The FMCG Guys

Rutger Rozendaal is the CEO at Plant-based Leader The Vegetarian Butcher. He joins Efrain and Daniel to speak about where the category is in this crucial time, how his business is building a brand to escape commodification, how grocery is betting on the category and how it is to lead a business as a (relatively) young leader.   Tune in to hear about: Rutger's career path from Consulting to Unilever and now leading a business The status of the plant-based category after years of ups and downs How Grocery Retailers perceive the plant-based category Why everyone will win if plant-based wins W...

Natalie James is the Head of eCommerce Europe at spirits leader Brown-Forman, owner of the famous Jack Daniels brand. A thought leader in the Digital FMCG space, which she ended up in in a rather surprising way, she joins the podcast to speak about her career, an exciting project in eB2B and her vision of the industry.

Tune in to hear about:

Xenia Barth is the Chief Executive Officer at Merz Lifecare Holding, a leader in Health, Wellness and Beauty in the OTC space with a very strong presence in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and part of the larger Merz Group (Pharma). With an international and cross-functional background in FMCG at the likes of Henkel and Reckitt, she speaks with Efrain and Daniel about her journey, lessons learnt and what her vision is for the business she's leading today.

Tune in to hear about:

In this special episode of The FMCG Guys, we are joined by… your favourite hosts: Efrain, Cristina and Daniel! Yes, tune in to get to know our respective festive traditions and, later, hear about some of their personal stories, anecdotes, quirky work habits and more.   We wish you all a fantastic festive season and start to 2026!  

More 

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/  

Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer
Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Disclaimer
The views and...

Kristof Neirynck is the CEO at Avon. He visited us back in August 2023 when he was CMO and General Manager Western Europe at Avon to share how he's transforming a brand with a huge legacy to make it succesful in the future. 

Tune in to learn about:

Book Recommendation: Jim Collins - From Good to Great

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tfqor_l64-M 

Andrew Lipsman is one of the world's most respected Retail Media's Opinion Leaders. We sat with him at SMG and ADWEEK's Retail Media Summit UK to speak about the latest trends, what Retailers are doing and, ultimately, how brands and CMOs may be underestimating this Media Channel's true potential.

Tune in to hear about:

Check out Andrew's appearances on The CPG Guys here: https://w...

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YVCxn035iQI 

Rob Edwards is dairy leader Arla Foods' Head of Media and Digital in the UK. He joins us live from SMG and ADWEEK's Retail Media Summit UK 2025 to speak about his vision of what Media means to FMCGs today – especially as a rare outsider to the industry!

Tune in to hear about:

Niccolò Gloazzo is a Senior Director of Media and Omnichannel at Kettle & Fire, one of North America's top broth brands. In this conversation, you'll hear about how a career journey that started living in a house-boat in Amsterdam have driven him to lead up a Digital function and start his own Retail Media agency!

Tune in to hear about:

Richard Bowden, Marketing & Digital Director at Boots No7 Beauty Company, joins Daniel to speak about his zigzag career from agencies and British Airways to William Grant & Sons, Unilever and now Boots – and what that journey has taught him about brand building, data, e-commerce and leadership. We also discuss how Boots built premium, "own" brands like No7, why marketing needs a proper seat at the boardroom table again, and how to balance long-term brand building with short-term commercial pressure. 

Key topics & takeaways

Loyalty is harder to earn. Consumer trust is harder to keep. Signs are we're entering a Loyalty Recession. So how can FMCG brands stay ahead and stay relevant in 2025? Sarah Richter, the Chief Marketing Officer at SAP Emarsys is a marketing leader with a deep view across customer engagement, data and loyalty. She joins Daniel to break down the findings of Emarsys' Global Customer Loyalty Index (find it HERE) and explain how loyalty is shifting, why "true loyalty" is in decline, and what brands need to do to build meaningful, long-term connections to stay competitive.

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Mike Del Pozzo, President of North America Commercial & Customer at PepsiCo, food & beverage manufacturer of iconic brands like Pepsi, Frito Lay, Mtn Dew, Gatorade, Quaker Oats & Doritos.

Find Mike on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-del-pozzo/
Find PepsiCo on Linkedin at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pepsico/
Find PepsiCo online at: https://www.pepsico.com/

Here's what we asked Mike:

PepsiCo recently announced *Pepsi Prebiotic Cola* — a major evolution of traditional cola. How do you see functional ingredients like prebiotics shapi...

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/j7L91zT_YzE

Benni Lickfett is the Global VP Breakthrough Innovation, Digital & Ventures at spirits and beer leader Diageo (Guiness, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker…). In this conversation, recorded live at SMG and ADWEEK's Retail Media Summit UK, you'll hear about how rethinking consumer journeys, deploying AI-driven personalization, innovating beyond the bottle, bringing tech into heritage brands, and staying ahead in fast-changing spaces like travel retail, martech, and sustainability.

 Tune in to hear about:

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ATxKgfca_5w

The Hot Seat is this fun, fast and slightly chaotic collaboration of The FMCG Guys and The Women and Retail Media Collective. In this episode, Ana Lau and Daniel are joined by Lisa Tan, a  Retail Media Leader based in Singapore with experience in both Retail and Ad-Tech. The episode opens with rapid-fire personal questions to get to know Lisa before getting into uniquely Singaporean myths, retail market realities, and the quirks of working across tech and retail media.

Lisa breaks down the structure of Singapore's retail l...

Bastien Parizot is the SVP IT & Digital, Marketing & Transformation and CIDO Emerging Markets at Health & Hygiene leader Reckitt. A leader with who's seen it all — having worked in start-ups, retail, sporting goods and even automotive, apart from FMCG — he joins Daniel to talk about how he's keeping Reckitt up to date by betting on the right tech innovations.

Tune in to hear about:

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LY2w1o-wpmQ

Aaron Gallagher is the Managing Director and Head of Sales at Head of Sales Kinective Media℠ by United Airlines, the carrier's very own Media Network. He joins Daniel live from SMG and ADWEEK's Retail Media Summit UK 2025 to speak about the opportunities in this unique proposition.

Tune in to hear about:

Tara Loftis is the Global President, Dermatological Skincare at Galderma. Globally representing brands like Cetaphil, Defferin, Alastin and Benzac, she's a leader that balances soul, gut feeling and scientific rigour. Always keeping her ears tuned to what's happening in culture, she speaks about how she's been able to create "viral bets" that resonate with the zeitgeist and the contemporary consumer.

Tune into this conversation to hear about:

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gztCQqP5KZY

Lucia Mastromauro is Deliveroo's VP of Advertising. We sit down with her at SMG and Adweek's Retail Media Summit UK 2025 to speak about how the delivery player is continuously upgrading their offering to brands across their different channels, from Restaurants to High Street.

Tune in to hear about:

Hanneke Faber is the Chief Executive Officer at Consumer Electronics Leader Logitech. One of the top voices in our industry, with a background at flagship companies like Procter & Gamble, Ahold and Unilever, she joins Christina and Daniel to speak about her upbringing, key decisions and how she's approaching the future at the US and Swiss-based company.   Tune in to hear about: How being a youth champion diver brought Hanneke to do her bachelors in the USA Her 20-year stint at P&G, experience in Retail at Ahold, Unilever and why she decided to take the moves Logitech's balance: offense, innovation a...

In this episode recorded live at Groceryshop Las Vegas, we sit down with Peter Lizner, Head of Strategy at Rohlik Group, one of Europe's most advanced online grocery companies. We explore how the Czech-founded business has grown into a €1.1 billion player across Europe through a unique approach to local sourcing, customer service, and technology is setting a new standard for convenience and quality. 

We discuss:

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mhJh7MuMaD8

Mercado Libre is Latin America's eCommerce leader. In this episode of The FMCG Guys, Daniel sits down at Mercado Libre's Mexico City  Office with Alejandra Restrepo, Director of Mercado Ads (The Retailer's Media Division) Mexico. Together, they dive into how Latin America's largest e-commerce platform is rapidly evolving into a full-scale media ecosystem — connecting commerce, fintech, and entertainment across the region. Alejandra shares her career journey from 13 years at McKinsey to leading the growth of Mercado Libre's advertising arm, which has grown to be one of Latin America's top thre...

Watch on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/xO8ljWS9miU

The Hot Seat is our collaboration with The Women in Retail Media Collective. In Every episode, one of their co-Founders, Ana Laura Zain and Emma Helsloot, team up with Daniel to have a conversation with a relevant person in Retail Media that breaks cliches, boring panels and gets very personal.

In this episode, we are joined by Fluent's Strategic Partnerships Leader Morgan Chapman, who loves to compete against herself when getting on planes. Ana Lau and Daniel won't leave a page unturned in order for you t...

Helen Tomlinson is Kenvue's recently appointed Managing Director of Spain. She joins Christine and Daniel to speak about how she's developed her career across functions and countries to become one of, unfortunately still few, female General Managers in our industry. In this conversation you'll hear some examples of how some specific situations like "putting a hand up"  can help advance, nuances we may not be aware of, the importance of mentors, allyship and much more.

Topics covered include:

A year later, we are back with a special CPG Guys × FMCG Guys crossover with Rick Swinkels, CEO of TCC Global, during Groceryshop in Las Vegas. You can also watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/rkq6l7SXA30 

This time, we focus on why loyalty is the real growth lever in grocery right now. We dig into shopper "promiscuity" under value pressure, the surge of private label, how misused promos and siloed RMNs erode trust, and why paid memberships and smart, human-centred personalization are setting the next rules. Rick also shares how TCC's physical-reward programs and ne...

Today's guest is Selim Tansug, COO at The Quality Group, a leader in the Sports Nutrition and Functional space with brands like ESN and More Nutrition. With 20 years in supply chain and an 18-year career at Unilever, he shares his perspective on how the industry has evolved from global optimization to resilience and agility amid today's volatility. From managing operations in Turkey, Vietnam, and Europe to leading the growth of a D2C sports nutrition business, Selim reflects on balancing speed, innovation, and technology while maintaining culture and a consumer focus.

Tune in to hear about: 

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/V9dHBZDZv3A

In this episode of The Hot Seat, we are joined by Jemma Haley from The John Lewis Partnership, who dives into her world of retail media strategy, sharing the highs, lows, and quirky bits of her day-to-day. Get to know her through rapid-fire personal questions, ping pong beer brands, "Would You Rather?" dilemmas, and the classic "Two Truths and a Lie", where she shared her background dancing in a Status Quo video that might just go viral now.

We know how to have fun but also...

Sign up for Candid Commerce Amsterdam (Nov 5th at Capital C): https://candid-commerce.com/amsterdam-2025 

See last year's event: https://candid-commerce.com/candid-commerce-amsterdam 

Candid Commerce London: https://candid-commerce.com/candid-commerce-london 

The Hot Seat: https://www.fmcgguys.com/hot-seat-wrmc/ 

In today's episode we are joined by Sorin Patilinet from Pepsico. Growing up in Romania without access to global brands sparked his fascination with advertising and shaped his perspective on how marketing drives connection and influence. He joins Daniel to speak about his recent book "Marketing Effectiveness: Applying Marketing Science for Brand Growth".

Tune in to hear about:

In today's episode we are joined by Pavi Gupta, Insights and Analytics VP at Chobani, with nearly three decades of experience across global FMCGs. Over his career, he has witnessed and shaped how new technologies transform the way organizations generate and apply insights. He joins the show to discuss how curiosity, empathy, and change management remain at the core of the function, and why elevating the role of insights is more critical than ever.

Tune in to hear about:

The Hot Seat is a special episode series of The FMCG Guys in collaboration with the Women in Retail Media Collective. You can also watch on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/nGmcW0BSxTQ 

In every episode (cadence TBD!), we will be unveiling the most personal and fun side of different Retail Media Personalities. Expect Quick-fire games, bold opinions, and zero buzzwords. This section will be hosted by the co-Founders of the collective Ana Laura Zain and Emma Helsloot and our very own Daniel Torres.

Axel Adida, Chief Digital Officer at Beiersdorf—the German company behind iconic personal care brands like Nivea and Eucerin and Ultra-Premium Beauty La Prairie —joins Christina and Daniel to explore how his passion for pop culture and the "Zeitgeist" (the spirit of the times) shapes his approach to connecting heritage brands with today's trends.

For many people in our industry, our guest doesn't need any introduction. Roger Dunn has become one FMCG and Retail's Top Voices through his content and thought leadership in Retail Media. What maybe some people don't know is that Roger also serves in a global role at the world's largest liquor company: Diageo. In this episode, we speak not only about the latest in Retail Media but we specifically focus on what's in it for the Brands and Consumers.

Tune in to hear about:

Stefano Volpetti is the President of Smoke-Free Products and Chief Consumer Officer at Philip Morris International. With a background in Consumer Goods at P&G, he joined the legacy tobacco business to lead it into a new era: smoke-free. In this episode, we explore what motivated his move to a controversial industry—challenging his own pre-conceived ideas—and how he's reinventing the category through product innovation, consumer understanding, and innovative marketing and route-to-market.

Tune in to hear about:

Our guest is Constantin Fink, a Commercial and Growth Leader that's worked globally in FMCG, Consulting, Private Label, Foodservice and currently serves as Tchibo's Chief Commercial Officer, International. His common career thread has been how to deliver an improved top line to the businesses he's managed, so in this episode we focus on how he's mastered the art, science and process of sales across cultures, industries and contexts.

Tune in to hear about:

Welcome to the first ever debate on The FMCG Guys, with two Retail Media Titans (and competitors): Melanie Zimmermann from Criteo and Andreas Reiffen from Pentaleap.

In the last five years, we've seen how many retailers have built Ad businesses, now commonly known as Retail Media Networks. This surge has had a tremendous impact on the industry, effectively changing marketing and the way brands and retailers interact. In this time, there's been a clear pioneer in the ad-tech space, that has won many, many Retail accounts during this surge of Retail Media: Criteo. In parallel, we've seen...

Chris Doe is the UK Marketing & Innovation Director at Pilgrim's Europe. There, he leads the end-to-end strategy and P&L for a GBP350M portfolio of Foods brands including Richmond, Fridge Raiders and Mattessons. He joins the show to speak about how his career journey accross different FMCGs has turned him into an executive that's passionate about Marketing, Growth and people - always with optimism as a common thread.   Tune in to hear about The difference between Power Brands and Heritage Brands, and how having both in a portfolio is valuable Being a branded business in an often-commoditised category like M...

This episode is part of our 5-part series with Amazon Web Services (AWS). You can find all the other episodes here: https://www.fmcgguys.com/?s=AWS

Miroglio Group is a leading Italian Fashion Retailer, with banners like Elena Mirò and Trussardi, that's putting AI into practice across its business. Co-hosted by Daniel Torres and Gaia Ginevra of AWS, the conversation with Matteo Loro (Digital Data & Tech Strategy Manager) and Marcello Offi (Head of Data & Platform Engineering) dives into how the group built a unified data platform, fostered collaboration between business and IT, and embedded AI into e...

In this episode of The FMCG Guys, we are joined by Salomon Tenenbaum, Global Head of CPG Partnerships & Ad Sales at Wolt, to explore how Q-Commerce has evolved from hype to a true growth driver for brands. Wolt, the Finnish-born delivery platform now part of DoorDash and active in 30+ markets, is expanding from food delivery into grocery, retail and FMCG partnerships. Salomon shares his unconventional career journey and explains why quick commerce is not just about speed, but about data, distribution, and activation working together. We dive into the untapped potential of the channel, the role of retail media...

In this episode, we speak with Erika Ferszt, CMO at Furla, the historic Italian leather goods house founded in 1927, to explore not only how brand building has transformed, but also how she's reinvented herself along the way. From starting out in New York ad agencies to a decade shaping Ray-Ban at Luxottica, ten years running her own consultancy, and now leading Furla into its next chapter, Erika's career mirrors the evolution of marketing itself — from big-budget campaigns to today's fast, fragmented, always-on environment. Together, we reflect on the balance between creativity, data and AI, the enduring importance of psychology an...

Our 2024 guest Sean Summers recently joined our US sister Podcast The CPG Guys to share where Mercado Libre is in their Retail Media and Omnichannel journey.

Original Synopsis

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Sean Summers, EVP Mercado Ads & CMO at Mercado Libre. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mercado Libre is Latin America's leading e-commerce technology company. Through its primary platforms, MercadoLibre.com and MercadoPago.com, it provides solutions to individuals and companies buying, selling, advertising, and paying for goods online.

Follow Sean on LinkedIn at: https://w...

In this episode of The FMCG Guys, Daniel is joined by Charlotte Bailey-Sane, Marketing, Digital & E-commerce Director at Nutrition and Health Leader ADM, to explore how she's driving growth in the fast-evolving health & wellness space. Charlotte shares her journey from agency life into brand leadership, why she's always been drawn to e-commerce and digital transformation, and how she's built an integrated marketing and digital function at ADM. She also discusses making D2C work in niche categories, protecting brand equity across channels, and leading hybrid teams in a rapidly changing environment.

Key takeaways include:

Our guests are Gardar Stefánsson, Founder & CEO, and Lauren Larsen, Global Marketing Director at GoodGood, the Icelandic brand disrupting the spreads aisle with no-added-sugar jams, nut butters, and chocolate spreads. What started as a pivot from surplus stevia stock has become a fast-growing business with products now in Europe and major U.S. retailers like Whole Foods, Walmart, and Kroger. With a mission to make everyday pantry staples healthier—without compromising on taste—GoodGood runs a lean, global team and blends data-driven decisions with gut instinct to build a loyal consumer base.

Tune in to hear about...

Our friends, The CPG Guys' Sri Rajagopalan & Peter VS Bond muse current industry topics.

In this episode, Daniel sits down with Laura Mehren, Head of Performance Marketing and User Experience at S. Oliver Group, to explore how data-driven marketing powers growth in the competitive world of fashion retail. With a background spanning B2B and B2C, Laura shares her perspective on the evolving performance landscape, the synergy between brand and performance marketing, and how UX and creative optimization shape conversion success.

Tune in to hear about:

This episode was originally aired in August 2023.

Paul Accornero is the Chief Commercial Officer at the De'Longhi Group, a Global Leader in Small Appliances. He joins us to speak about how he's led the organization through turbulent times in a growing category and:

When Ross Farquhar took over the role at Little Moons, a viral TikTok moment unexpectedly catapulted the brand into the spotlight, driving a 2000% sales spike in just one week. In this episode, Ross shares how he and the team turned that overnight success into long-term brand growth — transforming a mochi novelty into an increasingly global snacking player. Drawing from a career spanning Cadbury, Diageo, agency life, and hospitality, he explains how to scale a distinctive brand through smart innovation, clear positioning, and deep consumer empathy.

Tune in to hear about:

Founded in 1987 in New Zealand, Kathmandu is a certified B Corp (since 2019) specialising in responsibly made technical apparel and gear for travel and adventure. In this episode, we sit down with their CEO, Megan Welch, to explore her unique leadership journey and the brand's bold push toward global expansion. From nearly two decades at Crocs to relocating to Christchurch, New Zealand, Megan shares what drew her to Kathmandu and how she's leading the company through its transformation from a New Zealand and Australia staple to a challenger brand in global markets.

Key Takeaways:

This episode was originally aired in May 2024. Since then, Stephanie as has taken on a new role as VP Transformation at Reckitt.

Our guest is Steph Lilley, General Manager for Reckitt's Hygiene Business Unit in their home market, the UK, and Ireland. She joins Christine and Daniel to speak about her career from a graduate program to becoming a General Manager, with some international moves in between, but always focusing on development and with a prominence of P&L roles. Tune into this conversation to hear about:

Mark Jagger (former P&G, Reckitt, Sanofi) returns to The FMCG Guys for a deep dive into one of the most pressing topics in the industry today: Pricing and Revenue Growth Management.

Now running his own consultancy, JAGSS, Mark shares a candid view of why pricing has become the default growth lever—and why it's no longer sustainable. With Cristina Nicolaou co-hosting, the discussion explores how FMCG companies can unlock healthier, more resilient growth by going back to basics, sharpening execution, and embracing shopper-centric strategies.

Tune in to hear about:

Benoit Menard is Puma Group's Senior Regional Director Marketing Europe and a leader who's worked across advertising, sports federations, media, and top global brands. From his early days organizing tournaments as a student to leading major campaigns at Adidas and Puma, Benoit shares how he's built a career grounded in creativity, curiosity, and people-first leadership. We talk about how to lead marketing teams in fast-moving environments, how to stay close to culture, and why brand building still matters in a performance-driven world.

Tune in to hear about:

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dS0N6LYRiMk 

Gael Peigné, VP Strategic Marketing at Shalion, is back on the show to explore how AI—especially Large Language Models (LLMs)—is transforming the way consumers discover and buy products. We dive into the evolution of Food Service Aggregators (FSAs), the rise of autonomous agents in eCommerce, and how brands need to rethink digital visibility in a world where search is becoming conversational. From Generative Engine Optimization to the future of retail media, Gaël unpacks what brands must do to stay relevant as technology reshapes the pat...

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Jeff Cohen, Tech Evangelist at Amazon Ads as we discuss the key themes discussed at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Follow Jeff on LinkedIn at: http://linkedin.com/in/jeffreycohen 

Mette Lykke is the Chief Executive Officer at Food Tech Leader Too Good To Go, an app that connects 118 million consumers with local cafés, bakeries, supermarkets and restaurants to buy their surplus food. She joins the show to speak about her journey, the current waste situation,  how they are partnering with FMCGs and Groceries and how they look to make impact on 3 levels.

Tune in to hear about:

In this episode, we're joined by Claudia Calori, VP of Global Marketing for Personal Health at Philips, to talk about what it takes to be a modern marketer. From her early days at P&G to leadership roles at Heineken, Nike, and now Philips, Claudia shares how marketing has evolved—and what fundamentals still hold true. We dig into in-house vs. agency capabilities, the rise of retail media, and why trust is the foundation of strong teams.

Tune in to hear about:

This episode was recorded live at Amazon Web Services' Shoreditch Office in London as a part of a 5-Part series. You can also watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/DEyGVIBqp5o

Daniel is joined by Michelle Williams, Data Product Owner at The Very Group, to explore how the UK's leading digital department store is embedding GenAI into its business. Michelle shares the company's pragmatic approach—focusing on efficiency, scalability, and real business value rather than hype. From launching an AI Guild and upskilling teams to using AWS-powered models to automate 40,000+ product descriptions, she breaks down how Ge...

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GbxfYuFB8-g 

In this episode, recorded live at Shoptalk Europe, we discussed the Future of Retail Media in a "Quick Fire" format with Katrina Smart (VP at Mars United Commerce), Alexis Marcombe (CEO at Unlimitail) and Rudolf Schneider (Head of Amazon Ads EU).  

In the session, we debated the following topics:

Nicole Pilkington is the Global Head of E-Commerce Acceleration at Barilla, the world's pasta leader. She joins the show to share how she's built a career at the forefront of digital commerce, how Barilla is scaling global e-commerce capabilities, and how leadership, collaboration, and curiosity are driving change in the FMCG landscape.

Topics covered:

Richard Peake is the Managing Director at Merchant Gourmet, a British Foods company founded 30 years ago with a strong focus on making an impact through their healthy, nutritious and quality-oriented product. He joins the show to reflect on how Food brands can still find growth if they have the right vision and execution, how he's developed his career and his thoughts on how to have a functional company culture.

Topics covered:

In this special episode, recorded live from AWS's Shoreditch office, we launch a brand-new 5-part series with Amazon Web Services. You can also watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/RXWMOA46Em8

Together with Marco Kormann (AWS), we explore how Generative AI is reshaping the way consumers search, discover, and shop — and what that means for brands and retailers. To do that, we are accompanied by two star guests: Richard Lim, CEO at Retail Economics, and Charley Hackerson, CRO at Botify.

Tune in to learn about:

Mehmet Karamollaoglu is the Managing Director for Turkey & Eurasia at Mondelez International, overseeing 11 dynamic markets. After leaving Turkey to pursue a Master's degree in the U.S., Mehmet embarked on a global FMCG journey—leading commercial teams and business units across multiple geographies. What truly sets him apart, though, is his deep curiosity and drive to stay ahead—whether it's understanding the evolving consumer or driving digital transformation in the food industry.

He joins the podcast to speak about:

Rob Chatwin visited us last year to give us a masterclass on how to manage mergers and acquisitions at the heighest level.

In this conversation, we go over some of the high stakes Mergers and Acquisitions he participated in, like integrating Avon or The Body Shop into Natura.

Tune into this podcast to learn about:

Christina Rapsomanikis is VP of Connected Commerce at Mars Petcare. From sales at Unilever to launching her own DTC business and leading digital at Coty and now Mars, Christina has seen the evolution of e-commerce from every angle. She joins us live from Mars' London offices to talk about how digital has moved from the sidelines to the center of FMCG strategy.

Tune in to hear about:

Paul Stafford is Head of Retail Media at the UK's top high street beauty retailer: Superdrug. Having done it all—Media (Virgin), FMCG (PepsiCo), and now Retail—he took on the challenge of building Superdrug's Retail Media proposition from scratch. He joins us to share the story of that journey.

Tune in to hear about:

Daniel was recently invited by David Feinleib (CEO at ITSRAPID) to his phenomenal "Beyond the Shelf" Podcast. 

The origninal show notes:

What do hiring, podcasting, and great marketing all have in common? If you ask Daniel Torres Dwyer, the answer is the same: it's about trust, not transactions.

Daniel wears a few hats—he's the Co-Host of The FMCG Guys podcast and Director of Executive Search at Dwyer Partners—and at the heart of both roles is one thing: helping people find the right fit. Whether that's matching a candidate to a role, a gue...

Patricia Grundmann is the Media & Retail Media VP at Germany-Based DIY Retailer OBI. Founded in 1970, they employ 10,000 employees across 640 stores across 10 European Markets, each of which has their own online business. 

A very prominent voice in our industry, she's also on the board of IAB Europe and she joins Christina and Daniel to speak about her unique vision and approach to Retail Media.

Tune in to learn about:

Sanjay Luthra, EVP EMEA & Global Head of Direct-to-Consumer at Mattel, joins Efrain and Daniel ahead of Shoptalk Europe (June 2–4 in Barcelona: https://www.shoptalkeurope.com/community) — where he'll be one of the headline speakers.

In this episode, Sanjay reflects on his global career journey and unpacks how Mattel is driving innovation and growth across the region and beyond.

Tune in to hear about:

Oliver Strelecki is the CEO of Cofresco, a leader in the Fresh Keeping and Waste Management categories, and part of the Melitta Group. He joins Daniel to share his journey from marketing roles to running a global business—and what it means to lead in categories that may not be glamorous, but are essential to daily life.

Tune in to learn about:

Julian Saslavsky is the Growth Manager for Latin America at Large Appliances Leader Whirlpool. With an unusal background, having started his career in start-ups (and a short stop in Recruitment!), he brings a fresh perspective to the various ways large Consumer Goods companies can innovate and go-to-market to be more relevant with today's consumer.

He speaks with Christina and Daniel about:

More

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fVTj7G31UAk 

Incrementality has become one of the big words—and key levers—in Consumer Goods, especially in a time when growth is no longer a given. But what does it actually mean? How do you measure it? Is it even attainable? Or is it just a myth?

To help us unpack the concept, and explore how best-in-class brands are building towards it, we're joined by Jack Lindberg, Head of Product (and more) at Digital Shelf leader Shalion.

Tune in to learn:

The CPGGUYS cover the recently concluded Shoptalk spring 2025 from Las Vegas. What a show! Besides our opening networking reception, we had a chance to meet up with many brands, retailers and of course all our sponsors. 

This episode is collectively sponsored by Epsilon, Dunnhumby, Osmos, 

Apply to join the Cornell retail media program https://ecornell.cornell.edu/certificates/marketing/retail-media-strategy/

Find Sri Rajagopalan on Linkedin at : https://www.linkedin.com/in/sri-rajagopalan-09a0062/

Find Peter VS Bond on Linkedin at : https://www.linkedin.com/in/pvsbond/

Find CPGGUYS on Lin...

Daniel is joined by guest co-host David Sloff in a conversation with FMCG Retail Expert and former Coca-Cola CCO Europe Jacques Van Cauwenberge in this conversation. With him, we explore the current challenging scenario between FMCG Brands and Supermarkets in Europe, and also what's the route to a more strategic, positive and, ultimately, profitable and growth-oriented relationship.

This Episode is brought to you by Softserve Business Systems. Start a conversation about fact-based digital transformation today by visiting https://softservebs.com/

Topics covered:

In this episode, our US Partners the CPG Guys are joined by Cristian Arcangeli, Vice President of Omnichannel and Customer Experience at illycaffè, an Italian family business, founded in Trieste in 1933 and committed to offering the greatest coffee to the world.

Find Cristian on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carcangeli/
Find illycaffè on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/illycaffe/
Find Illycaffè online at: https://www.illy.com/en-us

Apply to join the Cornell retail media program https://ecornell.cornell.edu/certificates/marketing/retail-media-strategy/

Cristian answers these q...

The FMCG Guys will be back with an all-new episode on May 7th. In the meantime, here's a sneek peak into our next events. Happy Easter!

Jose Salas is Reebok's Finance Director for Latin America (South & Central) and the Caribbean. He joins the show to share his broad experience across multiple functions in Consumer Goods, his recurring return to Finance, and why he sees the Finance function as a driver of growth and innovation—far from the tactical role it's often perceived to be.

Tune in to hear about:

Consumer Goods Brands going Direct-to-Consumer has been a hot — and sometimes controversial — topic in the industry. It's a great way to capture first-party data, but is it always a money-losing game? Can DTC actually work at scale and drive real value?

To explore what successful models look like, Marco Brucato, Head of eCommerce D2C EMEA Growth at large-appliance leader Beko, joins Daniel and guest co-host Rob Nowell from Medium Marketing (also strategic partners in events like Candid Commerce).

Tune in to hear about:

Our sister podcast in the US, The CPG Guys, welcome the senior editor of the Path to Purchase Institute, Cyndi Loza, to discuss the latest retail media networks benchmarking report produced by them and the results. Some outcomes will surprise you, some are a confirmation and some retail media networks have missed the opportunity completely.

Apply to join the Cornell retail media program https://ecornell.cornell.edu/certificates/marketing/retail-media-strategy/

Find Cyndi Loza on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyndiloza/

Find Path to Purchase Institute on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the...

Volker Zöller is the President Consumer Goods EMEA at Consumer Hygiene leader Essity. After being one of the first guests of the podcast back in 2020, he re-joins us to go over the most pressing issues in the industry: culture change, digitalization, diversity and inclusion and much more. 

Tune in to learn about:

From explosive growth to high-profile mergers and eventual market consolidation, Food Service Aggregators (FSAs) like Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Wolt, and Delivery Hero have transformed how consumers access food. And despite all the ups and downs, one thing is clear—FSAs are here to stay.

In this episode, we're joined by Gael Peigné, VP of Product at digital shelf intelligence leader Shalion, to unpack the evolving role of FSAs and the opportunities and challenges they present for FMCG brands.

We cover:

Federico Pasquini, Global R&D Innovation Director for International Family Care & Professional at Kimberly-Clark, joins us for a deep dive into the world of Research & Development — a first for the podcast.

In this episode, Federico shares how R&D drives progress in a global FMCG powerhouse, and why innovation matters even in the most low-involvement categories.

Tune in to hear about:

STRATACACHE is going to take London by storm next Monday March 31st with their "What's in store (for Retail Media Networks)" event. This event, which we were lucky to attend in January in New York during NRF, will feature top voices in Retail and Brands to debate and explore how, as an industry, we can advance in In-store Retail Media.

Learn more about the event here: https://www2.stratacache.com/retail_media_networks_london 

Listen to Chris Riegel's episode about the seven sins in Retail Media:

Listen to Ben Reynolds' episode about In-Store A...

Revenue Growth Management (RGM) has become one of the key strategic sub-functions in modern FMCG companies. It acts like the glue between Sales, Marketing, Finance… and more! But, what does this function actually do? What are its goals? And what are the trends shaping it right now.

It's our pleasure to welcome Bayer Consumer Healthcare's Global Head Revenue Growth Management, Nikitas Paraskevopoulos to speak about:

In today's fragmented media landscape, brands are in a constant race to stay relevant and connect meaningfully with consumers. With countless channels vying for attention, how can brands cut through the noise and show up where it truly matters?

In this episode, we're joined by leaders in the Out-of-Home (OOH) media space—Clear Channel—to explore how this traditional medium is evolving to help brands reach more people, more effectively, in a fast-changing marketing environment.

Lindsay Rapacchi, Research and Insight Director, and Colin Horan, Strategic Partner for FMCG at Clear Channel, share their expertise on:

Frederic Fernandez is one of the most respected voices in FMCG. Through his consultancy, Frederic Fernandez & Associates, he partners with Fortune 100 FMCG companies, helping them navigate today's complex and rapidly evolving landscape. Beyond his consulting work, he has built a strong following through his insightful LinkedIn analyses, where he dissects industry trends and company strategies with precision. Most recently, he launched a podcast featuring in-depth conversations with FMCG CEOs.

In this conversation, you'll hear about the top trends affecting the industry, such as CEO churn, Marketing, eCommerce, Post-COVID hangover, as well as a deep dive into Personal a...

This Podcast is supported by Shoptalk. Join us and the elite of Consumer Goods and Retail in Barcelona on June 2-4: https://shoptalkeurope.com/community  SEE DISCOUNT CODES BELOW

Our guest today is Slavka Jancikova. With an impressive background in companies like NIKE, AB Inbev and Adidas; she's now leading Marketing for the sneaker retail leader Foot Locker in EMEA. She joins Christina and Daniel at a particularly crucial time for Marketing,.

Tune in to hear about:

This episode was recorded in 2021

When we think of an ideal company culture is one where we can bring our own full selves, be empathetic and enjoy working with others.

Ironically, that goes against the common idea that we have of leaders, who are meant to be firm, tough and untouchable.

How can we reach a commonality between these? To discuss this, we invited Carol Robert, who a the time was heading up the UK and Ireland business for Suntory Food & Beverage.

Ralf Miculcy is an Associate at WL Gore. But what does that actually mean? At WL Gore—a global materials science company known for its innovative products like GORE-TEX—every employee, from entry-level to the CEO, is called an Associate. This is just one example of its distinctive, non-hierarchical culture.

In today's episode, we dive into Ralf's journey across Operations, Projects, and General Management at WL Gore. We explore how this unique culture functions in practice and what makes it so effective through:

Emilie Brault, Global Director of Digital Consumer Experience at NAOS—the innovative French skincare company behind Bioderma, Institut Esthederm, and Etat Pur—joins the podcast to share her journey from FMCG to digital leadership. An expert in building digital organizations from the ground up, Emilie offers insights into how brands can harness digital to connect with consumers and drive transformation.

Tune in to hear about:

Eoin Comerford is an Outdoor Industry Expert, Consultant, Speaker & Podcaster. He's best known for his tenure as CEO of Moosejaw, one of the US' main outdoor Retailers. He drove its growth and oversaw its acquisition by Walmart in 2017, where he also managed the outdoor category for Walmart.com. He later oversaw Moosejaw's 2023 acquisition by Dick's Sporting Goods, where he remained until last year.

The "Rock Fight" Podcast Host joins Daniel to speak about:

Our guest is Kai Boris Bendix, CEO of Carl Kühne KG, a 303-year-old family-owned company (founded in 1722) renowned for its pickles and sauces. Kai joins Christina and Daniel to share insights from his impressive career, which began at Beiersdorf—the makers of Nivea cream—and has taken him around the globe, ultimately leading him to helm one of Germany's most iconic family businesses.

Tune in to discover:

The FMCG Guys will be back with all-new episodes very, very soon. In the meantime, enjoy this episode from one year ago which Daniel recorded in Iceland.

Ever wondered what running supermarkets in a remote country like Iceland looks like? Daniel was lucky enough to learn this in this fascinating in-person interview live from Keflavík. Our guest (and host, in this occasion!) is Gunnur Gunnarsdóttir, who runs both Retail and Human Resources at Samkaup, one of the island's main players in FMCG Retail with a number of banners.

This Episode is brought to you b...

Sharon Lewis, Head of Digital & Data Latin America at Kimberly Clark, joined us week to speak about how she's driving eCommerce growth and culture change in this emerging region.

Tune in to learn about:

Sunil D'Souza, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Tata Consumer Products (Part of the famous conglomerate Tata Group) joined Daniel and Christina in this 2023 fan favourite to share his thoughts on:

Maria Gonidi, the People & Culture Europe Operations Vice President at The Coca-Cola Company, joins us from Athens to speak about her career in HR and what the present and future of People Operations look like in F500 companies.   Tune in to hear about: Maria's career journey and what inspired her to build a career in HR The Pillars of HR: talent, connecting with the business, capabilities, culture & strategy What skills will future leaders need to have to be successful  The impact of tech on business Company culture & the future of work

More:

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www...

Christian Stammkoetter is Danone's President AMEA (Asia Middle East Africa) and Member of the Executive Committee. He joins Efrain and Daniel to speak about how, in the course of his career, has worked on multi-billion mergers, moved geographies, led teams, grown as a leader and developed a reliable routine to manage frequent long-haul travel.

Tune in to hear about:

Francis Dufay, CEO of African eCommerce leader Jumia, joins us from his home base in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, to share how the company is navigating selling online in Africa. With the continent's population set to double in the next 30 years and a young, tech-savvy demographic, eCommerce has massive potential but challenges like low GDP per capita (~$2,000), political stability and logistics create unique hurdles (and opportunities!).

In this episode, we discuss:

Join us at Candid Commerce in London (Feb 12th): https://mediummarketing.co.uk/candid-commerce-london

Kerry Morrison heads up the Retail team in GS1 UK, the company that provides industry with the barcodes needed to trade. With 60,000 members in the UK across the top Retailers (Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, etc.) and global brands (Unilever, Mondelez, Nestle...), they were created for the industry by the industry to bring members togehter and address and solve problems in a collaborative and non-competitive space.

Kerry joined the show to speak about the importance of barcodes and the new generation that's c...

Join us at Candid Commerce in London (Feb 12th): https://mediummarketing.co.uk/candid-commerce-london 

Christian Raveaux heads up Retail Media at top German Grocer REWE. An increasingly influential and popular face in the Global Digital Commerce circuit, he visited the show to speak with Efrain and Daniel about how they are building a unique value proposition for Brands and their millions of Consumers in Germany and Central Europe.

Tune in to hear about:

Join us at Candid Commerce in London (Feb 12th): https://mediummarketing.co.uk/candid-commerce-london 

The FMCG Guys are joined by David Cabero, Group Category Leader for Stationery and Executive Committee member at the iconic Bic. With an International background in Finance and General Management, he joins the show to speak about how his experiences have made him familiar with taking high-stakes decisions.

Tune in to learn about:

Our "State of Supply Chain" Series is back in 2025! The drumbeat of FMCG is as under pressure as ever before, in the middle of internal stuggles, unpredicatable industry dynamics and external volatility. To review the challenges and opportunities for operations leaders, in this episode we are joined by Alberto Lupano, SVP Group Supply Services Transformation & Operational Excellence at Reckitt and an old friend of the podcast, Federico Marchesi, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Haier Europe, who already joined us in 2021 and 2022.

Topics covered:

This episode was recorded during P2PI and SMG's Retail Media Summit UK 2024. In this conversation, Efrain sits with Adam Aldridge, Retail Performance Lead at Kimberly-Clark.  With him, we explore how the US-based paper product leader is approaching Retail Media and the Data they have unlocked to create a more meaningful connection with their consumers.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gyc6epNDC8 

 Topics Covered:

Welcome to The FMCG Guys' first episode of 2025!

In this episode, Christina and Daniel host Ben Reynolds, VP Business Development at Walkbase, the Analytics and AI division of STRATACACHE, the leading company in in-store Retail Media. And with him we explore the ins-and-outs of in-store Retail Media Analytics and Measurement.