Trevor leads strategy, business insight and data analytics and SHOP.CA’s continued improvement in process engineering. From site analytics, social media marketing platform design to product management, Trevor’s extensive expertise in leading large, multi-disciplinary projects ensures a corporate-wide, customer first approach to project management and budget thinking. Trevor's experience includes global enterprises such as ORACLE, EDS and GE and exponentially growing start-ups/early stage ventures including Janna Systems. Trevor's cross-functional breadth offers SHOP.CA a range of corporate and operational strategy, finance and marketing, global sales, service and investor relations. Hailing from Wilfrid Laurier University (Honours Bachelor of Business Administration Degree), Trevor has pioneered the launch of the Social Loyalty Network at SHOP.CA and has been instrumental in the company's partnership with MIT, where he has increased enterprise value through groundbreaking data analytics design.

Jamie Clarke is a Canadian adventurer, author, filmmaker, and retail entrepreneur. Jamie co-owns two adventure apparel retailers based out of Calgary, Alberta. The Out There Adventure Centre is a bricks and mortar shop on Stephen Avenue in downtown Calgary. Live Out There.com is an online outdoor apparel store that serves all of Canada online. Join Jamie as he discusses his business adventures in starting a pure play and conquering the eCommerce world….and what inspires him to be an avid entrepreneur.

Armed with a degree in industrial engineering, more than 10 years’ experience in supply chain management, and 8 years’ consulting experience, Philippe has led projects and enhanced operations in a wide range of construction and consumer goods companies. As Head of Logistics at menswear brand and e-tailer Frank & Oak, he manages strategic planning for inventory, warehousing, logistics, and order fulfillment processes.

Jennifer Steckel Elliott returns to Danier with more than 20 years' marketing strategy and communications experience. She started her career at the Gap, and has progressed with industry leaders: Ogilvy & Mather, IBM, Golf Town and Danier. Ms. Steckel Elliott has recently been providing brand management and executive consulting services to clients such as fashion icon Jeanne Beker, Olympians Heather Moyse & Martin Reader, and the technology accelerator/private equity fund Ryerson Futures. Ms. Steckel Elliott holds an MBA from the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, and undergraduate degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Rob is the Digital Transformation Director at The Selfridges Group, which includes Holt Renfrew in Canada, Brown Thomas in Ireland, de Bijenkorf in The Netherlands and Selfridges in the UK.  He has experience in strategy, M&A and business transformations within retail and CPG during his time at Wittington Investments, Sears Canada, Associated British Foods, ACCO Brands Europe and Bain & Company.  He has an MBA from Wharton and an MSc and BSc from Stanford.

Carol Deacon is the Senior Vice-President of Loyalty and Digital at Canadian Tire. As Canadian Tire creates new platforms for growth, both loyalty and digital play a significant role. Carol is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive plan for Canadian Tire to become a true omni-channel retailer, with customer insights at the heart of all internal decision-making and external communications.

Prior to her current role, Carol held merchandising and operational positions in the Automotive division with a focus on rebuilding the important Tires and Auto Service businesses. Before joining Canadian Tire, Carol was an Associate Principal with McKinsey & Company. She worked closely with Fortune 500 retailers and other consumer-facing organizations on their marketing and corporate strategies.
 
Carol holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University and an MBA from INSEAD.

Mark Holowaychuk is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for amazing customer service and personalized customer experiences. As the founder of Vitamart.ca, Canada’s Online Health Store, Mark focuses on vision, community, culture and the overall customer experience. During his teenage years Mark experienced a variety of unsuccessful business ventures, finally finding health & fitness to be a passion of his. As Mark began shopping for supplements online he found the customer experience quite poor and felt there was a lot of room for improvement. So while still in college completing his Supply Chain Management Degree, he launched Vitamart.ca out of his 500 square foot basement. Nearly a decade later the foundation of customer service and amazing customer experiences still holds true and has paved the way to make Vitamart.ca a leader in online retail and a destination for anyone looking for health and wellness products in Canada.

Enrico Del Grande has been around the block quite a few times and has had the privilege of being involved first hand in different business models within diverse corporate structures. 20 strong years in the Canadian retail industry, he’s earned recognition as a productive and highly appreciated leader focused on getting results, favouring team work while showing a strong understanding of customer behaviour and a keen brand expertise. But Enrico’s real strength lies in the support and cooperation of the people around him, whether on a personal or professional level.

David is the founder of Stolen Riches a fashion accessories brand which leveraged the digital channel to become a global company featured by key publishers like GQ, Details and The National Post and is sold by over 400 retailers around the world. Prior to starting Stolen Riches, David was building and selling companies in the digital channel.

Jan is the CEO and Co-founder of The Peacock Parade.  She is responsible for overseeing all business units, with a focus on merchandise acquisition and curation.  Prior to co-founding The Peacock Parade, Jan was an attorney for MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc., in New York City, where she managed client groups in music and television production.  Jan's entrepreneurial spirit, love for all things fashion related and passion for online shopping drove her motivation to create the discerning shoppers' answer to accessible fashion in Canada.  Jan holds a J.D., LL.B., and an Hons. B.A.   

Jennifer Ger is the Co-Owner of Foxy Originals Inc, a Toronto based jewelry design company. Founded in 1998, and proudly Canadian, Foxy is now a top selling brand in over 600 fashion boutiques and gift shops across North America, as well as  Shopper’s Drug Mart Beauty Boutiques, Indigo Books and Target Canada. Foxyoriginals.com is also one of Canada’s fastest growing online destinations for Canadian-Made jewelry.

In 2011, Jennifer was recognized in Canadian Business magazine as one of its “20 Young Women in Power.” Along with her business partner, she has also been profiled on the cover of the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business, as well as being featured in The Toronto Star, the National Post and numerous national and local publications. Jennifer has also appeared on CBC television and the Marilyn Denis show to speak to the success of Foxy Originals and her own success as an entrepreneur.

Ben Burmaster is the President and Co-Founder of Snuggle Bugz, Canada’s Baby Store. Founded in 2006, Snuggle Bugz has quickly become one of the largest and most successful baby gear retailers in Canada. Snuggle Bugz started from a vision to provide a quality baby store where new parents could feel comfortable asking questions and getting the best selection of the latest brands and accessories for their babies. Prior to Snuggle Bugz, Ben has founded several companies in many sectors including retail, software, distribution and manufacturing. Ben has a passion for start-ups, building teams and companies from the ground up and using technology as a key competitive advantage.

Fred is a Certified General Accountant with over 25 years experience in a variety of industries including manufacturing, property management, professional services, software development and retail.
 
Founded in 1999, Fred is co-owner of Golda’s Kitchen, Canada’s leading online retailer for cookware, bakeware and cake decorating products based in Mississauga. Golda’s Kitchen has been honoured by the Canadian Gift and Tableware Association as Kitchenware Retailer of the Year. 
 
In 2013, Fred received his Fellowship Designation from the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada. He was inducted into the Canadian Retail Hall of Fame by the Retail Council of Canada in 2012. In 2003 he received the CGA Ontario distinguished service award for his extensive volunteer efforts with the accounting association and the local community.   Currently Fred is a member of the Board of Directors for the MyStore Division of the Retail Council of Canada and is Chair of the Finance Committee. He is also volunteers as the Treasurer of his local Tennis club, and was elected as Treasurer of the Milton Federal Liberal Riding Association.

David Michaels works on turning michaels.ca into an amazing online store and ships happiness to Canadians. David is constantly experimenting with shipping incentives to optimize customer expectations and conversion rates for each product category and delivery zone.

David is the founder of Michaels.ca. Initially, Michaels focused on delivering cellular phones and batteries within hours of each order throughout the GTA. Michaels experienced about a 99% conversion rate based on its inbound telephone inquiries.

In 1988, David worked on mission flight planning and optimizing propeller thrust for military drones. While the FAA has blocked Amazon's ambitions, the possibility of drone delivery remains open for Michaels.ca in Canada.

Paul Sine leads a team of consumer marketers who are responsible for the development and execution of TIMEX Group Canada market strategies and tactics.  Timex is the leading brand of watches in the Canadian marketplace.  Paul has reorganized the marketing focus from mainstream classic advertising to driving digital leads and increasing conversion.  Half of the brand management team is now fully dedicated to online integrated marketing initiatives involving timex.ca and Timex’s social properties; and establishing programs that drive conversion with Timex’s retail customers and sport marketing partners.

Paul  has a BSC in Microbiology from University of Toronto and 20 years of brand marketing experience.  He is married with 3 children and enjoys playing doubles squash, maintaining a backyard ice rink, and competing in the Joe’s Team triathlon.

As Vice President Omni-Channel Marketing and Innovation for iStore, Lewise Hiltz is responsible for all Marketing and Ecommerce initiatives Worldwide. Lewise has almost 20 years experience and has worked with many fashion retailers across Canada. Today her main focus is to drive sales and ensure that iStore stay’s ahead of the curve digitally, finding innovative ways to enhance the consumer experience In-store and Online. Prior to iStore Lewise worked with some of the top fashion retailers in Canada such as Aldo and Reitmans, and developed Omni-Channel Strategies, Marketing Strategies, loyalty programs, updated POS systems, email programs, enhanced digital programs, back-end Systems, and Social Media. Currently, iStore is aggressively expanding throughout the Canadian and US Market’s with their eye on International expansion through 2016.

Jennifer Knox joined Etsy Canada as the PR + Communications Manager in March 2014. Overseeing all national campaigns geared at raising brand awareness and spreading the good word of Etsy and its vibrant community of buyers and sellers across the country both online and off. Jennifer has over a decade of PR experience working in corporate entertainment, boutique agency and not-for-profit sectors. Her most recent roles were with the Toronto International Film Festival and as the publicist for HGTV Canada and Slice Network for six years. Each September Jennifer can be seen managing the celebrities, publicists and fanatic fans on TIFF’s Princess of Wales red carpet.

As the Vice President, E-Commerce and Marketing, James is responsible for leading the marketing efforts at Roots with a focus on partnerships, loyalty, non-traditional and digital marketing. Additionally he is responsible for the company’s digital and integrated commerce programs. He joined Roots 10+ years ago and has functioned in a number of roles within the organization primarily focused in the areas of digital commerce, marketing and direct to consumer sales.
 
His role in marketing at Roots and his passion for integrating digital technologies into marketing programs have lead to Roots winning numerous awards and accolades including being nominated as a finalist for a Webby award in a category with brands like Google and Adobe. James has also spoken to audiences and industry journals worldwide on the topics of marketing, social media and online retail and recently co-authored a book published by Aspatore Books.

Craig Hudson, Vice President of Online Operations for Indigo, is responsible for the development and implementation of strategic projects that deliver revenue growth and improved end-to-end digital customer experience; and the management of the costs and productivity of Indigo’s Online and Mobile sites.  In this capacity, Craig oversees the Product Development, Customer Service, User Experience, Analytics, and Operations for the Channels.

Over his 5 years at Indigo, Craig has developed a rich omnichannel experience through collaboration across the aisle to drive the Company’s initial investment in eReading; launch a Buy Online Ship to Store offering; and advance several cost-saving Supply Chain initiatives.

Craig's strong analytics background and critical approach has been developed and cultivated through his previous work leading Indigo’s Business Intelligence and Analytics teams and also from his former life in Mergers & Acquisitions.

Elliott Tepperman is currently employed at ELTE as the Head of Ecommerce. His experiences includes the management of both big and small web teams. His expertise is a blend of the business and technical, and by weaving these two disciplines together, Elliott has had the opportunity to influence several successful website, including Rogers, Cineplex and iTravel2000, and now ELTE.

David Nagy is the Vice President of Marketing for Live Out There (LiveOutThere.com), an online retailer based in Calgary, Alberta that sells premium outdoor gear and apparel to active lifestyle enthusiasts across Canada. Live Out There’s mission is to Inspire, Guide and Enable a greater number of Canadians to experience “adventure” in the outdoors, in a way that is relative and meaningful to their own capabilities. David is one of four founding members that helped launch Live Out There from out of a coffee shop startup in late 2009, into one of Canada's fastest growing businesses, achieving triple-digit revenue growth for multiple years in succession and a spot on Profit’s HOT50 list in 2013. 

Idan Driman is the Director of Digital Marketing and Online Production at Sears Canada. With his background in strategy and experience in e-commerce and digital marketing, Idan is responsible for developing Sears Canada's digital marketing strategy, identifying & prioritizing key opportunities and leading the execution of key digital marketing programs. Idan and his team's efforts resulted in establishing Sears Canada as a digital marketing leader in the Canadian retail e-commerce landscape. He has successfully led innovative initiatives such as an advanced personalized e-mail program, the first Wishbook on Pinterest and the #mybrotherworksatsears campaign. Prior to that, Idan worked for 7 years in business strategy, leading strategic projects with internal and external work teams and guiding senior leadership on strategic issues like corporate strategy, business-unit level strategy and organizational strategy.

Alaa Hassan is Vice President at iNetVideo.com, an online multi-channel retailer of movies and videos games. People know him as an eCommerce advisor and conversion rate optimizer. With over 13+ years of eCommerce experience, he currently oversees all aspect of the business including strategy, online marketing, operations, logistics and customer service. His eCommerce passion led him to launch eCommerceHackers.com, a conversion rate optimization agency for online retailers only. His goal is to help his clients improve conversions and increase profits without having to spend more on web marketing. Learn more about him at AlaaHassan.com

Tanbir Grover is the Senior Director of eCommerce 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. 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 emerging eCommerce industry.

Richard Cohene is an accomplished consumer marketer with over 10 years’ experience in both e-commerce and brick and mortar retail, specializing in fashion and consumer goods. At Beyond the Rack he has been responsible for the Marketing department (and growing its database from 50K to 11 million members. His creative mind has allowed him to manage SEM campaigns, social media platforms, affiliate networks, retargeting campaigns, Mobile web/APP and general UX, as well as manage various large partnerships with leading companies such as, Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, Rogers Canada, Hearst Digital Media, Major Networks and ELLE. Prior to BTR, Richard was the owner of Tichco which managed platinum eBay power seller accounts and ran pop-up shops in Montreal. He is a frequent speaker at international marketing and social media forums and has been praised for his expertise and marketing strategies in these fields.

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.

As Director, eCommerce Product, Chris oversees the teams driving Four Seasons digital strategy and platforms with the goal of building the best digital experiences for Four Seasons guests and partners. Prior to joining Four Seasons, Chris worked at Big Spaceship, where he led digital strategy and user experience teams for clients including Google, General Electric, Wrigley and Microsoft. Chris holds a BComm in Information Technology Management from Ryerson University and Master of Information Studies from University of Toronto.

Josh Johnston is the Director of Customer Experience for the Western Canadian online Grocer SPUD.COM. In this role Josh works with closely with the rest of the SPUD.COM Team to ensure every customer interaction with the SPUD brand is one that customers will brag to their friends about. With over 10 years of ecommerce experience Josh has worked on a wide range of projects including the implementation of an in-store pickup service for a major Western Canadian Retailer and the creation of a custom built automated email engine. Currently, Josh is dedicated to developing an omni-channel experience that will make ordering fresh, local, and organic food stress free. From video blogs explaining how the online service works to creating a vendor network that allows customers to interact with the producers of their food, SPUD strives to ensure customers can shop for groceries online with confidence.

Josh holds a Masters Degree in History from the University of Victoria specializing in 19th Century German Philosophy. When not at work Josh enjoys reading and spending time with his family.

Glenn has 26 year diverse experience in sporting goods, apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment, consumer goods & industrial and commercial products, legislative projects, environmental initiatives and branding for a wide range of global companies. Currently developing and implementing strategies for new E-Commerce channels of distribution in the USA, Canada and Internationally, new product launches, new product categories, 3PL distribution, SEO integration, event launches, domestic and direct import supply chains, private label brand strategies and online price modelling. Key initiatives tying in Omni-channel brand connectivity with the consumer through brand stories that can be told, shared and retold. Specialties: Adding Revenue and Margin, Creative solutions, Improve Branding and Identity, High Integrity and Trusted relationships, New business creation, Brand Development, Start-up projects, Global Perspective, Eco-driven projects, Impeccable market research and analysis, Reducing costs, On-time delivery of projects.

Johnny joined Bentley in December 2014 and was brought on to lead their Ecommerce and Digital Marketing. As Director of Ecommerce and Digital Marketing, he is tasked with re-launching the new Bentley site (planned for Q2, 2015) as well as launching the Ecommerce site for Blackbook, a new high-end division of Bentley (also planned for Q2, 2015). Prior to Bentley, Johnny worked in similar capacities for Mexx Canada and Buffalo David Bitton, overseeing everything from operations, customer service, design, marketing, social media, and project management. Johnny has over 10 years of online marketing and Ecommerce experience in retail, manufacturing, mobile, and software sectors. Johnny is energetic and passionate about the e-commerce and digital marketing field, and is obsessively trying to optimize and improve upon the online and multichannel customer experience. He believes vendors are partners, and technology and the finance department are friends.

Pierre-François Tellier is passionate about eCommerce and views it as a creative outlet. Throughout his career, Pierre-François would regularly leave his comfort zone to see various facets of the IT and business world: from optimizing communications for an NGO in Bolivia to working on financial and accounting systems in the banking industry. As IT director for Altitude-sports.com, he has been tasked with overseeing and spearheading all technological initiatives, supporting all internal processes and ensuring the coherence between the company’s three interrelated websites: Altitude-sports.com, TheLastHunt.com and Altitude-blog.com and its brick and mortar stores. The business has maintained substantial growth in the last 4 years and is expected to reach its goal of becoming the leading e-tailer for high-end technical clothing in Canada by the end of 2016.

Noah joined APP Group in March 2015 and was brought on to spearhead their eCommerce department. As the eCommerce Director, Noah oversees everything from design, operations, customer service, and digital marketing. Prior to joining APP Group, Noah worked at Hybris, where he was responsible for major retailers such as Ardene, Aldo, and Roots. Noah is passionate about eCommerce and is constantly trying to improve the multi-channel customer experience, while always focusing on staying ahead of the trends.

Ammar Khan is the Canadian social media lead at the Ford Motor Company and the VP of Marketing for Diamonius.com. He has a keen interest in new trends in interactive marketing and measuring digital ROI. Ammar has worked on digital and mobile marketing strategy mandates (client side and agency side) for some of Canada's most recognizable brands including Rogers, Bell, Sears, Air Canada, Cineplex and The Canadian Royal Mint. Ammar’s focus is on making the customer story a key component of the brand story.

Neil Turner has be part of the digital marketing space since 2006. His roots are in affiliate marketing where he developed and launched performance based lead generation campaigns for companies such as Match.com and Groupon. In 2012 he began working at Canada’s Motorcycle taking on a multi-purpose role. He now leads the Marketing Department and is responsible for all marketing initiatives. Doing so, he is devoted to implementing ROI focused marketing campaigns and is excited about the new challenge of building the Brand.

Chiara Steffenini joined EQ3 Furniture in May 2011 to head up the newly created e-commerce division. EQ3.com launched in April 2012 and under Chiara’s careful watch experienced a 95% sales growth within the first year of operations. As E-commerce Manager, Chiara oversees everything, from website content and development to digital marketing, SEO, SEM, order fulfillment and customer care. Prior to joining EQ3 Furniture, Chiara held various marketing and e-commerce positions in mid to large size businesses. Chiara’s passion for the online world is evident as she diligently works to bring EQ3.com to new markets and new heights by creating a more seamless omni-channel customer experience. 

Chance is the E-Commerce Manager at Ren’s Pets Depot, Canada's largest pet supply Ecommerce presence. Ren's portfolio includes a bricks-and-clicks operation with seven retail locations, a 25,000 sq ft distribution centre, a mail-order department as well as third-party fulfilment. Before joining Ren’s, Chance worked for decision engine Sortable. Coming from an engineer-heavy world of technology startups, his main focus is to use big data, disruptive strategy and agile development to offer the very best end-to-end user experience.

He is fascinated by the unique intersections between design and business, online and offline—art and technology. You can reach him at @chancenguyen

After graduation Shem started his career as a partner in a successful email marketing startup serving global customers and the banking industry.  Having operationalized the technology Shem took an opportunity to lead HP Canada’s web team.  After about 4 years in the position Shem moved on to a project management role, rolling out various projects including the Canadian eCommerce store and retrofitting the existing Order/Supply platforms to support the direct business.  Shem then went on to spend the next 4 years leading the Canada/LA eBusiness team spanning 5 countries and growing the business to support more then100M/year of revenue.  Most recently Shem went back to consumer ecommerce to lead the HP Canada business development and digital marketing efforts for the store.

Shem holds a double honors Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Computer Science obtained from York University in 1998.  He has also been involved as a member of the industrial advisory committee in the Humber College e-Business baccalaureate program.  In addition he is a guest speaker at various universities including Ryerson and University of Guelph, discussing topics such as Electronic Commerce Tools and Entrepreneurship in Canada.

Lauren joined Roots in Spring 2014 as the Director of Omni-Channel Commerce working with the eCommerce and Marketing teams to create a seamless customer experience.

Prior to Roots, Lauren started her career in New York. After graduating from Parsons The New School for Design with a degree in Fashion Marketing, she worked with brands like Calvin Klein and Stella McCartney.  Most recently, Lauren lead the eCommerce team at Nicole Miller where she was responsible for website aesthetic, development and assortment, successfully re-launching NicoleMiller.com in 2013.

Returning to her home town of Toronto, Lauren is excited to be apart of the Roots team and contribute to their development as one of Canada's leading lifestyle brands. 

Jim Reynolds is the Director of eCommerce Product Management at Indigo Books and Music where he works with technology partners developing and executing digital strategy. With over ten years of experience in digital, Jim has helped major retailers such as Sears, Wal-Mart, and Indigo optimize their online experience. A passion for technology and the ever-changing retail environment, he lives in Toronto with his wife and daughter and can often be found hunched over his smart phone researching other smart phones.

Alexandre is currently holding the position of Supply Chain & Logistics Director at Browns Shoes. He is overseeing Browns Distribution Centre operations, e-commerce fulfillment activities as well as transportation. Previously, Alexandre worked several years as a consultant for Deloitte where he had the opportunity to work on various supply chain projects with several North American retailers. He is recognized for his strong analytical skill and overall sense of business.

Client requirements are only increasing and more and more pressure is put day after day on Supply Chain practitioners to meet these increasing standards while being asked to reduce cost. Browns Shoes had envision the future of its client and decided to invest today in order to be better position for the future – In that sense, Browns Shoes took the decision to invest drastically in its supply chain a year ago to improve its overall operations. Investments include a new state-of-the-art Distribution Center including a Sorter & Retrieval System and a new Warehouse Management System. Alexandre was given the responsibility to design, manage and implement these important changes.

Brad Davies is the Director of eBusiness at Grand & Toy, the Canadian division of Office Depot Inc. since a merger of equals in late 2013, creating one of North America’s largest online retailers. Brad has over 16 years working in traditional and B2B eCommerce. Since joining Grand & Toy in 2006 he has built and led teams through all facets of the online space from digital marketing, sales enablement, analytics, merchandising, infrastructure and development. Brad believes that success in the B2B eCommerce space comes as much from ensuring that the channel drives and is driven by the entirety of the supply chain but also by forgetting that you are B2B-centric where the customer experience is concerned. With the expanded leverage and energy the new Office Depot organization brings, Brad is looking to continue to deliver a site that differentiates, rationalizes operational efficiencies and grows sales and stickiness across all segments.

Kristen offers a unique perspective on digital marketing. She directed her studies in sociology to discover how newly emerging digital communities impact the growth of personal identity and foster group behavior.

Kicking off her professional marketing career at BroadSign International LLC, an industry leader in digital out-of-home advertising, she recognized the untapped potential in the digital world. She joined the team at Parasuco Jeans to help bring an established brand with a rich history forward into the digital age. Kristen has spearheaded a number of digital initiatives to strengthen brand identity, increase the flow of relevant traffic, gather consumer insights and foster customer retention. She is now the Digital Marketing Specialist at APP Group. 

Kristen is a major advocate in the pursuit of knowledge sharing which she implements in her digital media initiatives. In addition to lending her digital skills, Kristen works as a stylist and content developer.

From 2000 to 2009, Sean was the Co-Founder and VP of Sales & Marketing for Preferred One, one of Canada’s largest gift -marketing and distribution companies, driving annual sales in excess of $40 million annually, while also driving hundreds of millions of dollars worth of sales to Canada’s top retailers, restaurants and service providers such as Loblaws, Cara, HBC, Canadian Tire, Petro-Canada and many more. In addition, the Company raised over $5 million for non-profit and charitable groups across Canada. Furthermore, Sean helped many corporate clients launch innovative workplace giving, consumer incentive and employee engagement programs, including Volkswagen, Canada Post, Bell Canada and many more! In 2010, Sean launched Trend Trunk, www.TrendTrunk.com, which rapidly grew to become Canada’s largest peer-to-peer fashion marketplace, focusing on the ever-growing sharing economy. Since launching Trend Trunk the company has received numerous press, awards, and mentions:

Di Gallo is the Director of Social Media at Indigo Books & Music where she oversees the strategy, marketing, community, branded social channels and (visual) content for social media. Di is someone who has been in social media since when it was first coined ‘web 1.0.’ #DidIJustDateMyself. She is passionate about social media and new technology, and intrigued by the ever changing landscape and its impact on entertainment, fashion, retail, product discovery and how consumers shop. A self-confessed coffee addict who is okay with hashtags being part of everyday conversation. #TheHashtagFightsBack

Hailing from Paris, France, Frederick Lecoq leads the marketing team at Canada’s number one sporting goods retailer – FGL Sports, operating banners such as Sport Chek and Atmosphere. Frederick joined the Calgary based organization with over 12 years of strategic marketing experience, specializing in e-commerce and digital marketing, brand management, and retail strategy. Before coming to FGL Sports, Frederick held titles with several world-class organizations, including: Vice President for Global Marketing & Strategy at LG Electronics Corporation, Marketing Director at Microsoft, and Marketing Director at Nokia.

Throughout his career, Frederick has travelled the world, immersed in numerous multicultural marketing streams. He has established himself as a leader within the marketing community, offering high-level expertise in retail marketing and digital strategy, while showcasing proven results with industry-leading companies.  

A graduate of a dual university degree in business administration and marketing from HEC Bordeaux, France and Humberside University, United Kingdom, Claire Bara left France after completing her studies in 1993 to settle in Montréal, Canada.

Since the beginning of her career, Claire occupied a number of positions in commercial operation and marketing with large Canadian companies such as Sobeys Inc, Molson Coors and Quebecor. Her expertise in retail goes beyond traditional or digital marketing, having worked in merchandising, category management, pricing management, training and change management.

Claire is recognized for undertaking profound changes in companies, most particularly digital shifts. As VP of marketing at Rona since 2013, she manages traditional and digital marketing, CRM programs and Business Intelligence.

Mother of an eight-year old daughter and a five-year old son, Claire has completed four marathons.

Renee leads digital customer experience (CX) for Indigo, Canada’s largest books, entertainment and gift retailer. Her focus is on delivering against the customer’s expectation of a simple, joyful digital shopping experience. She directs Indigo’s digital experience design and usability, voice of the customer programs and A/B testing initiatives. Renee has had the honour of working with many notable brands (and their agencies) prior to joining Indigo including Aeroplan, BMO, CBC, Clairol, Crest, Delta Hotels, Foresters, Hilton, HSBC, Lavalife, Olay and others.

Darren Perlman is the Operations Manager at Jean Machine. In his role, he leads the execution of the company’s Omni-channel strategy working very closely with the buying, marketing and operations departments. Jean Machine is Canadian family owned and operated retail chain with 35 locations in Ontario as well as a very strong presence online throughout North America. Darren is a UWO Alumni and sits on the Advisory Committee for George Brown College’s Fashion Program.

Jessica Armstrong is a seasoned CPG executive specializing in the digital and ecommerce space. As Head of Digital-eCommerce for Unilever Canada, her role spans from digital marketing, catalogue, & capability building, to customer development, to new revenue streams. Working with 2 of the largest CPG companies, previously heading up eCommerce for Kimberly-Clark Canada, she has unlocked new distribution via Amazon & Well.ca, embedded a true omni-channel approach with all Brick & Mortar teams, and developed a holistic digital-eCommerce SEO strategy. At the core of this, Jessica has focused predominantly on enhancing content and building fundamental digital capabilities, including a hub to house, update, and syndicate this rich content to deliver on the increasing demands of her retailer partners & the digital shopper. Jessica sits on the GS1 Ecommerce Steering Committee and is a member of the speaker faculty for the Food & Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) & IRCE Chicago.

Kerrie is the CRM Manager for RW&CO. a division of Reitmans Canada Ltd. She started her career early in the area of CRM as a business analyst and quickly developed a passion for understanding what drives the consumer in their decision making process. She has many years of experience consulting with countless retailers in North America concerning their CRM deployments and usage. In the last 8 years she has taken a leading role in integrating a customer first mentality in one of Canada’s leading fashion companies and is fueled by integrating the latest technology to make that happen.

Neal Bouwmeester is the Senior Manager, Digital Marketing and Social Media for Nissan Canada Inc. With over 15 years of digital and CRM automotive experience spanning 4 different manufacturers, Neal has been at the ‘bleeding edge’ of deploying cross-channel digital strategies and technologies to improve purchase consideration and the automobile ownership experience. From selling the first car online from a manufacturer (Fiat500) through to the online launch of Canada’s first all-electric, zero emission car – the Nissan LEAF; Neal has always taken the opportunity to evangelize and encourage digital marketing as an important and necessary lever in the consumer purchase cycle.

Marc is a digital native who made his way through the agency and consulting world as a designer, webmaster, technical lead, user experience lead. Product manager and strategist. He gained increasing responsibility while working with a wide array of clients across industry verticals – from automotive (where he worked with Nissan, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, GM, Ford and many more) to Financial Services (Scotiabank, RBC, Sun Life, CIBC, JP Morgan Chase) to Retail and CPG (Holt Renfrew, Staples, Fila, Pepsi/Frito-Lay). Along the way, he also spent a couple of years at The Home Depot as part of the Store Leadership Program – where he learned best practices in retail operations and participated in strategic projects. Marc currently runs a lean team at Boathouse/Stance, where he has quickly implemented strategic projects to improve operations and increase ecommerce revenue. Marc lives in Hamilton with his wife and two teenage kids. He and his wife Andrea enjoy entertaining, hiking and a good book.

Recognized as an innovator in logistics and transportation solutions, Ryan J. Persad leverages 25 years of industry experience in his current role as Purolator Inc.’s Director of Purolator Logistics to tackle multifaceted logistics issues that address issues related to direct to market delivery, enhanced reversed logistics, complex warehouse fulfillment and direct to store returns, while improving customers’ ROI and environmental footprint. With advanced education in logistics, sales and leadership, as well as numerous awards, Persad is a dynamic speaker with extensive industry expertise and a global perspective.

Rachel Yokum is a Conversion Strategist for Symantec’s Trust Services and Website Security Solutions Business Unit. She is passionate about inspiring trust on the internet and helping companies win the business of their online customers. She leverages her considerable knowledge of internet security and eCommerce best practices to help companies large and small protect their websites and leverage trust to drive traffic, increase conversions, and inspire customer satisfaction.

Danielle Doiron is the Director of Parcels & E-commerce Market Development at Canada Post, the country’s leading B2C e-commerce delivery provider. With over 15 years’ experience in media, B2B marketing and business intelligence, Danielle works with the country’s largest and most innovative retailers and brands, who share her passion for responding to the evolving needs of “connected consumers”. 

Danielle has established the company’s e-commerce focused data insights & intelligence program, which provides a unique view into Canada’s rapidly growing e-commerce market and arms Canadian merchants with insights to grow their business.

Paresh Vadavia started off his affiliate marketing career in 2006 by working for a major online jewellery retailer. In 2008, after only two years of building his network, expertise, and reputation, Paresh gained enough recognition and praise from industry peers that he was bestowed LinkShare’s Golden Link Publisher’s Choice Award, for which he was nominated again in 2009. That same year, in an attempt to seize the moment and make the most of the opportunities before him, Paresh made the bold decision to start his own business and co-found OPM Pros, an affiliate management agency. Today, Paresh is a bona fide industry expert. A recent 2014 EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, he counts among his many successes two LinkShare Golden Link Agency of the Year awards, a growing roster of 80+ notable clients—including ALDO Group, 1800Flowers.com, BeyondTheRack.com, Staples Canada, Forever 21 Canada, Garage, Roots —and a thriving company of over 30 employees that is expanding globally into the UK and Australia.

Jaylone has worked in the Canadian fashion apparel industry for over a dozen years, focusing exclusively on E-commerce since 2007.

She has held key roles in launching  and re-platforming E-commerce businesses, as well as in driving E-commerce success through storefront management and online marketing.
A veteran of 10 E-commerce launches, she is currently leading the implementation of E-commerce in North America for BESTSELLER, a Danish apparel company with a wide portfolio of  fashion brands, including JACK & JONES, VERO MODA, ONLY, SELECTED, JUNAROSE, and Y.A.S.

Recognized as a leader in the retail & ECommerce spectrum, Georgia Genovezos leverages her more than 20 years of marketing management experience in Telecom, Wireless & E-commerce/Retail. She has held executive roles for a number of national and international companies where she developed and grew successful marketing and sales organizations among of which Fido/Rogers, Positron, Ice.com , Woozworld, Buffalo David Bitton & Groupe Dynamite. Georgia is the Senior Director Ecommerce for Groupe Dynamite. She leads the online world for North America. Georgia possesses extensive subscription-based marketing expertise combined with solid understanding of e-tailing and retailing. Specialties: Telecom,Electronics, ecommerce, e-tailing & retailing. Leading marketing teams in strategic vision, CRM (Loyalty & retention), branding & social media.

Rob has over thirteen years in the digital advertising space at companies across the ecosystem. He has held senior operating roles at Advertising.com, AOL (Platform-A), Weather Channel, LivePerson, was most recently Global GM of Tribal Fusion as well as SVP of Business Operations. His data driven roots were planted at Mars & Co, a boutique strategy consulting firm. Rob holds a bachelor's degree from the John Hopkins University and an MBA from University of Maryland - Robert H. Smith School of Business.

As an expert in email, mobile and social strategies, Jim brings over 15 years of experience in online marketing, managing email and cross-channel programs for top retail clients. From strategic vision to implementation, Jim has led clients to successfully meet aggressive revenue and performance goals. As Bronto's Head of Research, he regularly publishes industry-focused white papers, research reports and contributes to the Bronto Blog. His articles can be found in publications such as DM News, ClickZ, Retail Online Integration and Multichannel Merchant.

Mark Rose is the Head of National Retail for Groupon, responsible for partnership development with the largest multi-channel retailers in North America.  Before joining Groupon in 2014, Mark was SVP, Global Sales for Signal, the global leader in real-time, cross-channel marketing technology that enables marketers to synchronize data collection and targeting across channels.  Mark began his career at Tribune Company, working across its traditional and digital media brands in strategy and business development.

Chris Lord is a member of the global leadership team at HGS, a 28,000 employee business services company, specializing in providing best in class consumer interactions with enhanced customer experiences and optimized relationships. At HGS, Chris leads global functions including strategy, marketing, capabilities and solutions, analyst and advisor relationships, and sales operations. With over 25 years of experience in IT and BPO services, Chris has helped organizations achieve significantly higher performance including Wipro (Country Head), Accenture (Partner, Financial Services), and EDS (SVP Financial Services) as well as extensive management consulting and strategy roles. Chris has been an advisor to CEOs and executive leadership teams on outsourcing relationships across industries, launching new business divisions, M&A activities, marketplace assessments as well as developing and executing strategic growth initiatives. His vast insight and perspectives have been developed through deep client relationships providing strategic business services and through extensive operations in India, Philippines, Southeast Asia, UK, and throughout North America. Chris is very engaged within the customer experience and outsourcing industry and has been a frequent keynote speaker, panelist and facilitator of thought leadership outsourcing panels in the USA, Canada and India.

Jason is Chief Strategist for Commerce, focused on driving thought leadership and innovation for Akamai. He has over 16 years technical experience in eCommerce space with a track record of delivering cutting edge software and infrastructure for high volume omnichannel retailers. He is also a former Akamai customer having been a founder and CTO of Motorcycle-Superstore.com and Motorcycle-USA.com.

Marina Chernyak leads the Retail and Ecommerce verticals at Visa – Canada’s leading payment brand. Marina serves as the face of Visa to many top merchants in Canada, with responsibility for building relationships and partnerships while driving Visa’s digital agenda with the continued convergence of eCommerce and mobile technologies in Canada. Prior to her current role, Marina led the partnership marketing team at Visa including the merchant activation for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Marina also held roles in acceptance strategy and market development. Before joining Visa, Marina worked in Corporate Communications and Corporate Marketing at Bank of Montreal.

Salim Maherali serves as the Managing Director of Adobe’s Digital Marketing business for Canada. Prior to joining Adobe, Mr. Maherali was the CIO, SVP of E-Commerce and Omni-Channel at Sears Canada. He was also an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company in Toronto and a leader of McKinsey’s North American retail practice. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Masters in Development Economics from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He serves as an advisor to technology startups at MaRS and is a member of the Operations Management Committee of the Time & Knowledge Office – a global volunteer model developed by the Aga Khan.

Richard is a driven business professional with marketing and sales in his blood, and a passion for technology and growth in his heart! Richard is currently Director of E-Commerce for one of Canada’s leading fashion retailers: Browns. In this role, Richard has led the department’s structuring, staffing and replatforming to drive multimillion dollar e-commerce growth. Previously, Richard led North American digital strategy and e-commerce for a number of brands within L’Oreal’s Luxury Products Division, directing projects involving rich-media production and the creation of social media communities, and demonstrating both right-brain (branding) and left-brain (performance) marketing skills. Richard holds a M.Sc. in Marketing and a B.Com in Information Systems, both from the John Molson School of Business

Nancy is the COO and Co-founder of The Peacock Parade. She is responsible for overseeing all business units, with a focus on marketing, operational strategy and raising capital. Nancy’s marketing expertise resulted in the efficient acquisition of 50k+ members with a strong repeat customer base. Prior to co-founding The Peacock Parade, Nancy held several senior positions managing a wide range of accounts at Brand and Marketing Agencies in New York City. 

Kevin Butler is Director of Marketing at OrderDynamics. He leads the corporate and field marketing efforts for OrderDynamics’ commerce and retail order management system. Kevin is regarded as a ecommerce and retail thought leader in Canada with over 8 years of ecommerce experience under his belt, plus numerous columns featured in Canadian Retailer, Internet Retailer, Retail Touchpoints, Direct Marketing News, and more. Prior to OrderDynamics, Kevin led marketing departments for Truition (now known as Aptean), one of Canada’s original enterprise ecommerce platforms, and Sitebrand (now known as SMITH), a pioneer of web personalization technology. 

Tammy Nyman is the Vice President of Operations and Account Services at OrderDynamics. She leads the Account Services Practice, a team whose mission is to ensure OrderDynamics’ clients are maximizing revenue and profit potential of their clicks-and-bricks channels such as web, mobile, email, social, and in-store. For over 7 years, Tammy has specialized in creating effective Omni-channel retailing solutions that help retailers transform their online and offline marketing strategies into highly personal shopping experiences for their customers. Tammy has a BA in Psychology from York University and a degree in Advertising Media Sales from Humber College. Previously Tammy worked as a Media Planner at Cossette Media and in the Marketing Group at the Canadian Cancer Society.