DigitalX Speakers

Peter Pernot-Day is Global Head of Strategic Communications at SHEIN, and a member of the company’s executive team. Based in California, he helps set SHEIN’s global strategy and leads projects across the organization focused on supply chain, market access, digital services, privacy and security, public affairs, and environmental, social and governance efforts. Prior to joining SHEIN, Peter held leadership roles at Mixpanel, Inc., a leading provider of data analytics software for marketing departments, and at BNP Paribas, a global financial institution. In his free time, Peter enjoys surfing and open water swimming.

Aaron Smedley has over 20 years of experience pioneering in retail/ecommerce, innovation and digital marketing. As Chief Digital and Marketing officer at Le Chameau, Aaron oversees brand, marketing and D2C strategy globally, redeveloping this near 100 year old brand with an eye to both it’s centenary and the next 100 years. Prior to Le Chameau, Aaron led global D2C at Arc’teryx from a single store to a global portfolio.

Rachel Wigmore is Head of Pan-Partnership Customer Planning & Performance at John Lewis Partnerships. Rachel’s role is to develop a cohesive customer plan for John Lewis, working closely with MG on media strategy & effectiveness. She has a background in planning and proposition development at EE, BT & Sky.

Maria Amelie White works as Global Search Lead at Kurt Geiger. Maria is an MSc in Psychological Research and has worked in SEO for over 12 years, specialising in attracting relevant and converting traffic to Global Brands with, Consumer Trends analysis, Technical and International SEO, and Social Media.

Timo Raab is a global E-Commerce expert with a diverse background in the consumer goods and luxury industry. Having worked both in strategic as well as in operational roles in key markets, he is a strong advocate for collaboration and digital acceleration. Most recently he has been leading the E-Commerce Business for several L’Oréal Brands including Kérastase, where he quadrupled the business and doubled the E-Commerce Share of Business in three years.

Nagehan Zülal Beypazar Şad is a marketing professional with more than 10 years of experience in brand, media, content, social media and digital marketing areas. She worked in various roles in Universal Mccann, Nestlé and Danone helping businesses to grow with significant results. Her approach to her work is rooted in a “can do” attitude and a commitment to delivering value. With a dedication to driving ROI and excellence in execution, she is excited to share her learnings with actionable takeaways and practical strategies.

Hamish has dedicated over 15 years to cultivating some of the world’s leading consumer brands across Australia, New Zealand, Europe, the UK, and the US. With a deliberate focus on garnering diverse experiences, his contributions have encompassed various functions, including field sales, demand planning, brand management, national sales accounts, eCommerce, digital media, and consumer data.

A passionate and energetic business leader with extensive experience in digital marketing and E-Commerce within Retail and FMCG brands. Adept at dealing with complex and interesting data sources, using customer data science to understand and improve shopper experience.

I am Senior Ecommerce and Digital Marketing Leader with over 15 years experience working with B2C and B2B brands across retail, tech, travel, hospitality and beauty. I have successfully created and implemented strategies to deliver commercial success and build sustainable organic growth through content creation & optimisation. Working with digital agencies and in-house teams, I drive profitable bookings via the website by delivering customer journey improvements through conversion rate optimisation techniques and using data & analytics.

I have also been responsible for creating & delivering the digital transformation roadmap across the business working with cross functional teams. I am a public speaker and am passionate about growing, coaching and mentoring teams.

Samantha Chapman, Head of Global Marketing & Sustainability at Stephen Webster, oversees the brand’s marketing strategy and sustainable initiatives. With more than 17 years of experience in the luxury sector, including roles at Longines and Michael Kors, Samantha has launched successful brand collaborations with notable figures like American rock star Machine Gun Kelly, and has implemented high-profile sponsorships such as with Ascot Racecourse during her time at Longines. Samantha’s dedication to responsible practices is evident in her leadership of the Stephen Webster internal ‘Green Team,’ which has garnered multiple sustainability awards, underscoring the brand’s commitment to its sustainability journey.

As a Global Data Management and operations Transformation Manager for PepsiCo, I drive the Global Transformation agenda across Core master data (Vendor, Material, Customer, Finance, HR) and supplementary data for APAC & AMESA regions. The program aims to harmonize and standardize the processes, tools, and people into one Global DMO organization. Now as a Global Enterprise Data Operations Transformation Manager within PepsiCo, I’m driving the Global Transformation initiative across core master data domains. Last 10 years I worked in the digital transformation area where I was creating and growing data, digital & tech products in the HEINEKEN Group. As an IT Transition Manager, I built the first shared services centre of the Heineken Group in Africa and initiated the digital transformation journey with the BASE project. I  matured from technician roles to  IT management of complex business transformation projects. Last 3 years I joined the Nestlé Group in the Barcelona Digital Hub as a Global Technology Specialist doing governance on Global  IT platforms and cloud environments. I acted as a SPOC for Regional Product Managers and Global Business Solutions Leads to meet technical requirements, Adoption and Compliance.

I am an experienced, customer-centric leader with 15+ years of expertise in omni retail across various specialisms. My primary motivation is to make a positive impact for both our consumers and our employees. I firmly believe that exceptional moments and seamless experiences in customer experience can foster brand love, trust, and loyalty. To achieve this, I utilise insights to inform decision-making, advocate for human-enabled technology, create innovative propositions, address pain points, and foster collaboration across different functions. I possess a growth-oriented mindset, finding joy in connecting the dots and am constantly curious. My main motivation lies in empowering others and helping them unleash their full potential. On a personal level, I am energised exploring the latest trends in retail, ranging from innovative store designs to exciting pop-up experiences. I actively contribute as a volunteer for a community sustainability charity, driven by my passion for making a positive impact on the environment and communities. In addition, I find great joy in practising outdoor yoga and creative pursuits.

Growth-focused marketing & analytics professional with a diverse background in managing growth at multinational organisations and fast-growing scale-ups. Bringing 12+ years of experience in analytics, growth marketing and brand communications. Adept at scaling DTC growth strategies using experimentation, channel optimization, and customer analytics. Expert in leveraging advanced analytics and Martech solutions to drive business growth. Certified Facebook marketing science professional. Check out my blog at https://jad-freiha.medium.com/

Accomplished and highly motivated Commercial Leader with an extensive background in both traditional and e-commerce retail operations. My experience spans from commercial buying and category management to now a focus on Ecommerce Trading and profitability optimisation. I am recognised for my creative ability to deliver new & complex commercial propositions across multiple European markets, always under pinned by a deep understanding of market trends and customer needs. As a strong advocate for data-driven decision-making, I have cultivated an analytics-focused approach within my teams and the wider stakeholder groups, leading to enhanced strategic planning and overall performance. I have a demonstrated history of achieving key performance targets, improving operational efficiency, and contributing to substantial and profitable revenue growth. One of my key strengths is my ability to inspire & mentor both direct reports and wider teams. Under my leadership, my previous teams have developed and executed innovative strategies, adapted swiftly to industry changes, and have continually set new standards in performance. I have successfully propelled brand recognition, customer engagement, and revenue growth by identifying and capitalising on market opportunities. I am always keen to engage in discussions related to e-commerce strategies, the role of analytics in decision-making, and fostering leadership in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

As the Head of Marketing and E-commerce at The Fine Bedding Company, Laura has been instrumental in driving the growth of the company’s branded portfolio, improving health and wellbeing through a better night sleep. She has led the establishment of the direct-to-consumer channel through finebedding.co.uk and expanded online retail partner distribution, which has led to the company becoming one of the leading sustainable bedding brands in the UK. Laura is deeply committed to advancing the company’s sustainability agenda and is proud of her role in securing the company’s B Corporation accreditation. Prior to her current role, Laura spent ten years at Kellogg’s UK and European headquarters, where she led on brand strategy and multi-channel campaign execution.

Experienced Commercial Director with 15+ years driving revenue and growth globally. C-Suite leader focused on collaboration and strategic vision. Skilled in operations, stakeholder engagement, and customer-centric results. Passionate about innovation and technology across fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and sports industries. Host of Trailblazers Experience podcast, spotlighting women’s career journeys.

Throughout his 28 year media and advertising technology career, Theo has been at the forefront of some of the biggest and innovative businesses, Theo was at the very start of mobile advertising in Europe, joining ScreenTonic in 2006 (subsequently acquired by Microsoft) and responsible for the launch of the first mobile adverts to appear in Europe, spending years building the industry with brands, agencies and ad tech businesses. He was also instrumental in the 2010 launch of Apple advertising business in Europe. More recently he helped launch Netflix’s ad supported business in the UK. Having led Ad Tech businesses in Europe, Theo is now in the leadership team at Microsoft Advertising, helping drive the evolution and growth of the business. Theo is regularly invited to speak at events across the world and is widely regarded as an industry expert across topics such as marketing, communication strategy and advertising technology.

Janis is an expert in marketing, ecommerce and customer experience. She’s grown diverse ecommerce and subscription businesses from Birchbox to Playboy. She has held senior roles across ecommerce, digital media and entertainment. She is now Managing Director at Look Fabulous Forever, the innovative DTC cosmetics and skincare brand designed to meet the needs of older women.

An insights driven hands-on User Experience (UX) design leader, experienced in team leadership with expert UX and practical background knowledge of front-end technologies. An NN/g User Experience (UX) Master Certified design and IOA TESOL professional, practicing UX since 2010 & design from 1997. Worked within an ISO/9001 environment using a multi-discipline of creative technological, teaching and coaching skills. Proven ability to harness the User Experience Design skill-set to create User-Centric solutions that improve an organisation’s performance in multiple quadrants, on various platforms, across multiple channels, and equally importantly, help people enjoy interacting with a brand and enjoy using their products. Specialities: UX Design, UI Design, User Testing, UX Workshop Facilitation, Interactive Prototyping, CSS, HTML, JQuery, Web Standards, Human Behavioural Science and Psychology. Outside work you’ll find me supporting and working with charitable organisations, travelling, networking, scuba diving and blogging.

Alex Toft is Director of New Markets & Ventures at Moonpig, where he is responsible for International Expansion, launching new product and business model innovations, and developing the group’s AI strategy. Previously, Alex led International Expansion at LEGO.

Daniel is a senior brand and marketing leader with over 14 years of global experience fuelling brand growth and orchestrating their incredible journeys. Whether collaborating with iconic market leaders or fueling the rise of scrappy startups (yes, he’s all about that underdog magic), his mission is to craft powerful narratives and launch, build and scale brands into forces to be reckoned with. Known for challenging consumer behaviour and disruptive creative thinking, Daniel is a firm believer in pushing boundaries, challenging the status quo, and sprinkling a touch of sustainability and socially impactful magic along the way.

Founder of The Intelligent Brief, a creative technology platform focused on the earlier stages of the creative process. A senior marketing agency executive with 20+ years experience across brand design, digital marketing, consumer insight, innovation & marketing strategy, AI and web3 technology. In 2024 I’m looking to get back into triathlons after 2 years of being constantly injured! Loves mountains and learning to ski after many years snowboarding.

With over 20 years experience working client side and on the agency side, Charles is Commercial Director for one of Europe’s leading Composable CX agencies, focused on creating compelling customer experiences for both Enterprise and Mid-market customers across EMEA. Some of his experiences including working at Amazon, eBay or with clients such as Helly Hansen, Berry Bros & Rudd, Nestle helping them grow by working through the development and implement of their vision.

Drew Smith is a technology entrepreneur with exceptional insights into retail data, e-commerce performance and innovation. Drew’s concern for the future of online retailers and brands is disrupting the traditional retail e-commerce model and exposing uncomfortable truths to business leaders. Prior to co-founding Upp. with established trailblazer Ben White, Drew’s career really took flight at Volo Commerce where he began as an e-commerce consultant in 2014. Drew’s analytical mindset and first principle thinking accelerated his career – with fast advancement to Director of Product Strategy by 2017, before pitching the idea of Upp. to Ben in 2019. Upp.ai is the world's first AI Product-Data Platform for Precision-Driven Paid Media Management. Upp.ai’s unique technology scales channels like Google and Bing Shopping for growth and improves eCommerce performance, whilst reducing the total cost of operations for retailers. And clients are already enjoying a distinct competitive advantage from Upp.ai’s automation and insights. Upp currently facilitates £625m in online retail sales and manages £103m of Google Shopping advertising spend. On average, retailers – including Charles Tyrwhitt, Nordgreen and ROMANsee a revenue increase of 27% within the first 90 days and an astonishing 54% within 12 months. In a short time, Drew has established himself as an innovator and expert in his field, taking an idea from inception to success with the backing of one of the most established technology entrepreneurs in the market. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Westminster, an MSc in Computer Science from the University of York and lives in London. Drew is one to watch. Not only for his exceptional retail data insights, but because of his desire to make a difference, backed by his ability to devise pioneering solutions for the evolution of the e-Commerce space.

Paul Skeldon is a freelance retail, telecoms and technology journalist and analyst, specialising in mobile, marketplaces, media and the metaverse. He is currently one of the editors at InternetRetailing.net, the leading online news source for the retail industry, a research analyst at RetailX and managing editor of Telemedia-news.com, the leading news service for the value-added telecoms market globally. His first book – M-commerce – was published by Crimson Business Publishing in 2011. His second – the DIY Guide to eCommerce – was published in 2017. Paul also regularly ghost writes blogs, white papers and ebooks across a range of subjects from ecommerce, to logistics to telecoms and media. He is also managing director of video and podcasting content creation company, Videobaby Media, and has worked with numerous brands and publishers to produce video and audio content.

Komal is an award-winning Fractional CMO and has over 20 years of experience in email, martech, and digital marketing. Previously VP Marketing at Pure360, Komal supports the Go-to-Market, and Brand strategy for Deployteq UK. A passionate email marketer, Komal is also Chair of the DMA Email Council and Tutor at the Institute of Direct Marketing. As a key industry thought leader and events speaker, Komal is sub Editor @ The Modern Retail and writes for many other publications including Forbes. She is also the judge at many prestigious awards including the DMA Awards & eCommerce Awards. Komal’s passion to support greater diversity in the workplace is the driving force behind her commitment to mentoring individuals in the industry, she is also Brand Ambassador for Women in Tech forum,  the co-founder of Email Mentors, and a Mentor @The Girls Network. She has been nominated for many awards and was proud to win Corporate Woman of the Year ’19 at the Business Woman’s Excellence Awards and to be awarded a Top 50 CX Star accolade in 2022.

Kwanele Nomoyi is a seasoned event speaker, facilitator and moderator, known for his dynamic and engaging ability to connect with audiences and deliver thought-provoking and actionable insights. By day, he works as Senior Retail Business Strategist at Google, where he specializes in delivering data-driven AI-led strategic and tactical recommendations to customers, partner teams, and leadership to drive digital transformation and support business growth. He has a proven track record of working with and producing award-winning work with large and niche brands as an Account Manager, Digital Manager, and Account Director across various markets within EMEA. Kwanele is a highly skilled and experienced professional who is passionate about helping businesses succeed.

A proactive, enthusiastic and skilled university lecturer who has built up broad insight and a diversified skillset; gained from employment in the fashion, education, journalism and business industries. I have maintained a passion for both creative and analytical practices and am keen to utilise the skills I have developed as well as disseminating my knowledge of such areas to learners and growing professionals.

Additionally, I possess a strong proficiency for team leadership and management or projects and tasks while also being able to bring a holistic range of skills and insight as well as a desire to learn and generate results. Since developing my menswear fashion label, BIGGER BOY (www.bigger-boy.com), I have been able to work with both creative and analytical mindsets and have also been able bring a strong work ethic to my surroundings and in my projects.

Georgia has been working in supply chain and logistics for the last 15 years helping enterprises finesse the end customer experience through the art of fulfillment in the warehouse, in transit, online and in the store. She joins Linnworks from Transporeon and prior to that, Manhattan Associates, bringing considerable experience in digital commerce. With a background across multiple disciplines: customer service, sales, project management, business development, marketing and partner alliances, Georgia is laser focused on a frictionless journey for the consumer thus maximising the revenue potential for retail, B2B wholesale and DTC operations. Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours (BA Hons) in Business Studies, Georgia went on to do a post-graduate Diploma in Marketing (DipM) and is a proud fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM). She has over 30 years’ experience working with enterprises selling & marketing business critical solutions from office furniture to financial payments software to logistics applications. Her personal mantra is ‘doing what you say you will do when you say you will do it’.

Lindsay is one of nature’s disrupters – and is focusing his sights on the busy and
noisy Customer Data industry as CRO of imagino. A firm believer that you don’t need
ALL the data, you need the RIGHT data, he’s challenging brands to rethink their
strategies on how to get actual value from their ever-complex customer data.
Marketers need to solve issues and take advantage of opportunities today. Agility
means responding quickly to the market, to the economy, to trends, to a piece of
inspiration! With over 25 years & experience in the SaaS Martech space, this is a
problem Lindsay is determined to solve.

Angus is an experienced Digital leader, consultant and marketeer with an excellent record of driving transformation and profitable growth. Having started in eCommerce in 1995, including 12 years as eCommerce Director at WHSmith, and as Head of eCommerce for Secret Sales’ relaunch Angus has set direction and grown B2C, B2B and DTC for established brands and start-ups.  With Akeneo Angus supports businesses to unlock their growth by linking their commercial goals to the Product Experiences they create.”

Steve King is a visionary leader and an accomplished executive in the technology and AI industry.

In 2019, Steve co-founded Dragonfly AI and now, as CEO, he brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of innovation and leadership. Steve holds a profound passion for the transformative power of data, AI, and technology to drive positive change in the world.

Dragonfly AI is a creative intelligence and optimization platform that seamlessly integrates into any global CPG brands creative process. It provides the power to predict the performance of any visual asset, across any context.

At Dragonfly AI, Steve is dedicated to advancing the company’s mission of transforming how businesses leverage AI for data-driven insights. His passion for technology and his deep understanding of the AI landscape position him perfectly to lead Dragonfly AI in its next phase of growth and innovation.

Steve co-founded Black Swan Data and played a pivotal role in driving the company’s growth and success. His expertise in leveraging data analytics and artificial intelligence for strategic decision-making made a significant contribution to Black Swan Data’s development of cutting-edge solutions for its clients. Prior to this, Steve served as the CTO for Digital Jigsaw, a digital agency, and Movietrac, a paid-media streaming service. 

Outside of Black Swan, Steve is a Technology advisor to BT, is a member of the Royal Mail advisory board, and offers guidance to the Welsh Rugby Union and the charity White Swan, which uses AI to assist patients with rare diseases.

Marc has deep experience in creating market leading partnerships across multiple sectors, all with a focus on the customer. Spending almost 15 years at American Express, he shaped and led major consumer facing partnerships with some of the world’s best brands globally. As an expert in customer loyalty, partnerships and using data for the benefit of the customer, he served on the executive leadership team at Aimia, who formerly owned Nectar and Aeroplane, working globally with leading retailers in key verticals across every continent to build and shape their customer propositions. Having spent time on the leadership teams of new market entrants in the fintech and martech space in the UK, Marc is now taking on a regional leadership role as Head of EMEA at Rokt, the leading e-commerce technology company using machine learning to make transactions more relevant to each shopper.

I am the founder and CEO of Anicca Digital, an award-winning digital marketing agency based in Leicester.

I have been working in digital marketing since 2002, after an interesting career in science, medical research, industrial research (for the leather industry) and clinical trials. I have two post-grad qualifications in business and marketing, and I am also an Alumni of the Goldman Sachs “10k Small Businesses” programme.

My main day-to-day responsibility at Anicca, is providing digital marketing consultancy and training. This can be with new prospects during the business development process, with existing or new clients, or during our training courses and workshops. I have even developed the A10 Marketing Framework, which everyone can use to develop their own digital marketing strategy and plans.

As a consultant and trainer, I have to know a lot about all digital marketing techniques. As a result I am constantly striving to keep up-to-date and also like to share my knowledge and the practical experience of the team by speaking at workshops, conferences and other events (including the likes of SMX, In Orbit etc). I also host our weekly Anicca Webinar, every Friday morning at 9:0am. Although I need to know a bit about most channels, I must admit that paid media is my real passion.

A highly experienced executive leader with 20+ years of post-graduate experience entirely in the digital space, working with blue-chip/global-brands. Operating at C-level with accountability in supporting €60 million annual revenue. Globally positioned, running and coordinating high-performing sales teams across time-zones.

I’m a results-driven commercial leader with 20+ years of success in the digital media and marketing landscape. My passion lies in building high-performing teams, crafting winning go-to-market strategies, and consistently seeking to improve and learn within dynamic, global environments.