08 May 2026
Show 301 - Retail Technology Show Part 4 of 4 - Real‑Time Retail, Intelligent Stores & Agentic Commerce
the c-suite podcast
About
In the final episode recorded at the Retail Technology Show, and the second produced in partnership with TNS, we explore the technologies, operational models and customer‑centric strategies shaping the next era of connected retail.
Host Graham Barrett speaks with leaders from payments, grocery, beauty, fashion and retail innovation to understand how real‑time data, automation and agentic AI are transforming store operations and customer experience.
His guests were:
1/ Jon Cole, Director of Product and Technical Solutions, TNS
2/ Rob Smith, Technology Officer, East of England Co‑op
3/ Sarah Boyd, Managing Director, Sephora UK
4/ Jeannette Copeland, Board Member & Technology & Supply Chain Director, Ann Summers
5/ Simon Spencelayh, Managing Director eCommerce, Robert Dyas
6/ Mitchell Vergeer, Head of Retail, Axel Arigato
Jon Cole, Director of Product & Technical Solutions at TNS, returns to discuss why real‑time visibility across payments, devices and acquirer performance is now mission‑critical. Jon explains how TNS’ single‑pane‑of‑glass monitoring helps retailers avoid outages, protect revenue and maintain customer trust, and why agentic commerce will soon reshape how consumers shop, negotiate and transact across categories from golf clubs to airline tickets.
Rob Smith, Technology Officer at East of England Co‑op, shares how digitising the shelf edge and applying intelligent markdowns has boosted sell‑through, reduced waste and protected margin. Rob highlights how freeing colleagues from manual tasks creates more meaningful customer interactions, and why connected retail depends on accurate, real‑time data to build trust, consistency and better availability.
Sarah Boyd, Managing Director of Sephora UK, reflects on why a hyper‑local, community‑driven approach has been central to its success. Sarah discusses Sephora’s unique store openings, the balance between global brands and emerging labels, and how the business blends personalisation, social listening and human connection.
Jeannette Copeland, Board Member & Technology and Supply Chain Director at Ann Summers, explores how the retailer is moving from complexity to composability. She explains why simplifying architecture, modernising legacy systems and adopting modular platforms is essential for agility, innovation and delivering consistent omnichannel experiences.
Simon Spencelayh, Managing Diretor, ecommerce at Robert Dyas, brings a data‑science perspective, discussing how retailers can use AI‑driven decisioning to optimise availability, reduce waste and improve store execution. Simon highlights the shift from reactive processes to predictive, insight‑led retailing.
Mitchell Vergeer, Headof Retail at Axel Arigato, closes the episode with a view on the future store, from real‑time analytics and intelligent shelves to AI‑powered forecasting and agentic workflows. Mitchell outlines how retailers can build the foundations for connected retail and why the next wave of innovation will blend automation with human‑centric design.
A wide‑ranging, insight‑packed finale capturing the realities of modern retail, where resilience, transparency, personalisation and intelligent automation must all work together to deliver the connected store of the future.
Host Graham Barrett speaks with leaders from payments, grocery, beauty, fashion and retail innovation to understand how real‑time data, automation and agentic AI are transforming store operations and customer experience.
His guests were:
1/ Jon Cole, Director of Product and Technical Solutions, TNS
2/ Rob Smith, Technology Officer, East of England Co‑op
3/ Sarah Boyd, Managing Director, Sephora UK
4/ Jeannette Copeland, Board Member & Technology & Supply Chain Director, Ann Summers
5/ Simon Spencelayh, Managing Director eCommerce, Robert Dyas
6/ Mitchell Vergeer, Head of Retail, Axel Arigato
Jon Cole, Director of Product & Technical Solutions at TNS, returns to discuss why real‑time visibility across payments, devices and acquirer performance is now mission‑critical. Jon explains how TNS’ single‑pane‑of‑glass monitoring helps retailers avoid outages, protect revenue and maintain customer trust, and why agentic commerce will soon reshape how consumers shop, negotiate and transact across categories from golf clubs to airline tickets.
Rob Smith, Technology Officer at East of England Co‑op, shares how digitising the shelf edge and applying intelligent markdowns has boosted sell‑through, reduced waste and protected margin. Rob highlights how freeing colleagues from manual tasks creates more meaningful customer interactions, and why connected retail depends on accurate, real‑time data to build trust, consistency and better availability.
Sarah Boyd, Managing Director of Sephora UK, reflects on why a hyper‑local, community‑driven approach has been central to its success. Sarah discusses Sephora’s unique store openings, the balance between global brands and emerging labels, and how the business blends personalisation, social listening and human connection.
Jeannette Copeland, Board Member & Technology and Supply Chain Director at Ann Summers, explores how the retailer is moving from complexity to composability. She explains why simplifying architecture, modernising legacy systems and adopting modular platforms is essential for agility, innovation and delivering consistent omnichannel experiences.
Simon Spencelayh, Managing Diretor, ecommerce at Robert Dyas, brings a data‑science perspective, discussing how retailers can use AI‑driven decisioning to optimise availability, reduce waste and improve store execution. Simon highlights the shift from reactive processes to predictive, insight‑led retailing.
Mitchell Vergeer, Headof Retail at Axel Arigato, closes the episode with a view on the future store, from real‑time analytics and intelligent shelves to AI‑powered forecasting and agentic workflows. Mitchell outlines how retailers can build the foundations for connected retail and why the next wave of innovation will blend automation with human‑centric design.
A wide‑ranging, insight‑packed finale capturing the realities of modern retail, where resilience, transparency, personalisation and intelligent automation must all work together to deliver the connected store of the future.