Holland & Barrett CFO Vineta Bajaj added to Retail Technology Show 2026 advisory board

Vineta Bajaj, Group CFO at Holland & Barrett, is joining the advisory board for Retail Technology Show 2026, a two day exhibition/conference that takes place in London during April.

In a LinkedIn post, she said: “Retail is being reshaped by automation, AI, data and disciplined execution. The conversation needs to move beyond hype and into practical, scalable transformation. As Group CFO at Holland & Barrett, and currently overseeing our end-to-end supply chain and distribution centres, I see retail from the engine room. Not just the front end.”

She added: “My focus in retail right now is: Technology must drive commercial outcomes. There’s a lot of noise around AI. Fewer examples of measurable value beyond the sales pitch; The role of the store is evolving. Technology should enhance the customer experience, not distract from it or overcomplicate it; Data is powerful. But without clarity of decision rights and priorities, it quickly turns into analysis paralysis.”

“Retail doesn’t need more hype. It needs sharper execution, better economics and tech that actually improves how we serve customers, and you'll hear a lot about that when our Group CEO takes to the stage with the amazing Kate Hardcastle to discuss just that. Looking forward to listening to the shaped conversation at RTS 2026.”

Further details on the advisory board and other members here.

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Bajaj will also be part of the judging panel at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards will open for entries in March. They celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Thursday, 15th October.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.