more than a buzzword Building internal alignment with data and tools How leadership has evolved in the hybrid work era The rise of digital as a core FMCG growth engine More Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Rodrigo Chávez Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Paul Stafford is Head of Retail Media at the UK’s top high street beauty retailer: Superdrug. Having done it all—Media (Virgin), FMCG (PepsiCo), and now Retail—he took on the challenge of building Superdrug’s Retail Media proposition from scratch. He joins us to share the story of that journey. Tune in to hear about: Paul’s career background Superdrug’s Retail Media journey and where they are right now Main challenges when building an RMN from scratch Understanding Retail Media as a top of the funnel marketing activation channel Building a solid proposition across online and instore Data Management More Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Rodrigo Chávez Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Daniel was recently invited by David Feinleib (CEO at ITSRAPID) to his phenomenal "Beyond the Shelf" Podcast.  The origninal show notes: What do hiring, podcasting, and great marketing all have in common? If you ask Daniel Torres Dwyer, the answer is the same: it’s about trust, not transactions. Daniel wears a few hats—he’s the Co-Host of The FMCG Guys podcast and Director of Executive Search at Dwyer Partners—and at the heart of both roles is one thing: helping people find the right fit. Whether that’s matching a candidate to a role, a guest to a show, or a brand to its story. In this episode, Daniel and Dave dig into: What makes an executive search successful (and why it’s not just about resumes) How to build long-term relationships that outlast any one transaction Why marketing—and creative storytelling—are regaining the spotlight in CPG What AI can and can’t do for recruiting and talent strategy Lessons from running 200+ podcast episodes and how that experience shapes Daniel’s approach to people and partnerships Oh—and if you’re heading to ShopTalk Europe, stay tuned for Daniel’s local tips on where not to stay in Barcelona. This one’s part career advice, part creative strategy, and all about how to connect like a human. Connect with Daniel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieltorresdwyer Get the It’sRapid Creative Automation Playbook: https://itsrapid.ai/creative-workflow-automation-playbook/ Take It’sRapid’s Creative Workflow Automation with AI survey: https://www.proprofs.com/survey/t/?title=ffgvd Email us at sales@rapidads.io with code “BEYOND2025” to find out how you can save more than $1,000 on our Digital Sell Sheets and Retail Media Automation solutions

Patricia Grundmann is the Media & Retail Media VP at Germany-Based DIY Retailer OBI. Founded in 1970, they employ 10,000 employees across 640 stores across 10 European Markets, each of which has their own online business.  A very prominent voice in our industry, she’s also on the board of IAB Europe and she joins Christina and Daniel to speak about her unique vision and approach to Retail Media. Tune in to learn about: Her unique career, which started by having her own psychology practice! OBI’s footprint and innovation footprint Retail Media in a DIY player and why this segment has been a pioneer The unique customer journey in this type of Retail Media in a Retail Business. Should it be apart or together? Working with non-endemic brands like FMCG More Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Rodrigo Chávez Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian    

Sanjay Luthra, EVP EMEA & Global Head of Direct-to-Consumer at Mattel, joins Efrain and Daniel ahead of Shoptalk Europe (June 2–4 in Barcelona: https://www.shoptalkeurope.com/community) — where he’ll be one of the headline speakers. In this episode, Sanjay reflects on his global career journey and unpacks how Mattel is driving innovation and growth across the region and beyond. Tune in to hear about: What to expect from Shoptalk Europe this year Sanjay's career accross global markets The very succesful Barbie Movie's effect on Mattel Mattel's vision for future Growth DTC  Leadership in the current hybrid world How he's has driven the DTC platform Mattel Creations, to exponential growth, making it one of the fastest-growing business units within Mattel More: Buy Shoptalk Tickets: https://shoptalkeurope.com/community/tickets Check out The FMCG Guys' Shoptalk Events: https://candid-commerce.com/shoptalk-europe-2025  Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Rodrigo Chávez Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Oliver Strelecki is the CEO of Cofresco, a leader in the Fresh Keeping and Waste Management categories, and part of the Melitta Group. He joins Daniel to share his journey from marketing roles to running a global business—and what it means to lead in categories that may not be glamorous, but are essential to daily life. Tune in to learn about: Oliver’s career path from marketer to CEO The categories Cofresco operates in Their drive toward greater sustainability A bold recycling initiative in India, backed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus How to build a global company and strong culture from a small city base Oliver’s leadership lessons and his take on hybrid work in today’s world More Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Rodrigo Chávez Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Julian Saslavsky is the Growth Manager for Latin America at Large Appliances Leader Whirlpool. With an unusal background, having started his career in start-ups (and a short stop in Recruitment!), he brings a fresh perspective to the various ways large Consumer Goods companies can innovate and go-to-market to be more relevant with today's consumer. He speaks with Christina and Daniel about: Moving from start-up to large corporate How he went international Differentce between Growth Marketing and Product Growth Buidling a Premium Product Proposition Creating synergies between the Online and Offline worlds Leveraging Data More Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/   Audio Mixing by Rodrigo Chávez Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fVTj7G31UAk  Incrementality has become one of the big words—and key levers—in Consumer Goods, especially in a time when growth is no longer a given. But what does it actually mean? How do you measure it? Is it even attainable? Or is it just a myth? To help us unpack the concept, and explore how best-in-class brands are building towards it, we’re joined by Jack Lindberg, Head of Product (and more) at Digital Shelf leader Shalion. Tune in to learn: Why incrementality has become a critical focus for Consumer Goods The role and relevance of the Digital Shelf today How leading Consumer Goods brands are approaching this growth lever A “Buying Guide” to incrementality How to measure incrementality—and what good looks like How to integrate incrementality into mainstream brand strategy

Delve into the vibrant world of retail media as experts recap the exciting Shoptalk spring event in Las Vegas. They explore the emergence of personalized marketing strategies and the evolving preferences of younger consumers, particularly in the alcohol sector. Discover how AI and TikTok are reshaping retail success, highlighting the importance of social commerce. Enjoy engaging reflections on networking opportunities and memorable experiences from the event, setting the stage for future innovations in the omnichannel landscape.

Daniel is joined by guest co-host David Sloff in a conversation with FMCG Retail Expert and former Coca-Cola CCO Europe Jacques Van Cauwenberge in this conversation. With him, we explore the current challenging scenario between FMCG Brands and Supermarkets in Europe, and also what's the route to a more strategic, positive and, ultimately, profitable and growth-oriented relationship. This Episode is brought to you by Softserve Business Systems. Start a conversation about fact-based digital transformation today by visiting https://softservebs.com/ Topics covered: The change in shopping behavior, surge of different formats and other trends that have shaped the current challenging scenario between Retailers and Brands The impact on Retailers and reactions to protect their P&Ls Conflicts between brands and retailers: why they happen and the negative consequences for everyone A value creation agenda to go back to sustainable growth