Corporate
Found 531 articles
Closing the friction gap in large-scale event management
The future of mass-attendance events hinges on eliminating the micro-failures that frustrate guests. By moving away from siloed logistics toward a single, unified digital flow, organizers are replacing scavenger hunts with seamless, predictive experiences that prioritize fluidity from the initial booking to the final post-event interaction.
Gold Star Chili Integrates PAR Technology for Unified Operations
Cincinnati-based Gold Star Chili is consolidating its digital infrastructure by adding PAR Ordering and Pay to its existing hardware, PoS, and Punchh loyalty ecosystem. The expansion aims to unify transaction data across more than 55 locations, streamlining operations for the regional chain while maintaining its long-standing focus on guest experience.
The Barcode Warehouse brings AI shelf monitoring to UK retail
UK-based integrator The Barcode Warehouse has partnered with ShopperAI to deploy computer vision across store estates, aiming to automate inventory tracking. By repurposing existing camera infrastructure, the system identifies stock gaps and planogram discrepancies in real time, moving away from traditional manual store audits.
Polytag Appoints GENIE Drinks Co-founder Alex Webster as CSO
Alex Webster, the entrepreneur behind GENIE Drinks and a veteran investor in fintech, has joined UK-based circular economy platform Polytag as Chief Strategy Officer. His move comes as the packaging industry prepares for a major shift toward digital product passports and the upcoming GS1 Sunrise 2027 standards.
Tim Waterton Appointed CEO of Feedback Tech Firm HappyOrNot
After serving as Chief Revenue Officer since 2021, Tim Waterton has been named CEO of HappyOrNot, succeeding Miika Mäkitalo. The Finnish company, known for its signature Smiley feedback terminals used by giants like Amazon and Google, is shifting its focus toward real-time operational improvement and AI-driven predictive insights.
Manna Air Delivery shifts focus to US with new Tulsa hub
After hitting regulatory roadblocks that forced a strategic pause in its Irish operations, Dublin-based Manna Air Delivery is planting its flag in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The company plans to transform the city into its primary American operational base, projecting the creation of 1,000 jobs over the next three years.
Kim Miller Joins Rithum as CMO to Drive Global Strategy
After two decades of leading digital transformation at major retailers, Kim Miller has joined commerce solutions provider Rithum as Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Global Strategy. Miller transitions to this new role following a high-profile stint as Chief Customer Officer at Saks Global.
Phil Crawford appointed Chief Technology Officer at International Dairy Queen
After a career shaping digital infrastructure at Shake Shack and CKE Restaurants, retail technology veteran Phil Crawford has joined International Dairy Queen as Executive Vice President and CTO. He now assumes responsibility for the technical operations and commerce ecosystem across the company’s global network of 7,800 restaurant locations.
Scandit Debuts Biometric Age Verification for Retail Self-Checkout
Retailers struggling with the manual bottleneck of age-restricted sales have a new, hardware-free alternative. Scandit is entering the biometrics space with an automated self-checkout solution that uses smartphone-based vision AI to verify a customer’s age in under ten seconds, eliminating the need for constant staff intervention.
Aldi USA Completes Multi-Year Digital Supply Chain Overhaul
After years of planning, Aldi USA has finalized a comprehensive digital transformation across its entire American network. Chief Operating Officer Brent Laubaugh confirmed the successful rollout of upgraded replenishment, transportation, and warehouse management systems spanning more than 2,600 retail locations and 26 distribution centers.
Shaun Perkinson joins Gymshark as Chief Technology Officer
Shaun Perkinson, the former technology head at Boden and Al Waha Travel Retail, has stepped into the role of Chief Technology Officer at Gymshark. His appointment comes as the UK-based fitness apparel brand eyes a new phase of growth while founder Ben Francis maneuvers to reclaim equity in the business.
Matthew Hully departs Farfetch after four-year tenure
After four and a half years overseeing customer retention strategies, Matthew Hully is stepping down from his role as Director of CRM & Loyalty at Farfetch. His exit follows a turbulent period for the luxury platform, marking a transition point as the company pivots toward its growth targets for 2026.
Fleek Secures $25 Million to Automate Secondhand Fashion Supply Chains
London-based startup Fleek has closed a $25 million Series B funding round to scale its AI-driven infrastructure for the global secondhand clothing trade. The investment, which brings the company’s total capital raised to £45 million, aims to digitize manual sorting processes that currently underpin the multi-billion dollar resale market.
Vikram Badhwar Appointed to Lead Starbucks Global Technology Operations
Vikram Badhwar, formerly the Director of Restaurant Technology at KFC UK & Ireland, has been appointed to oversee global technology operations at Starbucks. The move comes as the coffee giant undergoes a significant leadership shift, with Badhwar preparing to relocate to Nashville to manage regional tech teams across Asia-Pacific, EMEA, and Latin America.
Marks & Spencer Deploys Lily AI to Automate Product Data Management
Marks & Spencer has integrated the Lily AI Product Intelligence Platform to automate its digital catalog, seeking to sharpen visibility across Google shopping and organic search. The retailer aims to replace manual data entry with AI-driven attribution, ensuring that new inventory is fully optimized for discovery from the moment of launch.
XY Retail taps Vivek Veeramani to lead ecosystem expansion
Vivek Veeramani, a veteran of ThoughtWorks and GoTo Group with over 25 years in enterprise technology, has been named Vice President of Ecosystem and Delivery at XY Retail. The appointment marks a strategic push to scale the operating system specialist’s global partner network as it eyes further international growth.
The quiet expansion of Kusto Group: Building a regional industrial hub
In the sprawling industrial landscape of Kazakhstan, Yerkin Tatishev and Kusto Group are executing an expansion that eschews headlines for structural permanence. By weaving together logistics, agriculture, and manufacturing, the firm is moving beyond simple diversification to build an interconnected, self-sustaining economic system across Central Asia.
Pizza Ranch selects NCR Voyix for chain-wide POS overhaul
Midwestern restaurant chain Pizza Ranch has tapped NCR Voyix as its exclusive point-of-sale technology partner, initiating a strategic move to standardize operations across its corporate and franchisee locations. The transition centers on the deployment of Aloha Next, a microservices-based platform designed to integrate payments and in-store management tools.
Bookshop.org challenges Audible with ethical audiobook subscription
Bookshop.org is launching an audiobook subscription service to compete directly with Amazon’s Audible, offering an alternative for readers who want their digital purchases to support local high street retailers. The platform will charge £12.99 per credit, providing independent shops with a new, consistent revenue stream from the growing audio market.
Taco Bell expands voice AI to 890 drive-thrus with Omilia
Taco Bell is deepening its reliance on automation, bringing Omilia’s voice AI technology to more than 890 drive-thru locations across 38 states. The expansion signals a shift in operational strategy, moving beyond pilot programs to full-scale deployment in one of the most high-pressure environments in the quick-service restaurant industry.
EG On The Move Taps AI to Standardize UK Forecourt Experience
UK forecourt operator EG On The Move is deploying an AI-driven customer experience platform from Serve First to manage its 187 sites. The partnership aims to replace manual oversight with data-backed insights, leveraging 1,200 annual mystery shopping visits to drive service consistency across the retailer's complex multi-brand estate.
Quadient Expands Parcel Locker Rollout Across Morrisons Supermarkets
Shoppers at hundreds of Morrisons supermarkets across the UK will soon gain access to automated parcel collection and return services, as the retailer expands its partnership with Quadient. This rollout, building on a prior pilot in Morrisons Daily stores, aims to integrate logistics hubs directly into the grocery shopping journey.
Ingrid recruits Shopify’s Fraser Trivett as Chief Revenue Officer
Delivery and returns platform Ingrid has appointed former Shopify executive Fraser Trivett as its new Chief Revenue Officer. Trivett, who previously served as Head of Revenue for Northern Europe at Shopify, joins the company as it scales its efforts to transform logistics from a passive cost center into a proactive customer experience driver.
Walmart Integrates Virtual Shopping Realm into Main E-commerce Site
Walmart has transitioned its immersive virtual shopping platform, Realm, from an isolated pilot project to a fully integrated feature on its primary website. The move aims to streamline the shopping journey by blending social media-inspired aesthetic trends with direct product purchasing, starting with a curated back-to-school dorm room campaign.
REWE To Go Opens Automated Store at Berlin Central Station
With 350,000 daily commuters passing through, Berlin’s main railway station has become the latest site for a fully automated retail experiment. Lekkerland, a subsidiary of the REWE Group, has launched a 24/7 REWE To Go outlet equipped with nine self-checkout terminals to serve the city’s high-traffic transit hub.
Vinted Joins Coalition to Launch European Media Marketplace
A coalition of major European media owners, retailers, and tech firms has unveiled the European Media Marketplace, an initiative designed to unify fragmented digital advertising across the continent. By creating a single interoperable framework, the group intends to bypass closed ecosystems and streamline campaign activation across the premium open web.
Entries open for 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
The eighth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards is now accepting entries, inviting retailers and technology providers to showcase breakthroughs that define today's omnichannel landscape. The competition, which recognizes global innovation, will culminate in a ceremony held at The HAC in Central London on November 4th.
Morrisons data chief Peter Laflin steps down after seven-year tenure
After six and a half years overseeing the data and analytics division at Morrisons, Peter Laflin has announced his departure from the UK grocery retailer. The veteran executive confirmed the move via social media, citing the development of AI foundations and the MoreViu platform as key milestones during his leadership.
Retail's invisible workforce gap
Retailers have spent years instrumenting store floors with sensors, RFID, and automated shelf labels, yet they remain blind to their most vital asset: employee skills. While managers often rely on outdated spreadsheets or memory to track staff capabilities, the industry faces a growing, expensive disconnect between required competencies and verifiable talent.
Why Retail Innovation Depends on Smarter Office Design
Retailers are pouring billions into AI, automation, and frictionless checkout, yet the headquarters driving these shifts often remain stuck in the past. As digital transformation accelerates, the physical environment where teams collaborate has become the silent partner in determining whether new technology actually delivers a competitive advantage.