Lara Skripitsky exits Golden Arches and joins Empire Company as Chief Technology and Transformation Officer
Canadian retailer Empire Company has appointed Lara Skripitsky as Chief Technology and Transformation Officer. She joins from McDonald's where she spent the past 11 years, holding various roles during that time, including Vice President, Chief Technology & Operations Support Officer. She spent most of that time in Canada, but for the last three years has been based in Switzerland.
In a LinkedIn post, she said: "After 11 unforgettable years, I’ve said goodbye to McDonald’s and the Golden Arches. Empire is one of Canada’s largest food retailers, home to a family of banners that includes Sobeys, Safeway, Farm Boy, Longo’s, IGA, FreshCo and Foodland."
"I leave McDonald’s with enormous gratitude. I worked with exceptional people, took on challenges that shaped me as a leader, and built friendships that will last well beyond my time there. Closing out that journey in Switzerland, living and working abroad with my family, was a privilege and a fitting way to finish."
She added: "What drew me to Empire is the ambition. Deep Canadian roots, strong momentum, and a mandate to lead technology and transformation at real scale, shaping how they serve their stores, teammates and customers. I’m looking forward to working with Pierre St-Laurent (President and CEO) and the Empire team, and to learning from and alongside a talented group of leaders. This move also brings our family home to Canada, which makes it all the more meaningful. Grateful for everything that got me here, and excited to get to work."
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Transformation initiatives will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and 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 Wednesday, 4th November.
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.
