The CPG View

The CPG View
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Apr 20, 2026 • 23min

Closing the Loop: Turning Shopper Data Into Real Growth (Christine Foster, Group Vice President, Commercial Strategy & Operations, (Kroger Precision Marketing) at Kroger )

Can you remind everyone about Kroger Precision Marketing?Tell us about your announcement with Google this week.Incomplete measurement is a top pain point for many brands. With this new reporting, what specific “aha” moments can brands expect to see that they couldn’t see before?How do brands activate?Why is this kind of collaboration between Google and retailers important to brands?How does this change how brands should think about the role of Kroger or Google in their overall media strategy, and how does this help brands reach shoppers at every step of their journey?  
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Apr 16, 2026 • 21min

Rethinking Retail Media: Where Monetization Meets Experience (Sherry Smith, President, Retail Media at Criteo)

How does agentic commerce change the balance of power between AI platforms and retailers, and why do you believe retailers will remain at the center of the transaction even as conversational interfaces grow?As shopping shifts from keywords to conversations, how should brands rethink discoverability when queries become long, contextual, and highly personalized rather than short search terms?Retail media has historically been driven by keyword bidding and sponsored products. What has to fundamentally change in measurement, optimization, and ad formats to make monetization work naturally inside conversational shopping experiences?You’ve talked about harmonizing merchandising, media, and shopper experience rather than managing ad revenue in a silo. What does that look like in practice, and how can retailers balance relevance, margin, availability, and ad yield in an AI-driven ranking environment?There’s a fear that agentic commerce will cannibalize existing channels. Why do you believe it will drive incremental growth instead, and what should brands and retailers be doing now to ensure they capture that upside? 
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Apr 2, 2026 • 21min

From eBay Hustle to SVP: Dang Nguyen’s Playbook for Building Digital at Scale (Dang Nguyen, Senior Vice President, Digital at Careismatic Brands)

You’ve built an impressive career leading digital growth across startups and large-scale global brands. Can you take us back to the early days. What first drew you to eCommerce and the intersection of technology and commerce?You’ve delivered results across both early-stage startups and billion-dollar businesses. What are you most excited about in Careismatic’s digital journey right now, and how are you defining sustainable growth in this next chapter?With your background at the intersection of technology and commerce, how do you balance data-driven decision-making with creative intuition when building or scaling digital products and marketing strategies?You’ve worked across apparel, healthcare, consumer electronics, and CPG. All with different consumer expectations. What lessons or patterns have you found to be universal when it comes to driving meaningful eCommerce growth?As a results-driven digital operator and leader, what do you want to leave our audience with whether it’s a leadership lesson, a mindset for growth, or a piece of advice for those navigating the evolving digital landscape?
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Mar 26, 2026 • 33min

The Next Frontier of Retail Media: Data, Supply Chain & Growth (Keith Bryan, Founder at Colosseum Strategy)

You’ve built and scaled one of the top five retail media networks globally—what’s one emerging opportunity in media or retail that you believe is currently undervalued or under-recognized? From analog to digital, you’ve led transformative change. What were the pivotal moments—or decisions—that unlocked the greatest growth in your journey at Best Buy and beyond?You’re known for synthesizing complexity into catalytic opportunities. Can you walk us through a moment where your framing of the future changed the trajectory of a business—or even an industry?You talk about building cultures of regenerating energy. What are some of the specific ways you keep your teams inspired, especially in high-stakes or fast-paced environments like retail media?Looking ahead, what are you most excited about for the future of commerce-meets-media—and where do you see yourself creating the most impact next?
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Mar 19, 2026 • 22min

From Impressions to Impact: The Future of Retail Media at Sam’s Club (Harvey Ma, Vice President & General Manager - Retail Media at Sam's Club)

Can you share a bit about your career journey and how those experiences have shaped the way you think about innovation, consumer behavior, and building high-performing teams today? Sam’s Club has been very intentional about using advertising to enhance the member experience rather than distract from it. How are you thinking about creating additive, engaging moments that genuinely improve the in-club shopping journey? The Race to the Club Omni Experience really stood out as a great example of that approach. Can you walk us through how it came together, what made the execution unique, and the impact you’ve seen across channels and in-club behavior? As retail media continues to evolve, there’s often a temptation to simply add more screens in stores. Why do you believe success won’t come from that approach, and what actually drives meaningful value for members? With omnichannel acceleration, richer member data and expanding in-club media capabilities. What are you most excited about as you look ahead to the future of Sam’s Club MAP and the evolving member experience? 
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Mar 12, 2026 • 24min

Winning at the Speed of Culture: How Brands Are Reinventing Marketing on TikTok (Mike Westgate, Head of US Enterprise Retail & Telecom Sector at TikTok)

You’ve worked across startups, agencies, and large enterprises. What connects all those chapters of your career and brought you to where you are today? What originally drew you to TikTok and made this role the right next step in your journey?As Head of US Enterprise Retail and Telecom how do you help legacy brands succeed on a platform that moves at internet speed? How do you help large enterprise retailers and CPG brands translate their existing strategies into something that feels native on TikTok and what separates brands that truly win from those that simply show up?Looking ahead what do you think brand leaders need to unlearn in order to win on modern platforms?
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Mar 5, 2026 • 29min

Retail Media’s Next Chapter: Measurement, AI, and What Brands Must Get Right (Dan Bonert, SVP Retail Media, Merchant Analytics and Collaboration at NielsenIQ)

You’ve held leadership roles across advertising, data, and now retail media. What excites you most about the journey that brought you to NielsenIQ, and how does it shape the way you approach this role?Retail media has become a critical investment area for CPGs. From your vantage point, what’s next in retail media, and where do you see the biggest opportunities for innovation?As you focus on merchant analytics and collaboration, how do you see data helping to close the gap between retailers and CPGs in creating more aligned growth strategies?You’ve emphasized the role of automation and personalization in digital advertising. How can CPG brands deliver personalized retail media experiences at scale without sacrificing efficiency?With over 20 years in digital and advertising, what lessons have you learned about building and leading teams that can thrive in the fast-moving world of CPG and retail media?
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Feb 26, 2026 • 23min

From Ripples to Tidal Waves: How to Spot the Next Big Shift in Consumer Markets (Nik Modi, Managing Director at RBC Capital Markets)

You’ve had an incredibly diverse research career—from Latin American telecom to household products and beverages. Looking back, what were some of the key moments or shifts that shaped your professional journey?Equity research requires a deep understanding of trends before they become obvious to the market. What first drew you to this kind of work, and what keeps you passionate about it today?You’ve covered everything from semiconductors to consumer staples—very different sectors. What’s been the common thread or insight you’ve carried across them all?Having a front-row seat to the evolution of so many industries, what are some trends you're particularly excited about right now—whether in HPC, beverages, or beyond?Looking ahead, what’s one area or emerging theme—perhaps underappreciated today—that you think will dramatically shape the way investors or businesses think in the next 5 years?
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Feb 19, 2026 • 24min

The Velocity of Leadership: Recruiting for a Faster World (Lauren Stiebing, Founder & CEO at LS International)

Let’s start with your journey — what inspired you to launch LS International, and how did you build a company that’s redefining executive search across global markets? Your ability to match client needs with candidate aspirations is your superpower — how do you consistently find those game-changing fits, especially at the C-suite level?The world of FMCG is moving fast; what are the new qualities and competencies companies are seeking in their next-generation CEOs, CCOs, and CMOs?What excites you most about the future of executive recruitment, especially as talent becomes more global, hybrid, and mission-driven?You operate with incredibly high standards and a people-first mindset — what leadership lessons have guided your success, and how do you maintain that relentless drive?
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Feb 12, 2026 • 21min

Building Teams That Win: Leadership, Culture, and Creating Customers for Life (Brian Monahan, SVP at Albertsons Media Collective)

You’ve built a remarkable career across the client, agency, and platform sides of the industry. Tell us about your journey,  what experiences most shaped the way you think about marketing and media today?You’ve said you love bringing together talented teams, technology, and a culture of empathy and action. What does it take to build the next generation of media and marketing organizations in today’s landscape?You’ve described retail media as the only media transaction where the objectives of buyer and seller are truly aligned. How do you see that alignment continuing to evolve as the space matures?You’ve led in environments ranging from startups to global organizations. How do you adapt your leadership approach to inspire innovation and keep teams focused on meaningful impact?What are you most excited about for the future both for retail media as a discipline and for what’s ahead at Albertsons Media Collective?

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