Max Retail boosts leadership team with addition of e-commerce veteran Hoddi Hafsteinsson as CFO

Max Retail, a B2B platform that enables independent retailers and brands to sell excess inventory online, has announced the appointment of Hoddi Hafsteinsson as Chief Financial Officer.

Hafsteinsson played a key role in growing Moda Operandi’s revenue more than 10x. His appointment closely follows Max Retail securing a $15 million Series A funding round.

“Hoddi’s expertise in retail and marketplace strategies makes him the ideal financial leader for Max Retail,” says Melodie van der Baan, CEO and Co-founder at Max Retail. “His experience scaling global operations and driving profitability will help us strengthen our platform and support independent retailers’ growth, both online and in-store.”

During his time at Moda Operandi, Hafsteinsson raised over $250 million in growth capital and led the luxury fashion platform’s expansion into Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. He most recently served as CFO of an online furniture marketplace where he navigated the company through challenging market conditions by optimising operations and securing additional investment.

“Max Retail’s innovative approach to solving the excess inventory challenge for independent retailers truly resonates with me,” says Hafsteinsson. “Having worked extensively in the fashion e-commerce space, I understand the unique challenges these retailers face in managing inventory and maintaining profitability.”

“The company’s technology first solution creates a unique opportunity to build a sustainable, scalable business model that delivers real value to both retailers and e-commerce partners. I look forward to helping accelerate Max Retail's growth, and work with the team to expand our reach and impact by becoming an indispensable long-term partner to the retailers and ecommerce partners.”

Hafsteinsson's appointment will drive expansion into AI powered inventory management, new product lines, territories, and categories.

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Inventory management will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which will open for entries in March, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.