Lara is a digital storyteller and change agent with over 20 years experience leading organizational and technology transformation at a number of Canada's leading companies including Rogers Communications, General Mills, Torstar and Johnson & Johnson.

Currently Lara is Vice President & Chief Technology Officer at McDonald’s Canada, where she leads the transformation of the Canadian business through technology.  Her team is focused on leveraging technology to drive business results with a mandate that covers the digital marketing space as well as the omni-channel restaurant and technology experience, encompassing everything from CRM, marketing technology, mobile, kiosk, in-store technology and more. 

Lara holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours from Queens University as well as an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business.  She is a self-professed digital nerd and Netflix junkie - and her favourite McDonald’s meal is McNuggets and a Chocolate Shake.

Simon Rodrigue is a recognized leader in the retail transformation taking place in retail today, with over 14+ years of executive experience in the space. Most notably, Simon is the SVP and Chief Digital Officer at STAPLES Canada where he is a key member of the leadership transforming one of Canada's most iconic retail brands.

Simon was also the former SVP of eCommerce for Walmart Canada where he was responsible for all aspects of the online business, technology, digital marketing, and integration with all stores in Canada. During this time, in addition to rapidly growing the business, he introduced lockers (store pickup) and grocery home shopping to the Canadian market. 

Simon was also the VP of Product Management / Site Experience North America as well as General Manager of Canada at Travelocity. Simon was the Associate Vice President of eCommerce at Sears Canada and held several operational and merchandising leadership roles within The Home Depot Canada before serving as their Senior Manager of eCommerce and Interactive Marketing launching Homedepot.ca into the Canadian marketplace. He also served as a Senior Business and Marketing Consultant with Nortel Networks Global Services, enabling start-ups and aiding Fortune 50 companies to develop global emerging business strategies. 

Nancy Modrcin joined Metro Inc. in January 2012 to oversee the marketing and communications functions for the Ontario Division. She is accountable for brand strategy, advertising, shopper marketing, consumer promotions, PR & in-store experience, as well as building integrated marketing solutions for the Ontario market in conjunction with the loyalty and digital teams. Prior to joining Metro, Modrcin managed many globally recognized brands and product portfolios at entertainment and lifestyle focused companies, including Mattel, NBC Universal, Harlequin and The Walt Disney Company. She has an Honours BA from York University.

Chris holds the position of vice president, Store Development & Design. In his role, Chris manages all facets of retail development and facilities for Starbucks Coffee Canada. Prior to joining Starbucks, Chris has held a number of senior roles within the industry with both dominant and first to market retail brands. He brings extensive retail development experience both in the USA and in Canada.

Leading retail for Canopy Growth, in addition to remaining the Managing Director of HIKU Brands,our unique portfolio of craft iconic and engaging cannabis brands. 

Canopy Growth Corporation is a world-leading diversified cannabis company. We operate acollection of diverse brands and curated strain variety, supported millions of square feet of indoorgreenhouse production capacity, partnered with some of the leading names in the sector. 

A marketing executive with over 20 years of experience, Kerri is Vice President, Marketing & Customer Intelligence at the LCBO.

She is responsible to set the creative direction for the LCBO, Vintages and Food & Drink brands, and to create marketing and content strategies that drive the retail and e/m commerce businesses, enhance LCBO brands and engender customer loyalty.

Her team creates and delivers on brand, marketing and content strategies in advertising, print publications, LCBO stores and in digital channels including lcbo.com eCommerce, social media, customer apps and for CRM, all backed by customer insights and data.

She holds an MA in International Relations from Dalhousie University, a BA (with 1^st class honours) in politics and history from Mount Allison University and a certification in International Trade from the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) program at Carleton and Ryerson Universities.  Kerri is a member of the Canadian Marketing Association’s Board of Directors.

Nicolas Gaudreau is a Canadian marketing executive, corporate director and lecturer, known for his track record for driving digital transformations and his key role in the early development of the digital media industry in Canada.

A C-level executive with over 25 years of experience as CMO, VP Marketing and VP Digital for multi-billion dollar companies, Nicolas is now CMO of Reitmans Canada. Prior to this, Nicolas was CMO at Groupe Dynamite, CMO at Yellow Pages, and VP Marketing at Bell.

With his strong background in strategic planning, traditional and digital marketing, and product development, Nicolas has a track record for driving digital transformation. Nicolas has taken the threats of digital transformation and turned them into opportunities and competitive advantage across several industries, including media, telecom, and retail.

Nicolas holds an international MBA from INSEAD, and an electrical engineering bachelor degree from McGill University. He is also a certified corporate director from ICD.D. Nicolas serves on several boards, including start-ups and non-profits.

Peter van Stolk is the CEO of Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery or SPUD.ca™, the largest pure play online grocer in Canada. SPUD.ca is focused on creating meaningful relationships with Canadians around the benefits of local, organic food within the $100 billion annual Canadian grocery market. SPUD.ca operates in 4 markets and utilizes proprietary technology. This allows the company to provide free delivery throughout the 4 Western Canadian cities it services. With 400 employees, SPUD.ca is building community among its customers both online and off with a unique omni-channel strategy of hyper-local small markets through its retail brands, Be Fresh Local Market and Organic Acres Market. van Stolk believes: “Food will have the greatest impact on our generation. How we think about food, how we buy food, and how we consume food will change, and we are excited to be a part of this transformation”.

As founder of Jones Soda Company in 1987, van Stolk served as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors until 2007. Jones Soda was one of the first consumer branded companies that recognized the potential of Social Media in creating emotional connections with its consumers. Jones Soda invited its followers to participate and interact with the brand through proprietary custom labelling and unique flavour development.

van Stolk has been recognized for his business savvy and innovative branding strategies in various publications such as The New York Times®, CNN®, Wall Street Journal®, Fast Company™, Inc.Magazine™ and People Magazine®. Peter has received numerous business awards including Price, Waterhouse, Coopers’ 40 under 40, Brand Week’s Top 100 Marketer, and was chosen as one of Canada’s Top One Hundred Canadians by MacLean’s Magazine®.

He continues to speak internationally, challenging various audiences on a broad range of marketing and business topics including: How to compete in today’s market place, relating and remaining relevant to an apathetic and fickle consumer, and creating market demand and brand loyalty in a difficult economy. Through the contribution of all proceeds from his speeches, van Stolk is directly responsible for building numerous schools in developing countries, as well as countless donations to organizations that focus on women, children, and cancer research. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vitamin Angels© from 2013 to 2016, a non-profit global organization that provides vital nutrition to 48 million children annually throughout the world.

Tara is a passionate retailer, determined to find the balance between instore and online to bring out the best experience for the customer. As Vice-President, eCommerce at The Source she is responsible for the eCommerce strategy and vision for the organization. Tara has been focused on pushing the boundaries of eCommerce in Canada, leveraging technology and innovation to build an unparalleled Omni-channel experience. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from the University of Guelph, and has been in retail for the majority of her 20 year career as a customer-centric advocate, with a focus on marketing, ecommerce and technology.

Frederick has joined Golf Town as Vice President of Marketing and eCommerce, to turn the brand around by elevating its digital footprint and creating an interconnected retail landscape that allows eCommerce to successfully coexist with brick and mortar. From designing and implementing a cutting-edge omni-channel plan to enhancing Golf Town’s digital presence, Frederick applies an innovative approach to building emotional connections with customers. 

Before engaging in the journey to establish Golf Town Ltd.’s brand as Canada’s home of golf, Frederick led the Sport Chek digital marketing and eCommerce transformation as SVP of Marketing within the Canadian Tire Corporation. He also brought forward ground-breaking digital change with the launch of Canada’s first digital flyer program with Facebook and rollout of several eCommerce sites for the FGL and Marks banners (Sport Chek, Sports Experts, Atmosphere, Marks). 

For over 15 years, Frederick has influenced top organizations in roles such as Vice President for Global Brand Marketing & Digital Strategy at LG Electronics Corp in Seoul, Marketing Director for Microsoft Europe, and Marketing Director at Nokia. Prior to revolutionizing brands as a digital disruptor, Frederick’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to take part in two successful start-ups projects in Europe — one in eCommerce and another in media. 

Danielle Brown is an experienced marketing leader, responsible for building and growing a number of successful marketing teams at national and global organizations. She builds deep, broad teams with wide brand/ performance/ revenue scopes. An expert in change management, she is also a trained negotiator and facilitator, who is skilled at building consensus and driving businesses forward. Her experience stretches across the worlds of entertainment, wireless, loyalty, retail and tech.

In November of 2018, Danielle joined Knix as Chief Marketing Officer. She is charged with leading the growth and development of the Revenue, Brand, E-commerce, Creative, Analytics, Acquisitions & Retention aspects of the business.

Danielle is also co-owner of M’Eat Resto Butcher in Toronto’s trendy east end, a neighbourhood butcher shop and meat-forward restaurant that serves and promotes ethically raised, locally sourced beef. 

Andrea Fiederer is Executive Vice President and CMO of goeasy Ltd., an alternative financial services company that operates through two business units, easyhome, Canada’s largest lease-to-own retailer and easyfinancial, a non-prime consumer lender that bridges the gap between traditional financial institutions and costly payday lenders. Andrea’s background includes a broad range of business expertise acquired in both management consulting having worked at BearingPoint, and through a variety of marketing roles that span the past 15 years. Over that time, Andrea has held progressively senior roles at some of Canada’s top organizations including TELUS, XM Satellite Radio and more recently Mobilicity. In addition to Andrea’s Executive leadership role at goeasy, she is also responsible for founding goeasy’s Women in Leadership program designed to help grow and develop female talent within the organization through mentorship, learning and professional development. In 2016, Andrea was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Woman through the Women's Executive Network (WXN), Canada's leading organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of women in management, executive, professional and board roles. Andrea holds a Master of Business Degree from the Schulich School of Business and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from McGill University. 

I bring more than 13 years of global retail experience, managing $1B+ businesses, in merchandise planning, merchandising, allocation, product development, budget management, project management, and team leadership. Along with these skills will also be an unparalleled knowledge of the band Green Day – having attended 40+ concerts! My versatile background, both in job function & consumer product knowledge areas, provides flexibility in how I solve complex / ambiguous business challenges. Some aspects that define me as an experienced business leader: 

- Ability to manage all aspects of the merchandising experience: merchandise planning, strategy development, assortment planning, inventory control, cost negotiations, vendor management, system implementation, supply chain management, brand management, margin optimization, and budget management. 

- I’m a seasoned leader with a strength at developing strategic plans to enhance sales / margin revenue, drive business expansion, and exceed profit & loss goals. I bring an expertise in business transformation: from optimizing processes across a global organization to creating / implementing business change. 

- I strive to always bring 100% to every project that I tackle. This drive & passion keeps me forward looking on organizational success + team management / leadership: recruiting & training top talent, coaching & mentoring employees, developing careers, and building positive team morale!

Nathan Yang is an Assistant Professor in Marketing at McGill Desautels Faculty of Management, as well as Project Coordinator for the BSRM-IVADO Research Initiative. He is also a Research Fellow at the Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en économie quantitative (CIREQ), Researcher at the Center for Interuniversity Research and Analysis of Organizations (CIRANO), Academic Member at the McGill Centre for the Convergence of Health and Economics (MCCHE), Faculty Associate at the Canadian Centre for Health Economics (CCHE), Member at the Group for Research in Decision Analysis (GERAD), Associated Member at the Institute for Data Valorization (IVADO), and Affiliate Member at the McGill Bensadoun School of Retail Management (BSRM).

His main research interests are in big data and machine learning, health and wellness, behavioral science, retail, and empirical industrial organization. Much of his earlier work aims to gain a better understanding about market expansion strategies in various retail sectors (e.g., convenience stores, fast food restaurants, fast casual restaurants), whereby market expansion is a key instrument to grow a retailer's brand, and ultimately, sales. In addition to retailer expansion strategies, he has worked on (or is currently working on) projects that focus on various aspects of customer relationship management in a diverse set of industries, including appliances, bike sharing, car rentals, electronic health platforms, fast fashion, loan markets, social media, large international commercial weight loss programs, mobile weight loss apps, video games, and WiFi tracking. His most recent research attempts to blend together behavioral science, big data, economics, and machine learning to help nudge people towards healthier lifestyles.

His research has been published (or is forthcoming) in Marketing Science, Management Science, Quantitative Economics, International Journal of the Economics of Business, and the Review of Network Economics, and has been widely cited by popular press, including The Economist, Financial Times, and LA Times. He has secured numerous grants to fund his research (e.g., MSI, IVADO, SSHRC, NET Institute). 

Alex Kozjak is an accomplished eCommerce executive with over 20 years of retail experience. He launched Staples.ca back in 2000 as one of Canada’s first national eCommerce sites and has also developed significant omni-channel experience through ongoing collaboration with the company’s retail division. Over his time at Staples, Alex has overseen everything from retail inventory and pricing strategy, online merchandising and marketing, analytics, product management and user experience. Alex and his team have helped make Staples one of Canada’s largest eCommerce companies and he also partners with the international divisions of Staples to lend a global perspective to his approach on eCommerce strategy.

Erin has spent the last decade immersed in all things digital, a passion she currently funnels into her job leading the in-house digital communications agency, HyperLab, at Nestle Purina Canada, and which recently earned her a spot on Marketing Magazine’s Top 30 Under 30.

As a strategic planner with a focus on digital & emerging channels, her experience includes technology, creative & content, user experience, research & data science, media, PR, shopper marketing, and more. She has worked on major brands and at top agencies with clients across CPG, Media & Entertainment, Health & Beauty, Non-Profit, B2B, Financial Services, Retail, QSR, and Healthcare. Her diverse experience across categories and capabilities allows her to bring a unique perspective to her work that embraces today’s omnichannel world by viewing consumer behavior, technology, creative and data holistically.

When she’s not working, she can be found researching and testing the latest technology and gadgets, following her artistic passions through photography, video and writing, or simply spending time with friends and family. She is a self-proclaimed Netflixaholic, and loves to read blogs, online magazines, and scroll endlessly through Instagram.

Andrew Go joined The Home Depot Canada in 2016 as Director, e-Commerce and was recently promoted to Senior Director, e-Commerce and Advertising. In this role, Andrew is responsible for overseeing and developing the company’s e-commerce platform, which also includes leading the strategic vision of the interconnected customer experience, data analytics, and digital marketing.

Andrew is an accomplished executive operator who possesses a unique mix of strategic, operating, and entrepreneurial skills, which were refined in Toronto, London, and Mumbai. He has cultivated expertise in building new business and empowering multi-disciplinary teams to innovate and deliver results. Prior to joining The Home Depot Canada, Andrew was the Vice President, Strategic Initiatives for the Star Media Group, as well as Vice President, Digital Commerce for Metroland Media Group.

Andrew holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, and continues to be involved with the school as an Alumni Mentor. His community involvement also includes serving as a director on the board of the Nikkei Voice, and as a Strategic Business Advisor at the Ryerson DMZ. Andrew is also an advisor for two innovative startups, Avocare.ca and SkinskoolBeauty.com, both of which provide elevated user experiences in digital health and beauty industries respectively.

Tom is a Director of Analytics, Data Science, Experimentation and SEO for Walmart Canada's ecommerce business. As owner of all things data at Walmart.ca, Tom drives analytical rigour, mindset and decision making across a business experiencing accelerated growth.

Over the last 5 years Tom has grown, developed and led the site merchandising, deployment, digital studio, analytics and optimization teams at Walmart.ca. Before Walmart, he spent 4 years at Sears.ca in various digital roles spanning analytics, site experience and strategy. Before a career shift to retail, Tom worked as an design engineer in the factory automation industry and a manufacturing program manager at Magna International. This is where, through Lean Six Sigma and Statistical Process Control disciplines, he honed his analytical approach to problem solving, one that works exceptionally well in a data rich industry like ecommerce.

Tom is a licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario, holds a Bachelor of Science from University of Toronto and a Master in Business Administration from the Ivey Business School at University of Western Ontario.

Carly joined Well.ca in January 2017 as the Director of Marketing. She leads the content & community strategy, which spans blogs, videos, social media, and influencer and expert partnerships, and more. She also spearheads several other strategic projects including services, subscriptions, and brand partnerships. Last year, she redesigned and oversaw Well.ca’s Sherway Gardens pop-up store and evaluated several other bricks & mortar locations and concepts.

Prior to joining Well.ca, Carly worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company where she helped retail clients define and execute transformative strategies. She holds an MBA from Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

Jackson Lau is the Co-founder, Marketing and Technology Development Lead of Partsengine.ca. Together with high school friends Benny Lin and Garcing Chen, they founded Partsengine.ca in year 2012 and vowed to make aftermarket auto parts and accessories accessible to Canadian customers coast to coast. Jackson is a firm believer in the customers first approach in the Canadian e-commerce market. “Focus on Customers, Trust your Customers, Know your customers” is one of the company’s mottos. The traditional rigid corporate structure was abandoned during the restructuring in 2016, empowering all employees to align their focus towards customer experience that is unparalleled in the industry. With the improved innovative corporate structure along with Jackson’s leadership, Partsengine.ca is ranked 4.7 out of 5 stars on shoppers approved by 27k Users and received the coveted Consumer Choice Award for Business Excellence in both 2016 and 2017 with pride.

Kristy started her career in retail with leading cosmetics brands in the U.S. and Canada, including Clinique, Prescriptives, Stila, and Philosophy for over fifteen years. Throughout her experience in the cosmetics industry, as both a makeup artist and manager, Kristy oversaw event planning, inventory control, sales strategies, team building and training.  Relocating to Canada in 2003, Kristy shifted gears and worked in executive recruiting for a few years, but went back to sales and eventually became a VP of Marketing where she oversaw SEO, SEM, PPC, direct mail and email campaigns, lead generation, conversion, user experience and account management.  With this wide range of experience and skills she was ready to start something that would bring together her talents and be part of the sharing economy at the same time.  Along with her business partner, Rent frock Repeat came to life, allowing women all across Canada to RENT a new designer dress for a fraction of the retail cost.  Becoming an entrepreneur to a collaborative consumption business that disrupts the retail norm has taught Kristy countless new skills and lessons and gives her a chance to make an impact on women, the environment and the retail landscape. 

Cloud Software Connoisseur, Above Average Squash Player,  Enjoys debating with children under the age of 10, Recovering music snob (currently tolerating moderate doses of Ed Sheerhan)

My research focuses on the strategies and technologies firms need to win, serve, and retain customers in the age of digital business, including recurring customer and billing management solutions, the translation and localization of global websites, and the commerce service providers helping firms transform their commerce experiences. My research also analyzes consumer online shopping behavior around the globe, with a particular focus on Asia Pacific and Latin America.

I've been a featured speaker at vendor and industry events and I've contributed to leading publications and programs including CBS News, CMS Wire, CNBC, Forbes, Internet Retailer, The L.A. Times, Luxury Daily, APM's Marketplace, Retail Touchpoints, The Paypers, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and ZDNet among others.

Before joining Forrester, I worked as an advocate at an antipoverty nonprofit agency, providing case management for clients in areas such as housing, utilities, insurance, immigration, and financial literacy.

I hold a B.A. in American Cultural Studies from Bates College. I am fluent in Spanish as well as proficient in Portuguese.

Wayne Pommen is the President and CEO of PayBright, a provider of instant point-of-sale financing for Canadian consumers. Wayne also serves on the Boards of Directors of the Hudson’s Bay Company and IOU Financial. Wayne was previously a Principal at TorQuest Partners and a management consultant with Bain & Company in the U.K., U.S., and Canada. Wayne holds a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University and Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge.

Krishna has held four of the following five jobs (one is something she decided at age 7 was the ultimate dream job): wildlife rescuer, Renaissance Fair wench, comic book store clerk, lawyer, and National Geographic photographer.  Which one is the fake, and why did she choose working on eTail Canada above all else?  Feel free to reach out and ask – that, and any other questions you may have!

OrganiGram was founded in 2013 in order to provide Canadians all across the country with reliable access to high quality medical marijuana products that they can trust.

All of our products are manufactured under strict controls and in conformance with the Good Production Practices of the MMPR, as well as the security directives as defined by the Office of Controlled Substances, and are lab tested prior to packaging and sale.

I oversee all commercial aspects of the business including branding, marketing, sales strategy, customer service, partnerships and strategic alignments. 

Johnny Russo joined Mark’s, one of the largest apparel retailers in Canada, as the Associate Vice President of Digital Marketing and Ecommerce in January 2016. Previous to joining the Mark’s team, Johnny worked at Bentley Leathers Inc. and was brought on to lead their Ecommerce and Digital Marketing. He was tasked with re-launching the new, fully responsive Bentley Ecommerce experience in May 2015. Prior to Bentley, Johnny worked in similar capacities for Mexx Canada and Buffalo David Bitton, overseeing everything from digital marketing, ecommerce, social media, operations, customer service, web design, and digital analytics. 

Johnny has over 13 years of Digital Marketing and Ecommerce experience in the retail, manufacturing, mobile, and software sectors. Johnny is energetic and passionate about the Ecommerce and Digital Marketing fields, often speaking at numerous industry events, as well as sitting on the Board of Advisors for Etail Canada, National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Digital Council, Retail Council of Canada’s (RCC) Ecommerce Advisory Board, and on the Board of Directors of the Calgary Marketing Association. Johnny is obsessively trying to optimize and improve upon the online and omni-channel customer experience. He believes vendors are partners, and the IT and finance departments are friends (usually).

Recognized as a leader in the retail & Ecommerce space, Georgia Genovezos leverages her more than 20 years of marketing management experience in Telecom, Wireless & Ecommerce/Retail while forging ahead on the cutting edge of innovation.

She has held executive roles for a number of national and international companies where she developed and grew successful marketing and sales organizations, such as Fido/Rogers, Positron, Ice.com, Woozworld, Groupe Dynamite, Paysafe & Ardene.

She currently sits on the advisory board of e-Tail Canada, and is a frequent speaker at industry events. She has also been called upon to judge and offer mentorship at the John Molson School of Business (Concordia University).

Georgia is the Head of Ecommerce for Ardene where she leads the online experience for North America as well as social media and customer service.

Tara is a passionate retailer, determined to find the balance between instore and online to bring out the best experience for the customer. As Vice-President, eCommerce at The Source she is responsible for the eCommerce strategy and vision for the organization. Tara has been focused on pushing the boundaries of eCommerce in Canada, leveraging technology and innovation to build an unparalleled Omni-channel experience. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from the University of Guelph, and has been in retail for the majority of her 20 year career as a customer-centric advocate, with a focus on marketing, ecommerce and technology.

Tanbir Grover is the Vice President, eCommerce & Omnichannel for Lowe's Canada. He joined Lowe's in the summer of 2012, to lead and establish Lowes.ca as a comprehensive destination for home improvement products and inspiration. Since 2016, he has assumed responsibility for both rona.ca and renodepot.com. In that time he has worked to bring both of those banners fully transactional while also expanding the customer experience on both websites. Prior to joining Lowe's, Tanbir was the Director of eCommerce at The Hudson's Bay Company where he successfully launched the site and was instrumental in its growth and success. Tanbir has also worked for Sears Canada in managing their online business and has a diverse set of experiences through his work with Coca-Cola and Bombardier. With an Honours Degree in Commerce from McMaster University and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, Tanbir is a well-known and well respected advocate of Canada's eCommerce industry.

Richard is currently Director of E-Commerce at Browns. In this role, Richard leverages technology and marketing to reach, engage, and retain customers, consistently delivering multimillion dollar growth. Previously, Richard led North American digital strategy and e-commerce for a number of brands within L’Oréal’s Luxury Products Division. In addition to his work in the trenches, Richard is a passionate thought leader in the world of e-commerce. He has been a presenter, panelist, and moderator at several major conferences and currently sits on the advisory boards of eTail Canada and the Retail Council of Canada.