OFFBounds Retail

Welcome to Episode 1 of Retail Intelligence in Action, a new series by OFFBounds in partnership with Ometria where we explore how AI is revolutionizing enterprise retail marketing, hosted by retail leader Ron Thurston. There is no established roadmap for AI in retail. In this launch episode of Retail Intelligence in Action , Ron Thurston hosts Nicole Tapscott (CCO, Knix) and Djalal Lougouev (Presi...

In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down in New York with retail veteran and professor Matt Marcotte to celebrate the launch of his new book Built on Belief: Why Cultures of Commitment Are the Competitive Advantage . Drawing on three decades of leadership at Apple, Gap, Tori Burch, Bergdorf Goodman, and Salesforce, Matt shares why employees should be seen as a company’s most important...

In this episode of OFFBounds , host Paula Macaggi sits down with Danielle Sporkin , SVP of Media and Marketing Services at Ferrero, to explore how one of the world’s most beloved confectionery companies is balancing heritage with innovation. From Nutella and Kinder to Butterfinger and Keebler, Ferrero’s portfolio is as diverse as it is iconic. Danielle shares how the company is embracing digital t...

In this episode of OFFBounds , Paula Macaggi sits down with Azita Martin , VP & GM of AI for Retail, CPG, and QSR at NVIDIA , the world’s most valuable company. Together they explore how AI is transforming retail, from e-commerce and supply chain optimization to computer vision, robotics, and digital twins. Azita shares real-world examples from companies like L’Oréal, Lowe’s, and Yum! Brands,...

In this episode of OFFBounds in partnership with Groceryshop, Paula Macaggi sits down with Linda Bethea, CMO of Danone North America , to explore how one of the world’s largest food companies is navigating a massive shift in consumer behavior. From the rise of GLP-1 medications and America’s growing focus on wellness, to innovations like Oikos Fusion , cultural activations at Coachella, and retail...

In this episode of OFFBounds , Paula sits down with Jenna Bromberg, Chief Marketing Officer of Papa Johns , to explore how pizza, hospitality, and retail collide in her career journey. From Pizza Hut to Hilton to Carter’s and now Papa Johns, Jenna shares how each experience shaped her leadership and vision for the brand. We talk about personalization at scale, creative campaigns that break through...

In this episode of OFFBounds , Paula Macaggi sits down with Jessica Alsing, Chief Digital Officer at Grendene Global Brands — the powerhouse behind Melissa, Ipanema, and Rider . Jessica shares how she helped Melissa achieve 12x growth in the U.S. , why storytelling and community are essential to building authentic global brands, and the leadership lessons she’s carried from her time at Gap, West E...

In this episode of OFFBounds , Paula Macaggi sits down with retail leadership expert and author April Sabral to explore how positivity can transform teams, culture, and results. From her start as a 17-year-old sales associate to leading hundreds at Starbucks, Banana Republic, and David’s Tea, April shares lessons from three decades in retail leadership, including her ACT framework (Accept, Create,...

Lauren Steinberg, Chief Digital Officer at Loblaw Companies Limited, shares how Canada’s largest retailer transformed from an in-store-only business into a multi-billion-dollar digital powerhouse. She reveals how building a “startup within the enterprise” enabled agility and innovation at scale, the role of personalization and AI in reshaping online grocery, and why true customer loyalty goes far...

While in Singapore for NRF APAC 2025 , Paula Macaggi sits down with Josh Friedman , SVP of Digital & E-commerce at Ulta Beauty , to explore how the iconic beauty retailer is blending personalization, AI, and omnichannel innovation to shape the future of shopping. From the Shop My Store feature and 45 million–strong loyalty program to a thriving online community and an upcoming curated marketpl...

In this special episode recorded live at NRF APAC 2025 in Singapore, Paula Macaggi sits down with Panchalee Weeratammawat, Chief People Officer at Central Retail Group, and Mia Anderson, GM of Retail and Channels at 2degrees, to explore how investing in employee happiness leads to stronger customer experiences and business growth. From transforming HR into a strategic powerhouse to turning around...

In this episode recorded in Singapore for NRF APAC 2025, Paula Macaggi sits down with Ian Burl , Chief Retail Officer at Mecca Brands , Australia's leading prestige beauty retailer. Ian shares how Mecca has built a cult-like following by designing every part of the customer journey around how people feel . From spending every Friday on the store floor to investing 4% of revenue into team education...

In this episode, Shaoming Yang, VP of DingDong Fresh, shares how the company is transforming grocery retail in China through a deeply integrated, AI-powered model. From operating over 1,000 dark stores to delivering live seafood in under 30 minutes, DingDong combines precision forecasting, supply chain innovation, and customer personalization to create one of the most efficient grocery ecosystems...

India is one of the fastest-growing retail markets in the world, and at the center of its fashion and lifestyle revolution is Myntra , one of the country’s largest e-commerce platforms. In this episode, Paula Macaggi sits down with Nandita Sinha , CEO of Myntra, to explore how the company is digitizing a still largely offline market, shaping Gen Z shopping behavior, and powering the rise of trend-...

Retail in APAC Series with NRF APAC 2025: Korea Retail in South Korea doesn’t look like retail anywhere else. With over half of all shopping happening online, the line between digital and physical has completely disappeared. At the center of it all is Lotte Retail, a household name that’s now rethinking everything it does. In this episode, Group CEO Sam Kim shares what it really takes to lead tran...

In this special episode recorded live at NRF APAC 2025 in Singapore, Paula Macaggi kicks off a six-part series exploring the boldest innovations and biggest challenges shaping retail across Asia-Pacific. From Indonesia’s 22,000-store convenience giant to India’s booming quick commerce scene and Korea’s "no-line" retail revolution, this episode is packed with insights on AI, customer experience, lo...

In this episode, Paula Macaggi sits down with Dusan Vujovic, Head of North America at Tony’s Chocolonely, to explore how the Dutch-born chocolate brand is rewriting the rules of ethical business in the U.S. retail landscape. From turning a mission into a movement to breaking into a competitive $4B market, Dusan shares how Tony’s combines bold storytelling, radical transparency, and uncompromising...

In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Laudato, COO of The Vitamin Shoppe,  a leading U.S. health and wellness retailer with 650+ stores, to explore how great IT teams are built, why innovation starts with operational excellence, and how AI is transforming retail. From vibe coding and RPA to inclusivity and composable commerce, Andrew shares why tech leaders must speak the language of business an...

In this episode of OFFBounds, I sit down with Tarek Müller, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of About You, to unpack how he built one of Europe’s most innovative fashion-tech companies from the ground up. From early bets on mobile and influencer marketing to launching a hybrid model that combines retail and enterprise software, Tarek shares the strategies behind About You’s $2B success, the tech powering 200...

In this special episode of OFFBounds , Paula Macaggi invites you to Singapore for NRF APAC 2025 , the region’s biggest retail event, to explore why Asia-Pacific is the most powerful engine of global retail growth. With 60% of the world’s population and 3.49 billion people expected to join the middle class by 2030, APAC is transforming how the world shops. Paula is joined by Ryf Quail , Managing Di...

In this episode, Paula sits down with Mike Dupuis , Chief Digital Officer at Catalyst Brands (Aéropostale, Nautica, Lucky Brand, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, and JCPenney), to explore the art of digital transformation at scale. We discuss the evolution from 2 brands to 1,700+ stores, the challenge of building unified tech and data platforms, and the critical balance between building and farming b...

Join me as I sit down with Paul Porter , Global Chief Experience Officer at Hamleys , the world’s oldest and most iconic toy retailer, for a deep dive into the art of creating unforgettable in-store experiences. In this episode, we discuss how Hamleys has captivated generations of shoppers for 265 years , the magic behind its seven floors on London’s Regent Street, and the power of play in a digit...

Shoptalk Europe - https://shoptalkeurope.com OFFBounds listeners can get a discount using the codes below: 🎟️ Retailers and Brands, use code RBOFFBO20  🎟️ General Attendees, use code GAOFFBO20AD:  ----- In this special BONUS episode of the OFFBounds podcast, host Paula Macaggi had a coffee chat with Ben Miller, VP of Original Content & Strategy at Shoptalk & Groceryshop, for a rapid-fire c...

In this special episode recorded in London, bestselling author and retail leader Ron Thurston joins Paula Macaggi to launch his new book Human Pride —a bold call to embrace what makes us human in an age dominated by AI. They discuss how frontline retail, purpose-driven leadership, and personal pride are the real future-proofing tools in a changing job market. From multigenerational teams to algori...

Step inside the yellow-bag world of Selfridges as host Paula Macaggi sits down with CTO Ross Beaumont to reveal how a 1906 department store stays at the cutting edge of luxury retail: from “Selfridges Unlocked” keys that trade spend for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, to ReSelfridges buy-back tech fuelling a circular economy, to AI that augments—never replaces—the human touch that turns shoppers i...