Holland & Barrett CFO Vineta Bajaj shares three big retail truths at Q-commerce Delivered event

Being customer obsessed starts with being customer curious. Even if that means downloading TikTok Shop. So says Vineta Bajaj, Group CFO at Holland & Barrett.

Bajaj was one of the speakers at Snappy Shopper’s recent Q-commerce Delivered 2025 event.

In a LinkedIn post, she said: If you want to be customer obsessed, you can’t proudly say you’ve never used TikTok Shop…That was me calling out Barry McGonagle (CFO at Snappy Shopper). Because customer obsession means shopping where your customers shop, not just where you like to shop.”

She added: “This is mainly to understand the mindset of your customer in their constant stream of shopping moments (which ultimately helps you best understand their needs).”

Bajaj shared three big truths at Q-commerce Delivered 2025:

👉 Shopping isn’t a weekly chore anymore, it’s a constant stream of moments.
👉 Five generations with real spending power are shopping in totally different ways and on different platforms.
👉 Retention is the new growth, the winners are the ones who keep customers coming back (it's also cheaper for a company’s P&L).

Holland & Barrett

Bajaj took on the role of Group CFO this month, replacing Nick Allen who is leaving the retailer to pursue other opportunities.

She previously held the same position at Rohlik Group. a European online grocer spanning five countries that has unicorn status.

She also 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.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Holland & Barrett at such an exciting moment in its journey,” she said.

“As the business accelerates its transformation to become a global, digital first wellness leader, I look forward to bringing my experience in omnichannel retail, e-commerce and AI and technology led growth to support its bold ambitions. It’s a fantastic brand with a powerful purpose in a sector that’s only growing in relevance and impact.”

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Q-commerce will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which are now closed for entries with our finalists and shortlists being announced this week, 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.