The CGT/RIS Executive Council is a forum for industry innovators and disruptors from retail and consumer goods to identify the latest technology and consumer value chain trends across channels. The network focuses on sharing insights and learnings to help drive inspiration, action, and purpose-driven leadership across the industry.
MEET THE MEMBERS
FRANK BRUNI
Target
SURABHI POKHRIYAL
Colgate-Palmolive
TONY COSTA
Bumble Bee Foods
MICHAEL FORHEZ
Oracle Industry Strategy Group
RON GILSON
Johnsonville
LIZ PAPASAKELARIOU
Publicis Sapient
JUSTIN HONAMAN
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
E.J. KENNEY
SAP
LISA MALLEUS
Colgate-Palmolive
SHUBHAM MEHRISH
Mars Inc.
RALPH NIEBLES
The Art of Shaving
REED RAINEY
Kum & Go
SUZANNE KOPCHA
Siemens Digital Industries Software
KIRK BALL
Giant Eagle
JOHN PHILLIPS
PepsiCo
BEN PIVAR
Carter's
DEREK GASKINS
Yesway
FABIO ITALIANO
Alteryx
JON HARDING
Conair
VP Digital, Mars Inc.
shubham mehrish
Shubham Mehrish oversees Mars’ global digital, data & analytics teams with responsibilities for its data lake and consumer activation infrastructure, digital integrations, AI and machine learning teams, and online marketplace technologies. Prior to Mars, he spent 20 years across financial services, technology, strategy consulting and big data startups.
Ralph Niebles has over 25 years of experience in retail IT. He is the 2016 RIS News CIO of the Year, and his vast retail knowledge in operations and technology allows him to develop tools to help expand the customer experience.
VP IT, The Art of Shaving
RALPH NIEBLES
Senior VP and Global Head
of Consumer Products, SAP
E. J. Kenney
E. J. Kenney leads the consumer products and agribusiness industry sector for SAP, where he’s responsible for strategic growth, customer satisfaction and solution portfolio development. In his 35 years of business leadership he’s developed and implemented innovative transformational strategies to drive business outcomes for global companies.
Head of C-Suite Program & Applied Innovation, Alteryx
FABIO ITALIANO
Fabio Italiano has 18+ years of experience in growth strategies, innovation, design thinking, behavioral science, applied AI, with a focus on media & entertainment. He creates high-value solutions and thought leadership by assembling multiple partners, internal resources, analytics, and technologies.
Lisa Malleus leads e-commerce transformation and digital solutions by empowering strategy activation and defining solutions for growth across pure-play and omni-retailers, and DTC and B2B e-commerce. Her key focus is unifying marketplace strategy while bridging the gap between marketing, sales, operations and technology.
Worldwide Director, Global Digital Capabilities & Solutions, Colgate-Palmolive
LISA MALLEUS
Tony Costa has over 30 years of leadership experience, from Fortune 50 to startup companies. In his current role, he’s been instrumental in creating the vision and strategy around a global corporate computing architecture focused on driving innovation, digital transformation and strategic alignment with customers.
SVP & CIO, Bumble Bee Foods
Tony Costa
Justin Honaman is head, worldwide business development, consumer products - food & beverage at AWS. He was previously VP, data, analytics and digital transformation at Georgia Pacific, and also has a background with Accenture, Teradata and Coca-Cola.
Head, Worldwide Business Development, Consumer Products - Food & Beverage, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
JUSTIN HONAMAN
Michael Forhez has nearly 30 years of diversified sales, marketing and management consulting experience. He serves as an industry evangelist, and has committed his career to engaging with various stakeholders to better understand and reflect their collective requirements.
Global Managing Director, Consumer Markets, Oracle Industry Strategy Group
Michael Forhez
Frank Bruni joined Target in 2019 and leads all supply chain capabilities for food & beverage, inclusive of the food distribution network and inventory management. He previously served as VP of supply chain and procurement at Kroger and also spent more than 10 years at FedEx.
SVP, Food and Beverage
Supply Chain, Target
Frank Bruni
Ron Gilson is a member of Johnsonville’s senior executive team with global responsibility for IT, project and portfolio management, and integrated business planning. He joined as a programmer/analyst in 1991, became coach of the enterprise applications team in 1994, and was named CIO in 1998.
VP & CIO, Johnsonville
Ron Gilson
With 20+ years’ experience, Liz Papasakelariou’s focus is on bringing CPG brands into the new era of digital transformation. She works to build relationships between client partners and the agency for best-in-class solutions, and has helped foster brands such as P&G, Edgewell, Nestle and L’Oreal.
EVP, Executive Client Partner,
Publicis Sapient
LIZ PAPASAKELARIOU
Jon Harding has worldwide responsibility for Conair Corporation’s IT and digital services in support of both day-to-day business operations and future business growth. Before joining Conair, he was divisional CIO for the U.S. Snacks Division of Kellogg Company (formerly the Keebler Company) that Kellogg’s acquired in 2001.
CIO, Conair
Jon Harding
As COO of Kum & Go, Reed Rainey is “making days better” through people, services and process. He ensures a sound organization strategy, vision and mission while seeking to understand and align the expectations of customers, shareholders, investors, leaders, employees and communities.
Chief Operating Officer, Kum & Go
REED RAINEY
Surabhi Pokhriyal is a retail and consumer goods sector leader with experience having worked with companies like Johnson & Johnson, P&G, Kimberly Clark, Estée Lauder and PepsiCo for over 15 years.
Worldwide Director, Head of Global Digital Commerce, Colgate-Palmolive
Surabhi Pokhriyal
Suzanne Kopcha is a results-driven executive with over 20 years of experience transforming innovation & supply chain operations with breakthrough technology solutions. Prior to Siemens, she spent 25 years at Procter & Gamble in a diverse set of leadership roles.
VP Consumer Products & Retail Industry, Siemens Digital Industries Software
suzanne KOpcha
Kirk Ball joined Giant Eagle in June 2020. He brings an extensive background in senior leadership technology roles, most recently as VP and CIO at The Christ Hospital Health Network. Prior to that, he was the chief technology officer and VP enterprise retail solutions at Kroger.
EVP, Chief Technology Officer, Giant Eagle
KIRK BALL
Derek Gaskins directs all marketing, merchandising and procurement efforts for the Yesway brand, and leads efforts to establish a marketing and merchandising playbook to improve the organization’s go-to-market strategy. Prior to joining Yesway, he served as chief customer officer for Rutter’s.
CMO, Yesway
DEREK GASKINS
John S. Phillips has been with PepsiCo for over 30 years and is currently responsible for working with its largest customers on supply chain and collaboration initiatives. He also leads PepsiCo’s Go-To-Market COE focused on global process and technology tools to optimize go-to-market systems.
SVP, Customer Supply Chain &
Global Go-To-Market, PepsiCo
JOHN S. PHILLIPS
Ben Pivar is responsible for creating the vision and roadmap for IT while managing project delivery, applications, security, infrastructure, desktop, BI and support at Carter’s. He has 25 years of experience in retail, consumer products, merchandising, supply chain and IT, of which 15 years have been in leadership roles.
SVP, CIO, Carter's
BEN PIVAR
STEPHEN SIGRIST
Newell Rubbermaid
ELINA VIVES
Signify
CHERYL WILLIAMS
Wakefern Food Co.
RICHARD Widdowson
SAS
GUY YEHIAV
Zebra Technologies
ETHELBERT WILLIAMS
The Boston Beer Company
As VP of customer service at Newell Brands, Steve Sigrist directs the order-to-cash execution and customer support business activities with its trade customers. He’s held a variety of roles since joining in 2001, including VP sales operations, VP supply chain global Walmart, and director of operations for key accounts.
VP Customer Service, Newell Rubbermaid
Stephen Sigrist
Ethelbert Williams leads e-commerce for The Boston Beer Company’s portfolio including Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, Dogfish Head, Truly Hard Seltzer and more. He is accountable for e-commerce go-to-market and sales strategies across channels including Walmart online grocery, Kroger, Albertsons and Amazon, among others.
Head of eCommerce, The Boston Beer Co.
ETHELBERT WILLIAMS
Guy Yehiav is responsible for setting the organic and non-organic growth, leadership strategy, and customer success for the Zebra Analytics business unit. Formerly CEO of Profitect and a 25-year veteran of the supply chain industry, Guy has held senior leadership positions at Oracle and was previously founder of Demantra.
General Manager, Zebra Analytics,
Zebra Technologies
GUY Yehiav
Richard Widdowson has 25 years of leadership in diverse multi-retail environments, including mass merchants, grocery stores, national chain drug stores and department stores. Over his career, he’s developed a portfolio of international business experience working for companies in the U.K., U.S. and Canada and overseeing operations in 14 countries.
VP, Global Retail & CPG Solutions, SAS
RICHARD WIDDOWSON
Elina Vives is responsible for driving commercial strategy, organizational design and sales and marketing at Signify’s U.S. consumer business. She previously served as VP of marketing for Samsung’s computing and wearables and home appliances divisions, and spent a significant portion of her career at Molson Coors.
VP, General Manager, Signify
ELINA VIVES
Cheryl Williams joined Wakefern 1996 as manager of retail systems and has held such roles as director of information system services, director of applications development, VP of marketing, and VP of digital commerce and innovation. She became CIO in 2016 and also serves on the executive team.
CIO, Wakefern Food Co.
CHERYL WILLIAMS
MIKE SHAPAKER
ChannelAdvisor
Mike Shapaker oversees ChannelAdvisor’s worldwide marketing initiatives, including corporate and product branding, demand generation, digital marketing, public relations, thought leadership and event management. Prior to ChannelAdvisor, he held leadership roles in product management and marketing at Nortel Networks and TheraSim.
CMO, ChannelAdvisor
MIKE SHAPAKER
ANTONIO PARRA
Grupo Bimbo
During his 25+ years’ multinational career, Antonio Parra has played significant roles in Grupo Bimbo and other global leading companies as The Coca-Cola Company, Procter & Gamble, and Royal Bank of Canada, in areas that include supply chain management, information and technology, general management, and finance.
VP Global Digital Transformation and Data & Analytics, Grupo Bimbo
Antonio Parra
VENKATESH G. RAO (VENKY)
Accenture
Venkatesh G Rao (Venky) has 23 years of experience in leading consulting and industry digital transformation programs. He’s presently CG&S Industry lead, North America MW practice and DCAL Mondelez. He has been with Accenture since 2007.
Managing Director, Consumer Goods & Services, Accenture
Venkatesh G. Rao (Venky)
PRESENTED BY
COUNCIL INSIGHT
For details on how to get involved,
contact VP/group publisher Albert Guffanti
aguffanti@ensembleIQ.com | 973-459-2824
At EY, Dave Holloman is focused on serving the firm’s global, multinational consumer goods clients. His 25+ year consulting tenure includes leadership roles across the transformation lifecycle, including transformation strategy, process reengineering, operational restructuring, change leadership and digital.
Senior Account Partner, Consumer Products, Ernst & Young (EY)
DAVE HOLLOMAN
DAVE HOLLOMAN
Ernst & Young (EY)
PRESENTED BY
The CGT/RIS Executive Council is a forum for industry innovators and disruptors from retail and consumer goods to identify the latest technology and consumer value chain trends across channels. The network focuses on sharing insights and learnings to help drive inspiration, action, and purpose-driven leadership across the industry.
MEET THE MEMBERS
COUNCIL INSIGHT
For details on how to get involved, contact VP/group publisher
Albert Guffanti
aguffanti@ensembleIQ.com
973-459-2824
DAVE HOLLOMAN
Ernst & Young (EY)
JUSTIN HONAMAN
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
VENKATESH G. RAO (VENKY)
Accenture
TONY COSTA
Bumble Bee Foods
MICHAEL FORHEZ
Oracle Industry Strategy Group
RON GILSON
Johnsonville
JOHN HARDING
Conair
SURABHI POKHRIYAL
Colgate-Palmolive
FRANK BRUNI
Target
E.J. KENNEY
SAP
LISA MALLEUS
Colgate-Palmolive
SHUBHAM MEHRISH
Mars Inc.
SUZANNE KOPCHA
Siemens Digital Industries Software
FABIO ITALIANO
Alteryx
JUSTIN HONAMAN
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
RICHARD Widdowson
SAS
RALPH NIEBLES
The Art of Shaving
REED RAINEY
Kum & Go
STEPHEN SIGRIST
Newell Rubbermaid
ELINA VIVES
Signify
KIRK BALL
Giant Eagle
DEREK GASKINS
Yesway
BEN PIVAR
Carter's
GUY YEHIAV
Zebra Technologies
JOHN PHILLIPS
PepsiCo
CHERYL WILLIAMS
Wakefern Food Co.
MIKE SHAPAKER
ChannelAdvisor
ANTONIO PARRA
Grupo Bimbo
LIZ PAPASAKELARIOU
Publicis Sapient
ETHELBERT WILLIAMS
The Boston Beer Company
VP Digital, Mars Inc.
shubham mehrish
Shubham Mehrish oversees Mars’ global digital, data & analytics teams with responsibilities for its data lake and consumer activation infrastructure, digital integrations, AI and machine learning teams, and online marketplace technologies. Prior to Mars, he spent 20 years across financial services, technology, strategy consulting and big data startups.
Ralph Niebles has over 25 years of experience in retail IT. He is the 2016 RIS News CIO of the Year, and his vast retail knowledge in operations and technology allows him to develop tools to help expand the customer experience.
VP IT, The Art of Shaving
RALPH NIEBLES
Senior VP and Global Head
of Consumer Products, SAP
E. J. Kenney
E. J. Kenney leads the consumer products and agribusiness industry sector for SAP, where he’s responsible for strategic growth, customer satisfaction and solution portfolio development. In his 35 years of business leadership he’s developed and implemented innovative transformational strategies to drive business outcomes for global companies.
Lisa Malleus leads e-commerce transformation and digital solutions by empowering strategy activation and defining solutions for growth across pure-play and omni-retailers, and DTC and B2B e-commerce. Her key focus is unifying marketplace strategy while bridging the gap between marketing, sales, operations and technology.
Worldwide Director, Global Digital Capabilities & Solutions, Colgate-Palmolive
LISA MALLEUS
Tony Costa has over 30 years of leadership experience, from Fortune 50 to startup companies. In his current role, he’s been instrumental in creating the vision and strategy around a global corporate computing architecture focused on driving innovation, digital transformation and strategic alignment with customers.
SVP & CIO, Bumble Bee Foods
Tony Costa
Michael Forhez has nearly 30 years of diversified sales, marketing and management consulting experience. He serves as an industry evangelist, and has committed his career to engaging with various stakeholders to better understand and reflect their collective requirements.
Global Managing Director, Consumer Markets, Oracle Industry Strategy Group
Michael Forhez
Ron Gilson is a member of Johnsonville’s senior executive team with global responsibility for IT, project and portfolio management, and integrated business planning. He joined as a programmer/analyst in 1991, became coach of the enterprise applications team in 1994, and was named CIO in 1998.
VP & CIO, Johnsonville
Ron Gilson
Jon Harding has worldwide responsibility for Conair Corporation’s IT and digital services in support of both day-to-day business operations and future business growth. Before joining Conair, he was divisional CIO for the U.S. Snacks Division of Kellogg Company (formerly the Keebler Company) that Kellogg’s acquired in 2001.
CIO, Conair
JOHN HARDING
As COO of Kum & Go, Reed Rainey is “making days better” through people, services and process. He ensures a sound organization strategy, vision and mission while seeking to understand and align the expectations of customers, shareholders, investors, leaders, employees and communities.
Chief Operating Officer, Kum & Go
REED RAINEY
As VP of customer service at Newell Brands, Steve Sigrist directs the order-to-cash execution and customer support business activities with its trade customers. He’s held a variety of roles since joining in 2001, including VP sales operations, VP supply chain global Walmart, and director of operations for key accounts.
VP Customer Service, Newell Rubbermaid
Stephen Sigrist
Elina Vives is responsible for driving commercial strategy, organizational design and sales and marketing at Signify’s U.S. consumer business. She previously served as VP of marketing for Samsung’s computing and wearables and home appliances divisions, and spent a significant portion of her career at Molson Coors.
VP, General Manager, Signify
ELINA VIVES
Cheryl Williams joined Wakefern 1996 as manager of retail systems and has held such roles as director of information system services, director of applications development, VP of marketing, and VP of digital commerce and innovation. She became CIO in 2016 and also serves on the executive team.
CIO, Wakefern Food Co.
CHERYL WILLIAMS
Richard Widdowson has 25 years of leadership in diverse multi-retail environments, including mass merchants, grocery stores, national chain drug stores and department stores. Over his career, he’s developed a portfolio of international business experience working for companies in the U.K., U.S. and Canada and overseeing operations in 14 countries.
VP, Global Retail & CPG Solutions, SAS
RICHARD WIDDOWSON
Suzanne Kopcha is a results-driven executive with over 20 years of experience transforming innovation & supply chain operations with breakthrough technology solutions. Prior to Siemens, she spent 25 years at Procter & Gamble in a diverse set of leadership roles.
VP Consumer Products & Retail Industry, Siemens Digital Industries Software
suzanne KOpcha
Ethelbert Williams leads e-commerce for The Boston Beer Company’s portfolio including Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, Dogfish Head, Truly Hard Seltzer and more. He is accountable for e-commerce go-to-market and sales strategies across channels including Walmart online grocery, Kroger, Albertsons and Amazon, among others.
Head of eCommerce, The Boston Beer Co.
ETHELBERT WILLIAMS
Frank Bruni joined Target in 2019 and leads all supply chain capabilities for food & beverage, inclusive of the food distribution network and inventory management. He previously served as VP of supply chain and procurement at Kroger and also spent more than 10 years at FedEx.
SVP, Food and Beverage
Supply Chain, Target
FRANK BRUNI
Justin Honaman is head, worldwide business development, consumer products - food & beverage at AWS. He was previously VP, data, analytics and digital transformation at Georgia Pacific, and also has a background with Accenture, Teradata and Coca-Cola.
Head, Worldwide Business Development, Consumer Products - Food & Beverage, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
JUSTIN HONAMAN
Surabhi Pokhriyal is a retail and consumer goods sector leader with experience having worked with companies like Johnson & Johnson, P&G, Kimberly Clark, Estée Lauder and PepsiCo for over 15 years.
Worldwide Director, Head of Global Digital Commerce, Colgate-Palmolive
Surabhi Pokhriyal
Kirk Ball joined Giant Eagle in June 2020. He brings an extensive background in senior leadership technology roles, most recently as VP and CIO at The Christ Hospital Health Network. Prior to that, he was the chief technology officer and VP enterprise retail solutions at Kroger.
EVP, Chief Technology Officer, Giant Eagle
KIRK BALL
Derek Gaskins directs all marketing, merchandising and procurement efforts for the Yesway brand, and leads efforts to establish a marketing and merchandising playbook to improve the organization’s go-to-market strategy. Prior to joining Yesway, he served as chief customer officer for Rutter’s.
CMO, Yesway
DEREK GASKINS
Ben Pivar is responsible for creating the vision and roadmap for IT while managing project delivery, applications, security, infrastructure, desktop, BI and support at Carter’s. He has 25 years of experience in retail, consumer products, merchandising, supply chain and IT, of which 15 years have been in leadership roles.
SVP, CIO, Carter's
BEN PIVAR
Guy Yehiav is responsible for setting the organic and non-organic growth, leadership strategy, and customer success for the Zebra Analytics business unit. Formerly CEO of Profitect and a 25-year veteran of the supply chain industry, Guy has held senior leadership positions at Oracle and was previously founder of Demantra.
General Manager, Zebra Analytics,
Zebra Technologies
GUY YEHIAV
Head of C-Suite Program & Applied Innovation, Alteryx
FABIO ITALIANO
Fabio Italiano has 18+ years of experience in growth strategies, innovation, design thinking, behavioral science, applied AI, with a focus on media & entertainment. He creates high-value solutions and thought leadership by assembling multiple partners, internal resources, analytics, and technologies.
EVP, Executive Client Partner,
Publicis Sapient
LIZ Papasakelariou
With 20+ years’ experience, Liz Papasakelariou’s focus is on bringing CPG brands into the new era of digital transformation. She works to build relationships between client partners and the agency for best-in-class solutions, and has helped foster brands such as P&G, Edgewell, Nestle and L’Oreal.
John S. Phillips has been with PepsiCo for over 30 years and is currently responsible for working with its largest customers on supply chain and collaboration initiatives. He also leads PepsiCo’s Go-To-Market COE focused on global process and technology tools to optimize go-to-market systems.
SVP, Customer Supply Chain &
Global Go-To-Market, PepsiCo
JOHN S. PHILLIPS
During his 25+ years’ multinational career, Antonio Parra has played significant roles in Grupo Bimbo and other global leading companies as The Coca-Cola Company, Procter & Gamble, and Royal Bank of Canada, in areas that include supply chain management, information and technology, general management, and finance.
VP Global Digital Transformation and Data & Analytics, Grupo Bimbo
ANTONIO PARRA
Mike Shapaker oversees ChannelAdvisor’s worldwide marketing initiatives, including corporate and product branding, demand generation, digital marketing, public relations, thought leadership and event management. Prior to ChannelAdvisor, he held leadership roles in product management and marketing at Nortel Networks and TheraSim.
CMO, ChannelAdvisor
MIKE SHAPAKER
Venkatesh G Rao (Venky) has 23 years of experience in leading consulting and industry digital transformation programs. He’s presently CG&S Industry lead, North America MW practice and DCAL Mondelez. He has been with Accenture since 2007.
Managing Director, Consumer Goods & Services, Accenture
Venkatesh G. Rao (Venky)
At EY, Dave Holloman is focused on serving the firm’s global, multinational consumer goods clients. His 25+ year consulting tenure includes leadership roles across the transformation lifecycle, including transformation strategy, process reengineering, operational restructuring, change leadership and digital.
Senior Account Partner, Consumer Products, Ernst & Young (EY)
DAVE HOLLOMAN