Tag: leadership

  • Amazon Prime VP Jamil Ghani: “Prime is Not A Loyalty Program”

    Jamil Ghani is the Worldwide Vice President of Amazon Prime, leading product, technology, marketing, decision science, operations, and finance teams that build and operate the membership program for over 200 million members across 26 countries.  

    He sits down with Natalie at the end of the Amazon Prime analyst event in Seattle to discuss the latest innovations and strategic direction of Prime. They explore:

    • The key pillars of Prime: convenience, savings, entertainment.
    • With new Prime markets like Colombia and Ireland, Jamil discusses why Amazon aims to launch Prime internationally “as quickly as possibly but as slow as necessary”.
    • What Prime is NOT: Jamil says it’s not a loyalty program, not a breakage model, and not a loss leader.
    • Is Prime nearing saturation? Learn where Jamil sees opportunities for further customer acquisition in the US.

    The first half of the episode focuses on Natalie’s takeaways from the Amazon Prime analyst event. If you’d like to skip straight to the interview with Jamil, this starts at 10 minutes.

    * Natalie will be releasing a Forbes article with more insights from the event later this week. *

    Jamil’s bio:

    Over his 7-year tenure, Jamil has accelerated Prime’s growth, tripling the membership and doubling per member spend. He has also broadened Prime’s offerings, expanding to 13 new countries and launching new benefits in multiple high-value categories, including health care, grocery, and restaurant food delivery. He works across Amazon’s consumer businesses to innovate on behalf of customers, build the Amazon and Prime businesses, and make customers’ life better every day. Before coming to Amazon in 2017, Jamil served as Senior Vice President, Enterprise Strategy, Digital & Innovation, for Target Corporation. Before that, he spent five years at The Walt Disney Company focused on identifying, developing, and launching travel and leisure growth initiatives. This included the MyMagic+ experience system, Shanghai Disneyland Park, and Aulani destination resort. Jamil holds a BA magna cum laude from Harvard College in economics and computer science and an MBA from the Harvard Business School, where he was selected as a Baker Scholar. Jamil lives with his wife and two (soon to be three) daughters in Bellevue, WA.

    Find out more about the Retail Disrupted Podcast by visiting retaildisrupted.com

  • Nadine Merabi: 800% Growth Was the Worst Thing That Ever Happened

    Global fashion designer Nadine Merabi shares her inspiring journey, from teaching herself how to sew by watching YouTube to becoming a successful fashion entrepreneur. She discusses the challenges and triumphs of building her eponymous brand, NADINE MERABI, emphasizing the importance of community, sustainability, and empowering women through fashion. Nadine shares the rationale for the brand’s move into bricks & mortar retail and the significance of creating a positive company culture. She offers valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, highlighting the power of self-belief and passion in achieving success.

    Today’s episode is brought to you by the Richmond Retail and E-commerce Directors’ Forum. To learn more about the event, visit: https://www.richmondevents.com/forums/details/ret26

    This is a video episode and can also be watched on YouTube.

     

    Find out more about the Retail Disrupted Podcast by visiting retaildisrupted.com

  • Pacsun CEO: “We’ve Sold 200,000 Pairs of Jeans on TikTok”

    Pacsun CEO Brieane Olson sits down with Natalie on the sidelines at the World Retail Congress. They discuss:

    • Staying culturally relevant: how Pacsun transitioned from a “house of brands” in malls to a purpose-driven, culture-first youth brand.
    • Are Gen Z and Gen Alpha actually brand loyal? What are the misconceptions of these digitally native generations?
    • The power of co-creation: how Paris Hilton and A$AP Rocky are helping Pacsun to position their stores as culture and community hubs.
    • Physical retail: why is Pacsun opening 75 new stores in the US and what are the opportunities globally?
    • Social commerce: As an early adopter, how is Pacsun reaching shoppers on TikTok and China’s Douyin?
    • Conscious capitalism and being clear on purpose.
    • Women in retail: as the first female CEO of Pacsun, does Brieane think the industry has made sufficient progress?

    📢 Sign up to hear Natalie speak at the definitive e-commerce loyalty event, Loyalty Connect 2025, going live 10-12 June 2025: https://loyaltylion.com/resources/loyalty-connect 

    Find out more about the Retail Disrupted Podcast by visiting retaildisrupted.com

  • Not a One-Trick Pony: Nobody’s Child Founder on Becoming More Than a Dress Brand

    Andrew Xeni is the Founder/Chairman of Nobody’s Child and Soreto, and Founder/CEO of Fabacus. He joins Natalie for a video episode which can be watched on YouTube. 

    Andrew discusses the evolution of Nobody’s Child, an M&S-backed fashion brand known for its commitment to affordability and sustainability. He shares insights on the brand’s transition from pure-play e-commerce to physical retail and the importance of product diversification and brand elevation in order to achieve profitable growth. 

    We also get Andrew’s views on sustainability – how NC is embedding it into the organization and how other retailers should respond to growing demands for circularity. They discuss digital product passports – Andrew has been a real trailblazer here through his other venture, Fabacus, and soon every NC product will have a digital product passport. He shares how it’s enabling the business to enhance transparency and deepen customer engagement.

    This episode is sponsored by Aptos, a leading provider of Unified Commerce solutions for retail. For more, visit https://www.aptos.com/ 

    Andrew’s bio:

    Andrew Xeni is a visionary technology and retail entrepreneur; founder of award-winning businesses that are reshaping their industries.

    After building a successful family manufacturing business supplying the UK high street, Xeni went on to establish responsible fashion brand, Nobody’s Child, named 2023 & 2024 Drapers Retailer of the Year (<£100m), as well as building technology ventures; Fabacus, where he serves as CEO, and Soreto, where he acts as Chairman. Operating globally, his businesses are servicing some of the world’s largest organisations in licensing and retail, including Tesco, NBCUniversal and Samsung. Xeni also welcomed Marks & Spencer as a strategic investor and minority shareholder in Nobody’s Child.

    Passionate about shaping the future of sustainable retail, in 2023, Fabacus and Nobody’s Child collaborated to launch a Digital Product Passport solution driven by compliant product catalogues, in preparation for incoming legislation around the world, set to redefine and evolve the retail landscape.

    Xeni is backed by a number of leading financial institutions and prominent individuals and in addition to managing a diverse portfolio of businesses, he is an active angel investor and mentor.

     

    Find out more about the Retail Disrupted Podcast by visiting retaildisrupted.com

  • Delivering the Future: Amazon Leaders on AI, Robotics, Last Mile, and Same-Day Delivery

    Live from Amazon’s ‘Delivering the Future’ event in Dortmund, Germany, Natalie speaks to three Amazon execs about today’s announcements:

    • Rocco Bräuniger – Vice President, Country Manager Germany & Expansion Countries EU
    • Nicola Fyfe – Vice President, Amazon Logistics Europe
    • Sarah Rhoads – Vice President, Global Workplace Health & Safety

    We explore the launch of Vulcan, Amazon’s first robot with a sense of touch. This is tech that Amazon says was unimaginable just three years ago and is now transforming their operations.

    We also discuss the all-important last mile. What actually happens after you place an order on Amazon? What role do Amazon’s delivery stations play and how is technology improving that experience?

    We unpack (no pun intended) Amazon’s plans to roll out same-day delivery to 20 more locations across Europe, as well as extend order cut-off times to as late at 6:15pm in some postcodes.

    We discuss how technology isn’t just about driving efficiencies for retailers and enhancing the experience for customers; it’s also, critically, improving workplace safety.

    More on today’s announcements:

    https://www.aboutamazon.eu/news/company-news/introducing-vulcan-amazons-first-robot-with-a-sense-of-touch

    https://www.aboutamazon.eu/news/company-news/amazon-is-investing-more-than-700-million-in-delivery-station-technology-across-europe 

    https://www.aboutamazon.eu/news/company-news/amazon-is-expanding-and-accelerating-same-day-delivery-across-europe 

     

     

    Find out more about the Retail Disrupted Podcast by visiting retaildisrupted.com

  • Aisle to Algorithm: David’s Bridal’s New CEO on Retail Transformation

    Kelly Cook is the newly appointed CEO of David’s Bridal. She joins Natalie on the podcast to discuss how David’s Bridal is embarking on the biggest shift in its 75-year history, transitioning from a legacy bridal retailer to becoming a tech-powered retail, AI, and media powerhouse.

    📺 This is a video episode and can be watched here.

    Kelly and Natalie explore:

    •    How David’s plans to expand beyond wedding dresses to capture a bigger piece of the $65 billion wedding industry, leveraging first-party data, AI-driven planning tools, and a digital marketplace to transform how brides shop, plan, and celebrate.
    •    Retail media: with 90% of all US brides entering the David’s ecosystem, how is David’s monetizing this reach and what does Kelly think of the broader retail media explosion we’re witnessing around the globe?
    •    From virtual try-ons and mood boards to AI chatbots, how is David’s utilizing AI to enhance the customer experience?
    •    100% of all David’s owned communications are now AI-driven! How has this enabled David’s to better serve the customer?
    •    From cowboys boots to QR codes, what are the key bridal trends that Kelly is observing in 2025? 
    •    Learnings from pandemic pivots – curbside pick-up and augmented reality.
    •    Kelly is the most recent example of a CMO to CEO transition, but we’ve also seen this with brands like Starbucks and Taco Bell. What’s behind this trend?
    •    Advice for future retail leaders.

    Kelly’s bio:

    Kelly Cook is a visionary executive with over two decades of leadership in omnichannel strategy, digital transformation, IT, branding, and marketing. A catalyst for growth, she has a proven track record of driving business growth through brand evolution, pioneering innovation and aligning teams behind transformative strategies that drive bottom-line impact. Her leadership has propelled organizations to new heights – boosting profitability, increasing stock value, and earning industry accolades from Newsweek (Best Place to Work for Women) and Forbes (Most Inclusive Marketing).

    Her career spans a diverse mix of industries ranging from airlines and fashion to home decor and retail, and now the bridal fashion and wedding industry. Prior to joining David’s Bridal, Kelly held executive leadership roles at top companies, including Continental Airlines, DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, and Pier 1, where she spearheaded large-scale brand, marketing and digital initiatives that redefined customer engagement. In her current role at David’s, Kelly leads marketing, IT, digital, customer experiences, analytics and e-commerce, ensuring that innovation and customer-centricity remain at the heart of the brand’s growth.

    Recognized by Harvard Business School as one of 2003’s Most Dynamic Women in Business, Kelly embodies a leadership style grounded in service to others. She finds joy in seeing individuals at any and every level do extraordinary things. She is a steward of the power of determination, often toting her mantra: “If cauliflower can become pizza, anything can happen.”

    Kelly holds an MBA and a Master of Finance from Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business. Beyond the boardroom, she is a devoted wife of 30 years to her husband Damon, the proud mom of five kids (including triplets,) as well as two pampered, plump basset hounds, Jasper and Rufus. Based in Houston, Texas, she continues to inspire her “Dream Makers,” disrupt industries, and shape the future of brand innovation.

    Find out more about the Retail Disrupted Podcast by visiting retaildisrupted.com

  • Forbes: M&S Chairman: Online Grocery Is A ‘Desert Of Profit’

    In my latest article for Forbes, I explore Marks & Spencer Chairman Archie Norman’s session at the Retail Technology Show, where Norman declared that grocery e-commerce is a “desert of profit.”

    He explained that although retailers around the world feel compelled to move into e-commerce, “nobody is really making true profit from food online.”

    “There’s been more wealth destroyed in people trying to develop food online businesses than any other industry I can think of.”

    Read full article on Forbes

  • Kingfisher’s Head of AI on Agentic AI, Visual Search, Chatbots, and Sustainability

    Mohsen Ghasempour is the Group Director of AI at Kingfisher. He joins Natalie on the podcast, live from the Retail Technology Show press briefing, to discuss how Kingfisher is utilising AI to drive operational efficiencies and improve the experience for customers. They discuss:

    • AI-powered markdowns and promotions.
    • How AI enabled Kingfisher to quickly scale its marketplace from 55,000 SKUs to over one million.
    • How visual search and genAI chatbots are improving the customer experience.
    • Sustainability: how Kingfisher is measuring the environmental impact of its AI initiatives.
    • The importance of incorporating compliance and legal teams into your development team.
    • The future: retailers must prepare for the age of agentic AI.

    Also on today’s show…

    How will we pay for goods in 2030? Will digital payments become ubiquitous around the globe and what are the implications for traditional forms of payment like cash and cards?

    Natalie unpacks three key findings from WorldPay’s 2025 Global Payments Report. To learn more about trends, insights and future payment predictions, download Worldpay’s Global Payments Report 2025 here: https://bit.ly/4hpBAuE 

    Worldpay is a leading payments technology company, processing over 50 billion transactions annually across 146 countries and 135 currencies. For the past decade, its Global Payments Report, based on a survey of over half a million consumers, has tracked the evolution of payment methods and is widely respected by merchants, experts, and the retail community.

    Mohsen’s bio:

    Mohsen Ghasempour is a distinguished expert in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) with a solid academic foundation, holding a PhD in Computer Science. Currently, Mohsen serves as the Group Director of AI at Kingfisher, where his leadership contributes to the advancement of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies within the organisation.

    With over 15 years of experience as an accomplished data scientist and visionary leader, Mohsen has consistently harnessed the power of data to drive strategic decision-making. Prior to his role at Kingfisher, he held pivotal positions in leading technology and retail organisations, including The Hut Group (THG) and Shop Direct. In these roles, he spearheaded cross-functional teams to implement cutting-edge Machine Learning and AI solutions, resulting in measurable and transformative outcomes.

    Find out more about the Retail Disrupted Podcast by visiting retaildisrupted.com

  • Sneakers and Scaling with The Sole Supplier Founder

    It’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week. Natalie shares her own neurodiversity journey and speaks to fellow ADHD-er and founder of The Sole Supplier, George Sullivan.

    George is a 34-year-old founder, born and bred in London.

    Ten years ago, whilst working in recruitment, he started a platform to help people find shoes. Since then, that online community has grown into an 8-figure global business and a key strategic partner to some of the world’s biggest brands like Nike, Adidas, Converse, Puma, and more.

    George and his team have built a community of over three million dedicated streetwear enthusiasts, generated over 1.5 billion impressions and driven over £250 million in revenue for brands.

    Natalie speaks to George at the Retail Technology Show press briefing. For more about the event, visit https://www.retailtechnologyshow.com/  

    Watch George Sullivan’s tips on how to build a business with ADHD:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzETy0vCHxk 

    Check out The Sole Supplier: https://thesolesupplier.co.uk/  

    Find out more about the Retail Disrupted Podcast by visiting retaildisrupted.com

  • Jigsaw CEO: Uncertainty And Disruption Is Our New Normal

    Hash Ladha, CEO of Jigsaw and former CEO of Oasis and Warehouse, joins Natalie to discuss fashion retailing, the resurgence of accessible luxury, and lessons for the next generation of retail leaders.

    📺 This is a video episode and can watched on the Retail Disrupted YouTube channel here.

    Hash and Natalie explore:

    • Accessible luxury – with competition intensifying, how does Hash see the sector evolving?
    • Why there hasn’t been a “normal” year in retail since the Brexit vote in 2016.
    • From the Budget to tariffs, what’s keeping the fashion industry up at night?
    • Self-checkout in clothing stores – does this enhance or detract from the customer experience?
    • Why the first step to combating returns is sticking to a full-price proposition and why fast and free delivery is a race to the bottom.
    • Leadership – Hash shares his views on what makes a good retail leader, drawing on lessons from both personal and professional experiences.
    • DEI – as some US retailers dismantle their DEI policies, what are Hash’s views on diversity, equity, and inclusion?

    This episode is sponsored by the Richmond Retail and E-commerce Directors’ Forum. For more info, including how to register for the event, visit: https://www.richmondevents.com/forums/details/ret25 

    Hash’s bio:

    Hash Ladha is CEO of Jigsaw, which is a contemporary British fashion brand founded in 1970. He was appointed CEO in November 2023 and previously had served as Group CEO of Oasis and Warehouse. Prior to that he was COO of the group. He joined as Group Multi Channel Director from Asos where he had been Marketing and Operations Director. 
     
    Ladha has a proven track record in leading and growing omni-channel businesses. A passionate leader and strategist that has successfully created differentiated customer propositions, developed brands and accelerated sales. Results oriented and pragmatic whilst driven to achieve; someone who values people, their contribution and invests in their development. A very strong belief in creating an inspiring place to work and creating a strong ethos of personal accountability. A leader who understands the importance of diversity and inclusion and is a champion of the cause, who harnesses an open and honest culture, underpinned with integrity.

    For more, visit https://retaildisrupted.com

    Find out more about the Retail Disrupted Podcast by visiting retaildisrupted.com