How do you see retail media developing over the next few years, and what opportunities are retailers still overlooking?

Retail media is evolving from being viewed primarily as an advertising business into becoming an integral part of the shopping experience. Over the next few years, we'll see much tighter integration between media, loyalty, commerce, and personalization, enabling retailers to engage customers with greater relevance throughout the customer journey.

One shift I believe the industry needs to fully embrace is that retail media, particularly on in-store screens, has a real impact on customer decision-making at the point of purchase. The conversation should no longer be about whether in-store retail media works, but rather how we optimize and scale it. Shoppers are making decisions impulsively in the moment, and retailers have a unique opportunity to influence those decisions where purchase intent is at its highest.

At the same time, we need to be careful not to let the pursuit of perfect measurement slow progress. Measurement is important, but attribution in a physical store environment will never be as straightforward as it is online. If we spend too much time debating methodology, we risk missing the opportunity. The focus should be on getting started, building evidence through real campaigns, and continuously improving measurement as the market matures.

One aspect that's often underestimated is the operational complexity behind retail media. You're not just selling advertising inventory, you're building a media business within a retail organization, with dedicated processes, commercial models, governance structures, campaign management, and billing capabilities that don't traditionally exist in retail. Education and alignment is key to this Ultimately, the retailers that move decisively now, while continuing to strengthen their measurement capabilities over time, will be best positioned to unlock the full potential of retail media.

Circle K has been building its retail media network across Europe. What have been some of the biggest lessons from scaling a retail media strategy across multiple markets?

One of the biggest lessons has been finding the right balance between consistency and local relevance. Brands want scalable solutions that can be activated across multiple markets, but each country has unique customer behaviors, media maturity levels, and commercial priorities. Having a common framework while allowing for local flexibility has been critical.

We've also learned that education remains a major part of the journey. Retail media is evolving rapidly, and success comes from working closely with both internal stakeholders and brand partners to help them understand the opportunities, capabilities, and value that a convenience retail environment can offer.

eTail Nordic brings together senior retail and eCommerce leaders from across the Nordic region. What conversations are you most looking forward to having with your peers, and what insights are you hoping to take away from the event?

What excites me most about eTail Nordic is the opportunity to exchange perspectives with leaders who are facing many of the same challenges and opportunities. Retail is evolving quickly, particularly around customer expectations, data utilization, AI, and the convergence of commerce and media.

One area I'm particularly interested in discussing with other retailers and brands is how they're connecting the physical store experience with their digital retail media ecosystems. As the industry matures, the biggest opportunity isn't thinking about in-store and digital media as separate channels, but understanding how they work together to influence customer behavior and create a more seamless journey from awareness to purchase.