Sienne has worked as a strategic business developer, product owner and innovator within mobile, social media and omni-channel retail for over 10 years. She joined John Lewis in September 2014 in the new role of Director, Online Product. Sienne previously headed up mobile and R&D at M&S and Morrisons and worked with great brands such as Samsung Sony Playstation, Coca Cola and eTV (South Africa) to deliver business growth strategies and innovative new products and services. She delivered a number of UK high street retail firsts: the first transactional mobile website, the first smart TV application for fashion, the first social and mobile gamified Facebook app for donating clothes, the first mobile taste test to help customers find and buy the right wine. She is passionate about mobile and driving forward adoption and industry standards and sat on various industry boards including the IAB mobile council, the DMA mobile council and was a founder of Mobile Commerce Joint Industry Committee. In December 2012 she was selected as one of Mobile Marketer’s Women to Watch 2013, the only UK/European woman on this list.

Nigel is the current head of operations development accountable for customer and operations development, strategic planning, programme management, IS assurance and continuous improvement. Nigel led the most ambitious store change programme undertaken by Argos across its c.740 stores. We are delighted that Nigel will be joining us to share how he achieved a step change in multi-channel customer experience across access, range and fulfilment options.

Alex has been with Vodafone for 14 years. Since April 2013 he is accountable to manage and drive Vodafone’s Retail and Logistics transformation programme with specific focus on customer experience, process and system design. Thereby he’s also responsible to design and implement the cross channel customer journeys across Online, Retail and Contact Centre. With his team he represents Vodafone Germany as the lead Operational Company for creating a global retail and logistic blueprint solution as a reusable role model for other transformation programmes in the Vodafone World.

Julian joined as Head of  IT Strategy & Architecture in June 2012, a new role in John Lewis focused on the development of a strategic IT planning and architecture capability to support delivery of IT for “A Retail Revolution”, John Lewis’ business growth strategy. On his move, Julian said “It is a privilege to work for John Lewis, one of the UK’s pre-eminent omni-channel retail businesses, whose success and partnership culture go hand in hand. I’m excited by the opportunities that information technology creates in retail and really look forward to helping deliver the IT that Partners and customers need”. Julian also has accountability for Business Process Architecture and Information Security. Julian joined from Sainsbury’s where he was Chief Technology Officer and Head of Technology Planning. Before joining Sainsbury’s Julian had a successful career in business and IT consultancy, leading business technology practices for both CSC and Cap Gemini providing professional advice and support in the development and delivery of business transformation, IT strategy and enterprise architecture to clients across a range of market sectors.

Mike is Director of Omni Channel at B&Q. Mike is accountable for Online, Contact Centres and Retail Technology whilst defining the Customer Strategy of the business to become an Omni Channel Retailer. Prior to joining B&Q in March 2013, Mike spent three years leading the Retail, Online and Contact Centre channels at Vodafone UK, creating the first multichannel operation for Vodafone. Mike has had a variety of marketing, sales, commercial and operational leadership roles in telecom, financial services and mail order businesses over the course of his career and is a strong believer that the key to commercial success for modern retailing is to ensure that customers, enabled by choice and simplicity, are placed at the heart of any business.

Alex has nearly 20 years retail experience, with 15 devoted entirely to E-commerce. He began his career with fine wine merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd, driving online innovation and winning the International Wine Challenge 'Website of the Year' award 5 years in a row. In 2006, as gaming went truly mass market, he moved to the GAME Group, leading the website trading teams as well as owning the online customer experience. Then, in 2009, Alex moved to Waitrose, initially heading up the Waitrose Wine Direct business. When Waitrose.com relaunched in 2011, his responsibilities expanded to encompass the online grocery trading team. Currently, as Manager of Web & Multichannel Development, he is focused on digital strategy and developing the omnichannel proposition.

Sonal is a passionate and ambitious award winning architectural and retail Interior designer who aspires to inspire. Built on 10 years of practice Sonal brings a wealth of experience as she has been exposed to many different sectors in design and worked with some of the biggest retailers on the high street. Sonal is able to define a dynamic space blending creativity and strategy. She has an innovative and versatile style & challenges conventional approaches by pushing boundaries to the next level.

Giovanni has been in Dell for over 14 years and he is a Social Media enthusiastic user and professional! Italian based in Montpellier (France), he has covered different management roles in Customer Services, Programs and Executive Escalations. In 2010 Giovanni was appointed as leader of the Social Media Support team which is currently up and running in 18 different languages. At present Giovanni leads the Global operations for EMEA, Latin America and APJ and drives the development of customer solutions through Social Media. Prior to Dell, Giovanni has a 5 years experience in Compaq in Europe and in the Middle East, with a background in foreign languages, management and communication. Today Giovanni is regularly invited to international events to share the Dell Social Media experience in Customer Services as well as to teach Master degree classes on the impact of social media in the B2C and B2B business.

Nadia is the founder and CEO of Hointer and the revolutionary Hointer clothing store in Seattle. Created to make shopping effortless, the store uses robots, technology and mobile apps to do the work for you. Former head of Supply Chain and Fulfilment Technologies at Amazon, Nadia is passionate about helping stores redesign themselves to ensure their future and that they meet the evolving needs of today’s consumer. We are delighted to welcome Nadia to the stage to take us through rethinking the shopping experience.

Dr. Oliver Breiden currently heads the program office and innovation team at METRO PROPERTIES, the real estate subsidiary of METRO GROUP. With its four sales divisions, METRO Cash & Carry, Real hypermarkets, Galeria Kaufhof department stores, and MediaMarkt Saturn electronics stores, METRO operates more than 2,200 retail and wholesale stores in 32 countries. Prior to working for METRO, Oliver Breiden spent several years at Porsche Cars Company and in the building automation industry. He holds a PhD in Business Management and an MBA from the University of Cambridge.

Edward Donald is former Head of Brand Content at Sony Group, Europe and has held senior positions at both international advertising agencies and well-known retail brands.
Edward designed the UKTI e-Exporting Programme to accelerate the number of British companies that export using e-commerce. A specific component of the Programme is the role of e-marketplaces and the benefits they offer British companies in terms of low cost market entry, increased brand awareness and access to consumer data.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear the lessons learned by Wilko in his aim is to create a seamless and consistent experience across all touch points during the Path to Purchase at Husqvarna Group. His team is focused on activities to increase traffic to the sites, on social media and to the store. Wilko is an e-Commerce, digital, shopper marketing and multi-channel expert. At Husqvarna Group, Wilko’s main objective is to develop and implement a consistent and industry leading online experience, online channel strategy and e-Commerce abilities supporting direct and 3rd party sales in a omni-channel environment. Wilko is former Global Head of eCommerce for LEGO and Director, Commercial Development online B2C at Electrolux so he bring a wealth of retail experience to the stage.

Martin is current  Head of Purchasing at River Island where he has established an agile central ‘GNFR’ Procurement function in 2006 which works with passion across the business to delivered  a  cost savings to salary ratio in the first quartile to enhance the bottom line, and introducing innovative and reliable suppliers to support the international Omni-channel growth of the business that deliver value.

Neil Tunbridge is an industry leader with nearly 20 years of retail management experience. Neil currently works as a Digital Marketplace Specialist for UKTI, where he has recently helped to launch and deliver the Government’s Digital Export Strategy for the UK Retail Industry – the eExporting Programme. Prior to this role Neil was the Sales Director at Tejuri.com, a multi-category, government-owned e-commerce platform in the Middle East where he spent 2 years, overseeing the platform launch and commercial operations. Neil moved to the Gulf in 2005 and soon after established (as Head of Retail) a new retail division of GRMC Advisory Services, a custom research & advisory consulting practice operating across the MENA region. Prior to moving to Dubai Neil was Head of Merchandising & Wholesale at Emma Bridgewater, a privately owned multi-channel retailer in London, before which he was Senior Merchandiser for Menswear at Selfridges & Co. Neil writes extensively on the retail sector & is a regular podium speaker at industry events and conferences. Neil is also a former faculty member of the ICSC (John T. Riordan) School of Professional Development (teaching industry professionals), is a member of the Executive Committee and Advisory Board for MECSC (Middle East Council of Shopping Centres) and is also an Advisory Board member of IORMA, the Consumer Commerce think-tank organisation.

Nicolas is General Manager of the Customer Experience at NISSAN EUROPE. In this role, he is responsible for contact and relationship strategies that positively impact Nissan customers’ experience in all touch points including its retail outlets. Over the past two and a half years, Nissan has piloted a new digitally connected retail concept in several European locations, leading to measurable uplift in customer satisfaction and sales. As a testament of its ’Innovation & Excitement for Everyone’ brand statement, Nissan is currently accelerating its deployment across its pan-European network of 2,000 plus stores. By April 2016, it is expected that several hundred European sites will have adopted the new retail environment, supporting Nissan’s steadfast pursuit of excellence in the customer experience.
Prior to his current assignment, Nicolas held a variety of sales & marketing positions in Nissan regional headquarters and affiliate sales companies in Europe and North America.

Mariann works closely with leading global brands to manage change. She has led major strategic retail and branding projects with Prénatal, Valora (P&B, Kkiosk) Cool Club and Carrefour in Europe, The Austrian Post Office, Praxis and de Bijenkorf in The Netherlands, the leading Middle Eastern electronics retailer Extra in Saudi Arabia and Liberty Department Store, Morrisons, Waitrose, Orange and Pret A Manger in the UK. Mariann is a shareholder and director of 20.20. She joined the board in July 2008. Mariann lived and worked in Boston, New York, Milan, Prague, Warsaw, Vienna, and has lectured widely at universities and conferences around the world. She is a member of the advisory board at the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, a leading European Retail Think Tank and is a non-executive director of Vöslauer AG, Austria's favourite mineral water brand.

Craig runs the popular blog retail-innovation.com and regularly speaks at events on the subject.  Craig has recently joined REPL from M&S where he was famous for putting all the digital in store which included assisted-selling tablets, self-service kiosk and digital signage.  More recently, Craig was one of the main delivery leads of the £180m multichannel re-platform programme of M&S.com.  At REPL, Craig is helping retailers shape and deliver their in-store digital strategies.

From retail to leisure to residential, Ewald’s approach is always to push the boundaries. He enjoys searching for designs that challenge conventions. By looking beyond the standard solutions he creates environments that truly connect with people and go against the blandness that is so prevalent in today’s world. He designs spaces that engage, even surprise the end user: creating memorable experiences that bring value to brands and businesses.

With a persistent passion for innovation Peter, alongside his partner, Daniela Pillhofer he has successfully launched Newcomer Wines, an all-Austrian wine importing company that sources from off-piste artisan winemakers from different regions across Austria. From an early start their innovative retail concept at East London’s Boxpark Shoreditch allowed them to gain a strong recognition within the entire wine industry as one of the leading importers and specialists for Austrian wine. Just after a year of their initial launch Peter and his team have expanded their business considerably, supplying a large number of UK’s top restaurants.

Simon is focused on designing and delivering innovative mobile and digital marketing and services. He spent five years as founder, Managing Director and Chief Strategist at We Love Mobile – one of the UK’s leading full service mobile agencies.
He has since broadened his focus to connected devices and in-situ digital. His main area of professional interest remains the strategic application of new and emerging technology to solve business problems. In 2014 he co-founded Omnifi, a specialist digital agency which delivers innovation projects for retail and leisure clients, supported by in-house product development.

Geoff has focused on developing MediaZest’s innovative audio visual offering to the Retail Sector, leading engagements with major clients such as Rockar Hyundai, Samsung, Post Office, and Coca-Cola. Most recently he has overseen the development of the MediaZest Retail Analytics platform to measure and react to customer demographics in the store environment.

Simon set up Rockar in 2012. Rockar is the world's first digital car retailer, completely focused on the buying experience it enables the customer to choose their new car, part exchange their current car, select a finance option and pay for it entirely online or in store. Simon began his extensive motoring career in 1983 where he joined his family’s business, Paul Dixon Car Sales. In 1990, Simon’s business merged with his family’s company to create Dixon Motors. Simon played a pivotal role in launching a joint venture between Dixon Motors and Direct Line in 2001 called Jamjar.com, which quickly became the leading online car retailer.

Joachim Pinhammer is a Research Director, based in Frankfurt, specialising in retail technology and supply chain trends and collaboration between trading partners. Before joining Planet Retail, Joachim was Wincor Nixdorf's Retail Marketing Director for a decade. He has also held various management positions in sales and marketing at Siemens Nixdorf and Nixdorf Computer AG. Joachim started his business career working for German retailers Peek & Cloppenburg and Karstadt as a department manager after completing a combined study programme at the latter. He qualified at Babson College, Wellesley, in the US, through its Entrepreneurial Development Programme.

Lluis is a marketing and retail consultant and Professor. His approach to management is inspired by and centered in customers. His aim is to transform businesses so that they give a better quality of life to customers and also remain competitive and profitable. He believes neuroscience - delivering the right products and services which please the human brain when applied to marketing and retail,  helps transform the business. Lluis is also an expert of the Future Forum Think Tank which explores hot topics and trends in the medium term.

Fred previously held the position of Ecommerce Lead at Kiddicare.com and later held this position for Morrisons, the UKs 4th largest supermarket after they acquired Kiddicare in 2011. Fred worked with worldwide technology startups to create award winning, seamless customer experiences with initiatives including transactional Browse & Order Points, Mobile Payments, Personalisation, Digital Signage & Electronic Shelf Edge Labels. In September 2013, Fred Co-Founded Haatch, a unique digital investment & business incubator based in Stamford UK, with a focus on investments within the Digital Retail, Mobile & Social Space.

Angus, Senior Manager Strategic Partnerships, joined Adyen in January 2014 and has many years experience advising and selling payment solutions into retail, ticketing and e-commerce sectors both direct and through channel partners. Angus is focused on building relationships with partners to grow Adyen’s presence and facilitate seamless solutions for mobile, online and in-store transactions for retailers. Adyen is at the heart of the fast moving payment revolution and many of the world’s largest businesses use their technology. Adyen’s unique approach makes it easy to accept payments worldwide from all sales channels via connection to a single and scalable payment platform.

Phill joined Eagle Eye as Commercial Director and Finance Director in 2012, and is responsible for driving forward the commercial growth and focus of the Enlarged Group. He was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in 2014. Prior to joining Eagle Eye, Phill was the Group Finance Director and subsequently Chief Executive Officer of Intelligent Environments Group plc, a digital banking software company, which was acquired by a US private equity house and consequently renamed Parseq plc. Phill was Acting CEO of Parseq when it was acquired by funds controlled by HarbourVest Partners, LLC in 2011. He qualified as chartered accountant with Coopers & Lybrand in 1988 and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales. Phill has a BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics.

Beck Besecker is the co-founder and CEO of Marxent (marxent.com), the leader in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality solutions for sales and marketing. Prior to founding Marxent, Beck spent 13 years building interactive marketing solutions for Fortune 500 retailers and brands, including Target Stores and Tesco. In 1999, he founded Copient Technologies which enabled large retailers to easily manage personalized promotions in-store and online. Copient was acquired by NCR in 2003. Beck then served as EVP of New Business at Catalina Marketing, the nation’s largest in-store promotional network.

Simon heads up the strategic and retail corporate team at Worldpay, responsible for the relationships with 340 of the largest retailers in the UK. Simon trained as a management consultant at Price Waterhouse before moving into a boutique retail consulting practice where he helped business improve efficiency and performance through process engineering and the use of new technology. He then moved into the software industry becoming MD of ITIM Software, a provider of In-Store Software, P2P and Invoice matching solutions. Prior to joint Worldpay, Simon was at YESpay International, the SaaS based multi-channel integrated payments provider, where he developed the strategic customer and partnership team.