Food & Beverage
Healthcare
Personal Care & Beauty
Household Goods
and More!
With rising demand for convenience, channel fragmentation, and growing retail media opportunities, this is the moment for Canada’s CPG and Retail teams to rethink how commerce works.
Brought to you by the team at My Digital Shelf, the former Digital Grocery Summit Canada has been reimagined as Connected Commerce Summit Toronto, bringing a broader, bolder perspective on what it takes to win with today’s connected consumer.
The Toronto edition is part of the global Connected Commerce Summit series, bringing Canada’s CPG and retail leaders together to connect ecommerce, retail media, data, shopper engagement, and omnichannel execution.
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Doyle Brown
Director of Marketing
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Speaker Name:
Doyle Brown
Job Title:
Director of Marketing
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Doyle Brown is a seasoned executive with over 25 years ofexperience in strategic planning, marketing, and brand management acrossmultinational and local CPG brands. Passionate about food, he has held keyroles at Maple Leaf Foods, Canada Bread, Catelli Foods, and now leads marketingat Barilla Canada. Doyle fosters a culture of innovation and collaborationwhile continuously honing his skills.
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Ghazi Rasheed
Director, Category Management
Speaker Name:
Ghazi Rasheed
Job Title:
Director, Category Management
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Ghazi is a seasoned CPG leader passionateabout building customer solutions and driving sustainable category growth. Heleads Category Management at Mondelez Canada, where his team leverages customerinsights to fuel growth, translates strategies into customer solutions, andbrings retailer feedback back to shape the organization's direction.Previously, Ghazi held Sales leadership roles on the Walmart account atMondelez and brings deep Category Management and Key Account experience fromPepsiCo Foods and Mars Wrigley.
Eva ZHU
Marketing Director Kérastase Canada
Speaker Name:
Eva ZHU
Job Title:
Marketing Director Kérastase Canada
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Eva Zhu is atransformative global marketing executive with 15 years of cross-continentalleadership at L’Oréal. Currently in Kérastase, the world’s leading professionalluxury haircare brand, Eva is in charge of the omnichannel consumer journey,orchestrating complex marketing ecosystems with disciplined P&L ownership.
Throughout hercareer, she has modernized 8 iconic brands across North America and Asia,establishing herself as an industry pioneer in digital & marketingtransformation. Eva doesn't just manage portfolios, she builds future-readymarketing architectures that turn consumer touchpoints into lasting businessmomentum. Connect with her at the summit to exchange ideas on navigating thefuture of connected commerce and creating the beauty that moves the world.
Mark Settle
Marketing Director
Speaker Name:
Mark Settle
Job Title:
Marketing Director
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Mark has spent his career at the intersection of healthcare & human impact and has always been drawn to the challenge of translating science into meaningful solutions for patients. He has led teams across some of the world’s most respected medtech companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Alcon, Becton Dickinson and now Essity - where he serves as Marketing Director for Canada. His work has spanned global portfolio leadership and digital transformation, but the common denominator has always been the same - bring creativity and purpose to the way healthcare brands appear to the world.
Leigh Fenwick
Director Omnichannel Marketing
Speaker Name:
Leigh Fenwick
Job Title:
Director Omnichannel Marketing
Company:
Speaker Bio:
With more than 16 years at Bimbo Canada, Leigh Fenwick has built a diverse career across brand management, private label, product innovation, digital, and omnichannel marketing. As Director of Omnichannel Marketing, Leigh is proud to lead an exceptional team and believes that putting people first is the key to building great brands, strong partnerships, and lasting success.
Moasser Ahmed
Senior Marketing Manager
Speaker Name:
Moasser Ahmed
Job Title:
Senior Marketing Manager
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Moasser Ahmed has spent 17+ years unlocking growth for some of the world's biggest brands- Coca-Cola, Nestle, Marlboro and Schneiders- across emerging and developed markets. Now Senior Marketing Manager at Maple Leaf Foods, he is leading one of the company's largest portfolio of categories. He's built a career turning consumer insight into volume and margin. As he puts it, "I understand colors and numbers at the same time." Expect sharp, practical thinking on pricing that actually moves the P&L.
Sucheta Mehra
Senior Manager - Demand Generation
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Speaker Name:
Sucheta Mehra
Job Title:
Senior Manager - Demand Generation
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Digital Marketing and Demand Generation leader with expertise across retail, e-commerce, and media. Sucheta's experience spans strategy, planning, and execution - shaping full-funnel demand programs, activating creator-led commerce, and driving retail and Amazon velocity. Known for connecting brands, creators, and commerce channels to deliver measurable business impact, blending strategic vision with hands-on execution to drive results in a modern omnichannel marketing landscape.
Lesley Conway
Head of Walmart Connect
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Speaker Name:
Lesley Conway
Job Title:
Head of Walmart Connect
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Lesley Conway is a dynamic business leader with over 25 years in media, marketing, and advertising. As Head of Walmart Connect Canada, she drives retail media innovation and digital transformation. Previously CEO of Mindshare and President of Hatch64, Lesley championed digital-first, data-driven strategies delivering growth and efficiency. A recognized industry advocate and speaker, she has served on multiple boards and presented internationally. Lesley holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and an Honours BA from Queen’s University.
Sarah Wool-Smith
GM, Ad products
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Speaker Name:
Sarah Wool-Smith
Job Title:
GM, Ad products
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Sarah Wool-Smith is the GM of Monetization Platforms and Products at Loblaw Advance™, where she leads the strategy, development, and commercialization of platforms and products that unlock new sources of value and growth. With more than 20 years of experience building and scaling platforms and products across large global organizations and Canadian scale ups, Sarah brings deep expertise spanning product strategy, data and technology, and commercialization. She is passionate about transforming complex capabilities into scalable products that deliver meaningful outcomes for businesses and customers.
Paul Lees
Founder & CEO
Speaker Name:
Paul Lees
Job Title:
Founder & CEO
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Paul Lees is Founder and CEO of CheckoutSmart, helping brands win with unique insights from the company’s unique AI User Consumer Panel, alongside exceptional delivery and understanding of product reviews. He leads CheckoutSmart globally, using AI-supported shopper insight to help FMCG brands understand what is really happening across reviews, reputation and category performance. His experience includes senior leadership roles at HJ Heinz and Mars. Outside work, Paul spends his spare time swimming, walking long distances and following his beloved Manchester City through their downs and ups.
Michael Silverman
Chief Executive Officer
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Speaker Name:
Michael Silverman
Job Title:
Chief Executive Officer
Company:
Speaker Bio:
As Chief Executive Officer of Flipp, Michael leads the mission to help people make smarter shopping decisions while enabling retailers to communicate critical shoppers messaging at scale. Since joining Flipp in 2018, he has been focused on growing Flipp’s impact and continuing to build a global leader in the Retail Media space. Under Michael’s leadership, Flipp now spans across 27 countries, 400mm head of household shoppers, serving thousands of top tier retailers and CPGs as the global leader in drive to store marketing.
Before taking the role as CEO, Michael served as Chief Consumer Officer at Flipp, where he led consumer product, growth, and corporate strategy. Prior to this, he built his career across a series of consumer technology and high-growth startups, including serving as Co-founder of Fancy, Raden, and eCalm, and Managing Director at High Tide.
Born and raised in New York, Michael holds an AB in Biological Anthropology from Harvard University. But most importantly, he is a husband and father; living in Toronto with his wife and three children. Together they enjoy a number of activities including: tennis, skiing, and reading. Second to his family is his endless devotion to the Mets.
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Jason Bennicoff
Vice-President, Retail Media
Speaker Name:
Jason Bennicoff
Job Title:
Vice-President, Retail Media
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Jason Bennicoff is a retail media pioneer with nearly three decades of experience driving innovative marketing, media strategy, and commercial growth across major retail and consumer platforms. Currently serving as Vice President and General Manager retail Media for Empire Media+ at Sobeys, Canada’s second-largest grocer with nationwide banners including Sobeys, IGA, and Safeway, Jason leads the development and execution of omnichannel retail media initiatives that strengthen retailer-partner relationships and unlock new revenue streams.
Prior to his current role, Jason held senior leadership positions in retail media and marketing at Chewy.com, Target, Walmart, and General Mills. Jason holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He has two children in college and currently resides in Halifax with his wife, Chastity, and their two dogs.
Monia Staropoli
Director Commerce Marketing
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Speaker Name:
Monia Staropoli
Job Title:
Director Commerce Marketing
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Monia is the Director of Commerce Marketing for Conagra Brands Canada, maker of popular brands including Orville Redenbacher Popcorn, POGO, Healthy Choice, VH Sauces, and AYLMER. She has led the evolution of Conagra’s Connected Commerce strategy, helping integrate consumer, retail, and digital touchpoints to drive growth across the omnichannel landscape. She manages key partnership programs with major retailers and leads the Commerce Marketing team, encompassing eCommerce, retail media, digital shelf optimization, and Shopper Marketing initiatives. Monia brings a strong consumer-focused perspective, grounded in understanding how people discover, shop, and engage with brands in an increasingly connected environment. She believes in leading with a people-first mindset and emphasizes the importance of cross-functional collaboration to accelerate business results and create seamless consumer experiences. Monia’s previous experience includes commercialization, sales, and marketing roles at Kellogg’s and Coca-Cola.
José Garcia Gomez
Director, eCommerce Excellence
Speaker Name:
José Garcia Gomez
Job Title:
Director, eCommerce Excellence
Company:
Speaker Bio:
José is the Director of eCommerce Excellence at Nestlé Canada, leading the digital shelf, retail media facilitation, content, strategy, and the AI-driven commerce agenda for one of the country's largest CPGs. With more than a decade of experience across Canada and the UK, he pairs sharp commercial instincts with a digital growth mindset. He focuses on building the next-generation operating models in AI and digital commerce. He is passionate about equipping teams and brands to own their future in an increasingly automated commerce landscape.
Lesley Conway
Head of Walmart Connect
Speaker Name:
Lesley Conway
Job Title:
Head of Walmart Connect
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Lesley Conway is a dynamic business leader with over 25 years in media, marketing, and advertising. As Head of Walmart Connect Canada, she drives retail media innovation and digital transformation. Previously CEO of Mindshare and President of Hatch64, Lesley championed digital-first, data-driven strategies delivering growth and efficiency. A recognized industry advocate and speaker, she has served on multiple boards and presented internationally. Lesley holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and an Honours BA from Queen’s University.
Anca Badea
Head of Category and Insights, Pet Nutrition
Speaker Name:
Anca Badea
Job Title:
Head of Category and Insights, Pet Nutrition
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Anca is a passionate people leader with over 20 years of CPG experience at Procter & Gamble and Mars. Beginning her career in media, she has developed broad expertise spanning sales, shopper marketing, strategy, and category leadership. In her most recent role as Head of Category and Insights for Mars Pet Nutrition, Anca partners with Global and Canadian retailers to drive innovation and elevate the shopping experience for Pet Parents. Outside of work, she is a proud parent to two teenagers, as well as to Peanut, world’s friendliest golden doodle.
Erica Meagher
Head of eCommerce
Speaker Name:
Erica Meagher
Job Title:
Head of eCommerce
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Erica Meagher is Head of eCommerce at Beiersdorf Canada, where she leads the company's digital commerce strategy across Amazon, omnichannel retail, retail media, content, search, and emerging AI-powered commerce capabilities. She is responsible for accelerating online growth for brands including Eucerin, Aquaphor, NIVEA, Coppertone, and Elastoplast. Erica is passionate about helping organizations adapt to the rapidly evolving commerce landscape, with a particular focus on AI-driven discoverability, digital shelf excellence, and building future-ready capabilities that connect technology, data, and commercial growth.
Natasha Demopoulos
Senior Manager, OMNI & Shopper Marketing
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Speaker Name:
Natasha Demopoulos
Job Title:
Senior Manager, OMNI & Shopper Marketing
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Natasha Demopoulos is the Senior Manager of OMNI & Shopper Marketing at Mars Pet Nutrition, where she leads retail media, shopper activation, and brand trial & retention strategy. She is energized by building high-performing teams, focusing effort where it moves the needle, and navigating measurement ambiguity in a dynamic omni-retail landscape. With 9 years of CPG experience in sales & category management, Natasha translates her background in shopper insights & storytelling to guide the creation of seamless shopper journeys across digital and physical retail.
Maggie Kamel
Senior Manager, CRM & Digital Technology
Speaker Name:
Maggie Kamel
Job Title:
Senior Manager, CRM & Digital Technology
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Maggie Kamel is a digital marketing and CRM executive with over two decades of experience leading customer engagement, loyalty, and digital transformation initiatives. As Senior Manager, CRM & Digital Technology at Nestlé Purina North America, she drives first-party data strategy, loyalty program innovation, and digital experience optimization, helping brands leverage data and technology to create meaningful consumer connections and business growth.
Juliana Nodwell
Retail Media Manager
Speaker Name:
Juliana Nodwell
Job Title:
Retail Media Manager
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Juliana Nodwell is a commerce and retail media leader with 15 years of marketing experience across agency and CPG organizations, including nearly 10 years focused on retail media and shopper marketing. As an early adopter of retail media in Canada, she has helped introduce new platforms, capabilities, and innovative approaches. At Kraft Heinz Canada, Juliana leads retail media strategy, partnering with retailers and media networks to develop performance-driven solutions that connect brands with shoppers and drive business impact. She is passionate about advancing the growth and maturity of the retail media ecosystem in Canada and helping shape the future of commerce.
Jennifer Downie
Retail Media Key Partnership Manager, North America
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Speaker Name:
Jennifer Downie
Job Title:
Retail Media Key Partnership Manager, North America
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Jennifer Downie is a Retail Media Sales Manager for North America at Circle K, where she leads strategic partnerships with consumer-packaged goods (CPG) brands and advertising agencies across the company's retail media network. With more than 15 years of experience in media sales and advertising, Jennifer specializes in developing innovative retail media solutions that help brands connect with shoppers and drive measurable business results. She is enthusiastic about building collaborative partnerships that create value for advertisers while enhancing customer experience.
Juliette Oliver
Senior eCommerce Manager
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Speaker Name:
Juliette Oliver
Job Title:
Senior eCommerce Manager
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Experienced digital and commercial leader with 8+ years of expertise driving e-commerce growth across direct and indirect channels. She has built digital strategies to optimize sales performance and strengthen brand presence online across multiple CPG categories, from coffee beverages at Keurig, to beauty at L’Oréal, and now healthy snacking at Bel.
Graham Edward
Senior Director, Brand Partnerships
Speaker Name:
Graham Edward
Job Title:
Senior Director, Brand Partnerships
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Graham leads the US Emerging Brands & Canada Ad Sales organizations at Instacart. He has twenty years of experience building and leading teams in the digital advertising and retail media space. In 2021 Graham launched Instacart’s retail media offering in Canada, enabling brands to accelerate sales and drive measurable brand growth on and off Instacart. Prior to that Graham introduced Amazon Advertising in the Canadian market, where he led the AdTech Sales and Agency Development organizations. Graham’s career began agency-side before transitioning to Microsoft Advertising.
Sam Lam
VP of Innovation
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Speaker Name:
Sam Lam
Job Title:
VP of Innovation
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Sam Lam is the VP of Innovation at MiQ Canada, where he oversees the development, enhancement, and customization of MiQ’s media and analytics offerings, while defining the technology architecture for the Canadian business. Lam drives the strategic vision of the product organization, working closely with technical teams to pioneer innovative solutions for MiQ’s customers.
Lam also spearheads the overarching identity and AI strategy for MiQ Canada, including playing a critical role in advancing MiQ’s Sigma platform in Canada. He previously worked for Centro, where he built custom, whitelabelled DSP solutions for publishers, while onboarding DMPs and triaging reporting APIs integrations.
Amith Vikram
Product Director
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Speaker Name:
Amith Vikram
Job Title:
Product Director
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Tricia Williams
Managing Partner & Client Success Leader
Speaker Name:
Tricia Williams
Job Title:
Managing Partner & Client Success Leader
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Tricia Williams is Managing Partner and Client Success Leader at geekspeak Commerce, an eCommerce agency delivering outstanding results. Since 2010, she has developed innovative strategies helping brands, distributors, and retailers excel digitally, with a focus on the CPG sector. Tricia’s leadership and client-first approach have been key in establishing geekspeak as a trusted partner, enabling brands to elevate their online presence, streamline operations, and drive sustainable growth.
Isaac Wanzama
Founder & Chief Strategist
Speaker Name:
Isaac Wanzama
Job Title:
Founder & Chief Strategist
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Isaac Wanzama is the Founder and Chief Strategist at geekspeak Commerce, an eCommerce services agency based in Whitby, Ontario. With over 20 years of industry experience, Isaac and his team have a deep understanding of the Canadian retail landscape, having worked with some of the country’s – and world’s – largest retailers and brands to help grow their online sales. As a serial entrepreneur, Isaac is always looking to solve business problems by supplying new product or service offerings or developing technology to meet his clients’ evolving needs.
Paul Lees
Founder & CEO
Speaker Name:
Paul Lees
Job Title:
Founder & CEO
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Paul Lees is Founder and CEO of CheckoutSmart, helping brands win with unique insights from the company’s unique AI User Consumer Panel, alongside exceptional delivery and understanding of product reviews. He leads CheckoutSmart globally, using AI-supported shopper insight to help FMCG brands understand what is really happening across reviews, reputation and category performance. His experience includes senior leadership roles at HJ Heinz and Mars. Outside work, Paul spends his spare time swimming, walking long distances and following his beloved Manchester City through their downs and ups.
Max Sinclair
Co-Founder & CEO
Speaker Name:
Max Sinclair
Job Title:
Co-Founder & CEO
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Max Sinclair is the founder of www.azoma.ai. Azoma’s mission is to help brands dominate the era of Agentic Commerce & AI Driven Discoverability Azoma has received the backing of eBay Ventures and other top-tier VCs, and is the trusted partner of the likes of Mars, Colgate, Zappos, and others. Prior to founding Azoma, Max spent 6 years at Amazon in various global leadership roles, including being responsible for Customer’s browsing experience for the launch of Amazon in Singapore; and leading the scale-up of Amazon Third Party Grocery across the EU. Max was educated at Mila, a leading global Artificial Intelligence Institute. Max is also the host of the New Frontier, the AI for Ecommerce podcast. He speaks globally at Conferences on Generative Engine Optimization (or Answer Engine Optimization), and the impact of AI on ecommerce, society and the future of work. He has also been featured in top-tier publications such as the BBC & Vogue Business.
Jamie Armstrong
GM Media Intelligence
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Speaker Name:
Jamie Armstrong
Job Title:
GM Media Intelligence
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Jamie Armstrong is the GM of MediaIntelligence at Loblaw Advance™, the retail media network of Loblaw CompaniesLimited. As a business leader and expert in ad performance, measurement andanalytics, Jamie has been pivotal in enhancing Loblaw Advance's capabilitiesover the past five years. Under his leadership, Loblaw Advance has become apioneer in leveraging first-party data to drive campaign effectiveness andmeasure impact while ensuring robust customer data protection. Jamie haspreviously addressed the challenges posed by fragmented media landscapes anddata ecosystems, emphasizing the critical need to safeguard first-party data.Before joining Loblaw, Jamie honed his skills in Canadian media, ad technology,and consumer insights roles. He adeptly combines technical expertise withstrategic business acumen to develop solutions that achieve business objectivesand advance emerging capabilities.
Doyle Brown
Director of Marketing
Speaker Name:
Doyle Brown
Job Title:
Director of Marketing
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Doyle Brown is a seasoned executive with over 25 years ofexperience in strategic planning, marketing, and brand management acrossmultinational and local CPG brands. Passionate about food, he has held keyroles at Maple Leaf Foods, Canada Bread, Catelli Foods, and now leads marketingat Barilla Canada. Doyle fosters a culture of innovation and collaborationwhile continuously honing his skills.
Ghazi Rasheed
Director, Category Management
Speaker Name:
Ghazi Rasheed
Job Title:
Director, Category Management
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Ghazi is a seasoned CPG leader passionateabout building customer solutions and driving sustainable category growth. Heleads Category Management at Mondelez Canada, where his team leverages customerinsights to fuel growth, translates strategies into customer solutions, andbrings retailer feedback back to shape the organization's direction.Previously, Ghazi held Sales leadership roles on the Walmart account atMondelez and brings deep Category Management and Key Account experience fromPepsiCo Foods and Mars Wrigley.
Eva ZHU
Marketing Director Kérastase Canada
Speaker Name:
Eva ZHU
Job Title:
Marketing Director Kérastase Canada
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Eva Zhu is atransformative global marketing executive with 15 years of cross-continentalleadership at L’Oréal. Currently in Kérastase, the world’s leading professionalluxury haircare brand, Eva is in charge of the omnichannel consumer journey,orchestrating complex marketing ecosystems with disciplined P&L ownership.
Throughout hercareer, she has modernized 8 iconic brands across North America and Asia,establishing herself as an industry pioneer in digital & marketingtransformation. Eva doesn't just manage portfolios, she builds future-readymarketing architectures that turn consumer touchpoints into lasting businessmomentum. Connect with her at the summit to exchange ideas on navigating thefuture of connected commerce and creating the beauty that moves the world.
Mark Settle
Marketing Director
Speaker Name:
Mark Settle
Job Title:
Marketing Director
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Mark has spent his career at the intersection of healthcare & human impact and has always been drawn to the challenge of translating science into meaningful solutions for patients. He has led teams across some of the world’s most respected medtech companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Alcon, Becton Dickinson and now Essity - where he serves as Marketing Director for Canada. His work has spanned global portfolio leadership and digital transformation, but the common denominator has always been the same - bring creativity and purpose to the way healthcare brands appear to the world.
Leigh Fenwick
Director Omnichannel Marketing
Speaker Name:
Leigh Fenwick
Job Title:
Director Omnichannel Marketing
Company:
Speaker Bio:
With more than 16 years at Bimbo Canada, Leigh Fenwick has built a diverse career across brand management, private label, product innovation, digital, and omnichannel marketing. As Director of Omnichannel Marketing, Leigh is proud to lead an exceptional team and believes that putting people first is the key to building great brands, strong partnerships, and lasting success.
Moasser Ahmed
Senior Marketing Manager
Speaker Name:
Moasser Ahmed
Job Title:
Senior Marketing Manager
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Moasser Ahmed has spent 17+ years unlocking growth for some of the world's biggest brands- Coca-Cola, Nestle, Marlboro and Schneiders- across emerging and developed markets. Now Senior Marketing Manager at Maple Leaf Foods, he is leading one of the company's largest portfolio of categories. He's built a career turning consumer insight into volume and margin. As he puts it, "I understand colors and numbers at the same time." Expect sharp, practical thinking on pricing that actually moves the P&L.
Sucheta Mehra
Senior Manager - Demand Generation
Speaker Name:
Sucheta Mehra
Job Title:
Senior Manager - Demand Generation
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Digital Marketing and Demand Generation leader with expertise across retail, e-commerce, and media. Sucheta's experience spans strategy, planning, and execution - shaping full-funnel demand programs, activating creator-led commerce, and driving retail and Amazon velocity. Known for connecting brands, creators, and commerce channels to deliver measurable business impact, blending strategic vision with hands-on execution to drive results in a modern omnichannel marketing landscape.
Lesley Conway
Head of Walmart Connect
Speaker Name:
Lesley Conway
Job Title:
Head of Walmart Connect
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Lesley Conway is a dynamic business leader with over 25 years in media, marketing, and advertising. As Head of Walmart Connect Canada, she drives retail media innovation and digital transformation. Previously CEO of Mindshare and President of Hatch64, Lesley championed digital-first, data-driven strategies delivering growth and efficiency. A recognized industry advocate and speaker, she has served on multiple boards and presented internationally. Lesley holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and an Honours BA from Queen’s University.
Sarah Wool-Smith
GM, Ad products
Speaker Name:
Sarah Wool-Smith
Job Title:
GM, Ad products
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Sarah Wool-Smith is the GM of Monetization Platforms and Products at Loblaw Advance™, where she leads the strategy, development, and commercialization of platforms and products that unlock new sources of value and growth. With more than 20 years of experience building and scaling platforms and products across large global organizations and Canadian scale ups, Sarah brings deep expertise spanning product strategy, data and technology, and commercialization. She is passionate about transforming complex capabilities into scalable products that deliver meaningful outcomes for businesses and customers.
Paul Lees
Founder & CEO
Speaker Name:
Paul Lees
Job Title:
Founder & CEO
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Paul Lees is Founder and CEO of CheckoutSmart, helping brands win with unique insights from the company’s unique AI User Consumer Panel, alongside exceptional delivery and understanding of product reviews. He leads CheckoutSmart globally, using AI-supported shopper insight to help FMCG brands understand what is really happening across reviews, reputation and category performance. His experience includes senior leadership roles at HJ Heinz and Mars. Outside work, Paul spends his spare time swimming, walking long distances and following his beloved Manchester City through their downs and ups.
Michael Silverman
Chief Executive Officer
Speaker Name:
Michael Silverman
Job Title:
Chief Executive Officer
Company:
Speaker Bio:
As Chief Executive Officer of Flipp, Michael leads the mission to help people make smarter shopping decisions while enabling retailers to communicate critical shoppers messaging at scale. Since joining Flipp in 2018, he has been focused on growing Flipp’s impact and continuing to build a global leader in the Retail Media space. Under Michael’s leadership, Flipp now spans across 27 countries, 400mm head of household shoppers, serving thousands of top tier retailers and CPGs as the global leader in drive to store marketing.
Before taking the role as CEO, Michael served as Chief Consumer Officer at Flipp, where he led consumer product, growth, and corporate strategy. Prior to this, he built his career across a series of consumer technology and high-growth startups, including serving as Co-founder of Fancy, Raden, and eCalm, and Managing Director at High Tide.
Born and raised in New York, Michael holds an AB in Biological Anthropology from Harvard University. But most importantly, he is a husband and father; living in Toronto with his wife and three children. Together they enjoy a number of activities including: tennis, skiing, and reading. Second to his family is his endless devotion to the Mets.
Jason Bennicoff
Vice-President, Retail Media
Speaker Name:
Jason Bennicoff
Job Title:
Vice-President, Retail Media
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Jason Bennicoff is a retail media pioneer with nearly three decades of experience driving innovative marketing, media strategy, and commercial growth across major retail and consumer platforms. Currently serving as Vice President and General Manager retail Media for Empire Media+ at Sobeys, Canada’s second-largest grocer with nationwide banners including Sobeys, IGA, and Safeway, Jason leads the development and execution of omnichannel retail media initiatives that strengthen retailer-partner relationships and unlock new revenue streams.
Prior to his current role, Jason held senior leadership positions in retail media and marketing at Chewy.com, Target, Walmart, and General Mills. Jason holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He has two children in college and currently resides in Halifax with his wife, Chastity, and their two dogs.
Monia Staropoli
Director Commerce Marketing
Speaker Name:
Monia Staropoli
Job Title:
Director Commerce Marketing
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Monia is the Director of Commerce Marketing for Conagra Brands Canada, maker of popular brands including Orville Redenbacher Popcorn, POGO, Healthy Choice, VH Sauces, and AYLMER. She has led the evolution of Conagra’s Connected Commerce strategy, helping integrate consumer, retail, and digital touchpoints to drive growth across the omnichannel landscape. She manages key partnership programs with major retailers and leads the Commerce Marketing team, encompassing eCommerce, retail media, digital shelf optimization, and Shopper Marketing initiatives. Monia brings a strong consumer-focused perspective, grounded in understanding how people discover, shop, and engage with brands in an increasingly connected environment. She believes in leading with a people-first mindset and emphasizes the importance of cross-functional collaboration to accelerate business results and create seamless consumer experiences. Monia’s previous experience includes commercialization, sales, and marketing roles at Kellogg’s and Coca-Cola.
José Garcia Gomez
Director, eCommerce Excellence
Speaker Name:
José Garcia Gomez
Job Title:
Director, eCommerce Excellence
Company:
Speaker Bio:
José is the Director of eCommerce Excellence at Nestlé Canada, leading the digital shelf, retail media facilitation, content, strategy, and the AI-driven commerce agenda for one of the country's largest CPGs. With more than a decade of experience across Canada and the UK, he pairs sharp commercial instincts with a digital growth mindset. He focuses on building the next-generation operating models in AI and digital commerce. He is passionate about equipping teams and brands to own their future in an increasingly automated commerce landscape.
Lesley Conway
Head of Walmart Connect
Speaker Name:
Lesley Conway
Job Title:
Head of Walmart Connect
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Lesley Conway is a dynamic business leader with over 25 years in media, marketing, and advertising. As Head of Walmart Connect Canada, she drives retail media innovation and digital transformation. Previously CEO of Mindshare and President of Hatch64, Lesley championed digital-first, data-driven strategies delivering growth and efficiency. A recognized industry advocate and speaker, she has served on multiple boards and presented internationally. Lesley holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and an Honours BA from Queen’s University.
Anca Badea
Head of Category and Insights, Pet Nutrition
Speaker Name:
Anca Badea
Job Title:
Head of Category and Insights, Pet Nutrition
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Anca is a passionate people leader with over 20 years of CPG experience at Procter & Gamble and Mars. Beginning her career in media, she has developed broad expertise spanning sales, shopper marketing, strategy, and category leadership. In her most recent role as Head of Category and Insights for Mars Pet Nutrition, Anca partners with Global and Canadian retailers to drive innovation and elevate the shopping experience for Pet Parents. Outside of work, she is a proud parent to two teenagers, as well as to Peanut, world’s friendliest golden doodle.
Erica Meagher
Head of eCommerce
Speaker Name:
Erica Meagher
Job Title:
Head of eCommerce
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Erica Meagher is Head of eCommerce at Beiersdorf Canada, where she leads the company's digital commerce strategy across Amazon, omnichannel retail, retail media, content, search, and emerging AI-powered commerce capabilities. She is responsible for accelerating online growth for brands including Eucerin, Aquaphor, NIVEA, Coppertone, and Elastoplast. Erica is passionate about helping organizations adapt to the rapidly evolving commerce landscape, with a particular focus on AI-driven discoverability, digital shelf excellence, and building future-ready capabilities that connect technology, data, and commercial growth.
Natasha Demopoulos
Senior Manager, OMNI & Shopper Marketing
Speaker Name:
Natasha Demopoulos
Job Title:
Senior Manager, OMNI & Shopper Marketing
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Natasha Demopoulos is the Senior Manager of OMNI & Shopper Marketing at Mars Pet Nutrition, where she leads retail media, shopper activation, and brand trial & retention strategy. She is energized by building high-performing teams, focusing effort where it moves the needle, and navigating measurement ambiguity in a dynamic omni-retail landscape. With 9 years of CPG experience in sales & category management, Natasha translates her background in shopper insights & storytelling to guide the creation of seamless shopper journeys across digital and physical retail.
Maggie Kamel
Senior Manager, CRM & Digital Technology
Speaker Name:
Maggie Kamel
Job Title:
Senior Manager, CRM & Digital Technology
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Maggie Kamel is a digital marketing and CRM executive with over two decades of experience leading customer engagement, loyalty, and digital transformation initiatives. As Senior Manager, CRM & Digital Technology at Nestlé Purina North America, she drives first-party data strategy, loyalty program innovation, and digital experience optimization, helping brands leverage data and technology to create meaningful consumer connections and business growth.
Juliana Nodwell
Retail Media Manager
Speaker Name:
Juliana Nodwell
Job Title:
Retail Media Manager
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Juliana Nodwell is a commerce and retail media leader with 15 years of marketing experience across agency and CPG organizations, including nearly 10 years focused on retail media and shopper marketing. As an early adopter of retail media in Canada, she has helped introduce new platforms, capabilities, and innovative approaches. At Kraft Heinz Canada, Juliana leads retail media strategy, partnering with retailers and media networks to develop performance-driven solutions that connect brands with shoppers and drive business impact. She is passionate about advancing the growth and maturity of the retail media ecosystem in Canada and helping shape the future of commerce.
Jennifer Downie
Retail Media Key Partnership Manager, North America
Speaker Name:
Jennifer Downie
Job Title:
Retail Media Key Partnership Manager, North America
Company:
Speaker Bio:
Jennifer Downie is a Retail Media Sales Manager for North America at Circle K, where she leads strategic partnerships with consumer-packaged goods (CPG) brands and advertising agencies across the company's retail media network. With more than 15 years of experience in media sales and advertising, Jennifer specializes in developing innovative retail media solutions that help brands connect with shoppers and drive measurable business results. She is enthusiastic about building collaborative partnerships that create value for advertisers while enhancing customer experience.
This is the most targeted Summit in the industry. It unites Canada’s leading consumer brands and top retailers who are redefining shopper engagement, scaling retail media, and accelerating category growth. Whether you’re on stage or at a roundtable, you’ll be surrounded by the teams driving growth.
Register Now
66%
8%
26%
Uniting CPG leaders and innovators across roles such as:
Digital, eCommerce & Omnichannel
Revenue Growth Management
Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) & On-Demand Channels
Retail Media
Retailer Account Management
Shopper Marketing & Shopper Insights
Category Management
Brand Management
Data, Analytics & AI
The summit offers you:
Case studies and frameworks for the Canadian market
New ideas to take back and apply
Tools to turn insights into action and boost ROI
Access to a community of peers and experts
Each Track is designed to give you frameworks, real examples, and practical lessons from CPG and Retail teams working across Canada & North America.
Connected Commerce Strategy
Shopper Marketing
AI & Consumer Behaviour
Revenue Growth Management
Pricing & Commercial Strategy
Brand Building
Cultural Commerce
Demand Generation
Retail Media
AI Commerce
eCommerce Strategy
Omnichannel Growth
Commerce Media
Activating Retail Media Networks in the Region
AI Search & Discovery
"Excellent forum. There was TONS of content very well executed in a timely fashion. Very much enjoyed it."
"Excellent summit. Great insights on capabilities in the digital and eCommerce space."
"The Summit gains moment each year and i feel this was one of their best yet. The content was applicable to most businesses and the speakers were clear in their delivery."
"Highly impressed - everyone was well prepared and there was a goodattendance. I would definitely look to attend next year and look forward toit."
"I thought it was one of thebest conferences I've been to in recent years. A lot of the information wasvery helpful, and the size of the event was excellent for networking."
"I loved the short presentation format and content. One of thebetter summits I have ever attended in my life."
"I would recommend this summit to anyone in the eCommerce space. Itwas the right amount of time with a good mix of topics. Enjoyed being able tomeet other eCommerce professionals and network with potential newvendors."
This event was perfect. It was the right length with ample breaks andcontent that kept me engaged. I left this summit feeling much more empoweredand knowledgeable about the digital grocery space
"Great mix of topics, the short presentations and question formatwas excellent and kept audience engagement high. Good list of attendees andnetwork ing opportunities."
Connect with industry leaders, share your expertise, and position your brand at the forefront of innovation.
Get in touch with the Events Director, Sarah Kingham, today to explore speaking and sponsorship opportunities!
Join senior leaders from the CPG and grocery retail sectors for expert insights and meaningful networking.
For group bookings or ticket enquiries, please get in touch with us.
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