Marcus Bittrich takes on COO role at WAIR as autonomous firm rethinks supply chain for lifestyle space

Marcus Bittrich has taken on the role of Chief Operating Officer at WAIR, a specialist in autonomous digital employees for inventory management in the lifestyle industry.

He was previously Chief Product Officer at NewStore.

In a LinkedIn post, Bittrich said: "Earlier this year, I made the decision to leave NewStore - cheering from the sidelines now, with deep appreciation for everything we built and the people I had the chance to work with. WAIR is on a mission to rethink the supply chain for the lifestyle industry - and there are a few reasons I’m genuinely intrigued."

He added: "We’re AI native with our own in-house research team, not just applying AI off the shelf but working to reinvent how forecasting is done - faster, smarter, and closer to reality.

The industry is facing serious pressure and complexity, Bittrich noted. Global trade is getting more complex, with increasing restrictions and uncertainty. Growth in developed markets is stagnating, and consumers’ share of wallet isn’t increasing. Meanwhile, ultra-afst players like Shein and Temu are reshaping expectations and supply chain speed.

And at the same time, companies are facing massive sustainability challenges - CO₂ emissions, overproduction, and landfills full of unsold inventory. All of this puts mounting pressure on margins, inventory accuracy, and overall resilience.

Bittrich said: "It’s a fantastic time for change. And what makes WAIR even more unique? We have a one of a kind setup: thanks to Mitch van Deursen, who’s both the CEO and the owner of Shoeby and WAIR, we can test our product directly in the real world - fast, sharp, and close to the customer. If you’re in lifestyle, retail, or supply chain - or just curious where things are headed - let’s connect. There’s work to do."

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Supply chain technology will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which are now open for entries, 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.