The Retail Alchemists

In this conversation, Pim Vijftigschild, CCO of New Black, opens the door to a different way of thinking about retail tech, where the real challenge isn’t the platform, but the people leading the change. We all know the frustration of tangled legacy stacks: bloated and slow to adapt. But how do we break free from it? How do we build something lighter, faster, and ready for the next shift in customer expectations? New Black’s answer: one version of the platform, no custom builds, and real-time deployment cycles that keep pace with the business. We talk why leadership alignment is the ultimate accelerant. We talk the leap from unified and contextual commerce. We talk how to put the power of the store in an associate’s pocket. To bring in crystal clarity for the audience, every episode of The Retail Alchemists comes with a Recipe: a concise, actionable piece of how-to for visionary retail leaders. Subscribe here to access them: ⁠https://www.theretailalchemists.com

In this episode, Stuart Frelick, former Head of Retail Product at Dyson, takes us inside one of the most ambitious shifts in modern retail.    We’ve all seen it: systems that don’t talk, receipts you can’t email, store teams stuck in the past while customers live in the future. So what does it take to march beyond the broken basics and build toward a connected, contextual future?  Design for your customer, not your channel. That was the Dyson answer. We talk foundations. We talk the balance between speed and perfection. We talk intelligent embedded in stores. Disclaimer: This episode features Stuart speaking from his own experience and perspective, not on behalf of Dyson.   To bring crystal clarity for our audience, every episode of The Retail Alchemists comes with a Recipe: a concise, actionable piece of how-to for visionary retail leaders. Subscribe here to access them: ⁠https://www.theretailalchemists.com

In this conversation, Kaveh Vahabi, former CIO of KIKO Milano, brings us into a deep dive on the brand's evolution to unified commerce. We all know the pain of living with a patched-up legacy system, a “Frankenstack.” But how do we move forward from it? How do we avoid the slow and painful death by a thousand cuts and become adaptive to change? KIKO presented a bold answer: 66 countries, 990 stores, 6,500 associates. All transformed in just 14 months. We talk the management perspective. We talk the ready-go mindset. We talk how management can be the guidance.   To bring in crystal clarity for the audience, every episode of The Retail Alchemists comes with a Recipe: a concise, actionable piece of how-to for visionary retail leaders. Subscribe here to access them: ⁠https://www.theretailalchemists.com

In this conversation, Marty Dempsey, a retail leader, global operator, and former head of physical retail at Estée Lauder, breaks down how to scale consumer experience across 25 brands, 150 countries, 1,500 standalone stores, and over 5,000 counters. From AI-powered personalization and clienteling to tech modularity and in-store simplicity, Marty shares how to build systems that serve both the associate and the customer. For retail leaders achieving global growth, this is a sharp take on how to stay customer-obsessed while managing complexity at scale.   To bring in crystal clarity for the audience, every episode of The Retail Alchemists comes with a Recipe — a concise, actionable piece of how-to for visionary retail leaders. Subscribe here to access them: ⁠https://www.theretailalchemists.com

In this conversation, Hugo Hanselman, an entrepreneur, advisor, and former global digital lead at AB InBev, breaks down how tech-enabled personalization, loyalty, and retail media are reshaping the global retail playbook. We dive into Hugo’s insight on data integration, AI-powered dashboards, community driven customer engagement, and the real potential of Web3 in loyalty programs. For retail leaders eager to adapt to the latest changes in technology, this is a sharp look at where innovation meets execution.   To bring in crystal clarity for the audience, every episode of The Retail Alchemists comes with a Recipe — a concise, actionable piece of how-to for visionary retail leaders. Subscribe here to access them: ⁠https://www.theretailalchemists.com

In this conversation, Norrøna’s Bård Kvamme unpacks how a nearly century-old outdoor brand is scaling global retail through long-view strategies. We explore Norrøna’s operational blueprint: from unified commerce and omnichannel strategy to retail innovation, loyalty-driven data use, and supply chain-integrated sustainability. For retail leaders building lasting brands, this is a quiet masterclass in doing more with intention.   To bring in crystal clarity for the audience, every episode of The Retail Alchemists comes with a Recipe — concise, actionable piece of how-to for visionary retail leaders. Subscribe here to access them: ⁠https://www.theretailalchemists.com