2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS JUDGING PANEL

The sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards is now closed for entries.

The awards, sponsored by Vista Technology Support, Scala, CADS, 3D Cloud, Brightpearl by Sage’s Lightning 50, Retail Technology Show 2025, and Business France celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Check out our shortlisted entries here.

2024 RTIH Innovation Awards judging panel

We’re pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards, including representatives from the likes of Starbucks, Studenac market, C&C Group, Rohlik Group, Boots, Google, EY, IGD, and NBK Retail.

We have brought together a broad spectrum of independent experts, who have experience and insight into different aspects of the retail technology industry.

Nina Mimica, Chief Innovation and Digitalisation Officer, Studenac market

Bio: Nina has been a board member and Chief Innovation and Digitisation Officer at Studenac since October 2022.

She is responsible for the strategy and implementation of innovative technological solutions based on the use of advanced analytics and new products development; with the aim of improving customer satisfaction, optimising internal processes, increasing efficiency and ensuring new company growth and value.

Nina started her career in retail in Studenac as a Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications, after working for six years in marketing in the Deutsche Telekom group in Croatia and Germany. To date, she has gained over 15 years of experience in the fields of advertising, marketing and corporate communications, product development, innovation and international marketing and product strategies.

She holds an MBA degree in International business from MIB School of Management, in Trieste. Nina was awarded the Business Woman of the Year award in 2023, recognising her participation of women in the top management of a fast growing company.

She is passionate about creating and implementing strategic plans, promoting creativity and innovation that drive the transformation and growth of the company, and using technology that serves both customers and employees.

Nina Mimica, Chief Innovation and Digitalisation Officer, Studenac market

Alan Dickson, Principal Technology Partner for Retail, BT/EE

Bio: Alan is a senior technology strategy and innovation leader with over 20 year's experience in the telco industry.

He is concept owner and programme lead for EE/BT's Retail IT Refresh, delivering an SD WAN network and a full replacement of all in-store trading devices, enabling the stores to trade wirelessly.

Alan delivered UK retails first digital identity verification solution in a physical retail environment. He is passionate about making life easier using technology, and an incredibly proud dad to three teenage daughters.

Carole Kingsbury, Chief Technology Officer, C&C Group

Bio: From publishing to fashion retail, Carole has successfully delivered technology solutions and services for FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 companies. Whether working as a Technology Consultant, Business Analyst, Programme Manager, or IT Director, her approach has consistently focussed on people, process, data, and technology (in that order).

For the past 16 years of her career, Carole has been privileged to have led teams of various shapes and sizes to achieve delivery of complex business and technology change in the retail sector and has always advocated for cross-functional ways of working and thinking to encourage active collaboration and create a culture of continuous improvement, development, and innovation.

Christine Russo, Industry Analyst and Retail Influencer

Bio: Christine is an industry thought leader, Retail Technology Innovation Hub Top 100 Influencer, and the RTIH US correspondent.

She hosts the industry recognised leading podcast What Just Happened, where tech solution CEOs, leaders in retail and brands speak candidly about industry shaping issues and challenges.

With a career spanning roles in management consulting at Deloitte and executive roles in global store development, Christine’s experience includes top down analysis as well as serving time in the retail trenches. Based in New York City, she is the mom of three grown daughters and two naughty puppies.

Christine Russo, Industry Analyst and Retail Influencer

Gary Newbury, Supply Chain Advisor and Delivery Executive

Bio: Gary has established an international reputation for rapid business performance transformation and executing supply chain designs, which consistently builds market prominence, shareholder value and consumer trust.

He helps boards and business leaders to navigate ongoing disruption and reinvigorate supply chain performance across the “make-move-sell” flow of manufacturing, third party logistics, wholesaling, retailing and the last mile.

Gary has an MBA and an MSc (Supply Chain Management & Logistics) from Cranfield University, UK and is recently CCLP, CSCMP, PMP, LSSBB and Retail Management certified.

Andy Baldauf, former Product Manager Digital Services - Total Store, Migros Supermarkt

Bio: Andy is an expert in stationary and digital retail structures with over 20 years of experience.

He has held strategic management positions at renowned national corporations, international SMEs and startups. With an academic background in marketing and digital business, specialising in innovation management, he has in-depth expertise.

As a recognised top retail expert and keynote speaker, Andy shares his knowledge on a regular basis. His strategic approaches have made him a LinkedIn Top Voice, where he presents his expertise to a worldwide audience.

Matt Bradley, Director and Founder, Retail Technology Show

Bio to come.

Eugene Mischenko, Founder and President, E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Association

Bio: Eugene is a seasoned e-commerce leader and business consultant with over 20 years of success driving growth across B2B, B2B2C, and B2C sectors.

His expertise fuels omnichannel sales, marketing, and digital transformation initiatives. With a proven track record at companies like METRO, Sanofi, and L’Occitane en Provence, he brings strategic vision and a deep understanding of the e-commerce landscape.

As the President of the E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Association, he drives collaboration and oversees membership growth. Beyond his e-commerce leadership, Eugene is also a dedicated mentor, guiding the next generation of digital leaders and innovators.

Scott Thompson, Editor and Founder, Retail Technology Innovation Hub

Bio: Over the past 25 years, Scott has held senior editorial positions at and contributed to a number of business and technology related publications.

Prior to launching Retail Technology Innovation Hub, he was Editor at crypto publication Coin Rivet and Senior Editor at IBS Intelligence, heading up their monthly banking technology title, IBS Journal and daily online news service.

Scott also spent ten years at retail tech title, Retail Systems.

He launched RTIH as he believed there was a gap in the market for a source of independent retail technology news, analysis and research, written by people with a genuine passion for this fast moving sector.

Toby Pickard, Retail Futures Senior Partner, IGD

Bio: Toby has over 17 years’ experience working in the food and consumer goods industry.

He researches, analyses and presents insights on innovations, technology, retail futures, sustainability and macro trends in the FMCG sector.

Toby Pickard, Retail Futures Senior Partner, IGD

Paula Bobbett, Chief Digital Officer, Boots

Bio to come.

Nadine Neatrour, former Marketing Director, Selfridges

Bio to come.

Natalie Berg, Retail Analyst and Founder, NBK Retail

Bio: Natalie delivers valuable insights on the trends shaping the global retail sector, with a particular focus on the convergence of physical and digital commerce. She is passionate about how retailers can enhance the customer experience and has co-authored two books on retail, including Amazon: How the World’s Most Relentless Retailer Will Continue to Revolutionise Commerce.

Natalie hosts the Retail Disrupted podcast and is a regular keynote speaker on the retail conference circuit. She is an objective TV and radio commentator with frequent appearances on the BBC, Bloomberg and Sky News, and also writes a guest column for Retail Week and Forbes.

In addition to her media work, Natalie is an elected member of the KPMG Retail Think Tank where she provides quarterly insights and analysis on the health of the UK retail sector.

Natalie Berg, Retail Analyst and Founder, NBK Retail

Karanveer Anand, Technical Programme Management, Google

Bio: Karanveer is a Technical Programme Manager at Google with over nine years of work experience ranging from startups to the world's largest technology companies.

He is a leader responsible for executing large, complex technical projects with hundreds of engineers, impacting billions of people worldwide. He holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Texas, Austin. Additionally, Karanveer served as a Board of Advisor for the University of California, Irvine.

Matt Taylor, Partner at EY, Technology Strategy and Transformation Leader

Bio: Matt is a partner and the technology strategy and transformation leader at one of the Big Four. He has also been a CIO and previously led large scale complex global IT transformation, delivery and recoveries for over 20 years at Accenture.

Privileged to have led international teams and worked in Europe, US and India, Matt has experienced an incredibly valuable range of cultures and environments with some of the world's most innovative brands.

He is a fellow of the BCS (Chartered Institute for IT), elected committee member of the IT Leaders Forum, volunteer mentor, early careers advocate and proudly included in the RTIH top 100 retail technology influencers list.

Vineta Bajaj, Group CFO, Rohlik Group

Bio: Vineta is an industry expert in the e-commerce and grocery industry, bringing several years experience in this space.

She spent ten years at Ocado Group, the FTSE 50 online grocer and technology provider supporting its growth and strategic M&A, strategic divestments and fundraising over £1.5 billion. She is now the Group CFO at Rohlik Group, a Pan European online grocer spanning five countries that has unicorn status. Her experience spans the US, UK, Europe and Asia. She is a finance, tax and business expert.

Vineta acts as an angel investor and advisor to a number of pre-series to Series A startups across a variety of industries and gives her time to supporting small businesses.