Episode Details

In this Omni Talk Retail interview, recorded live from the Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit 2026 in Vienna, Chris Walton sits down with Rhiannon Thomas, Global Lead of Consumer, Retail, and Luxury at Kearney, to discuss how retail and consumer goods companies are redefining value creation in an AI-driven world as Kearney celebrates its 100th anniversary.

Rhiannon explains why traditional scale advantages are becoming less important than category expertise, how leading organizations are creating value by connecting functions across the business, and why AI success requires more than simply implementing use cases. She also shares how retailers and brands can accelerate innovation, rethink merchandising and product development processes, and prepare their operating models for a future shaped by AI.

Key Topics Covered:

• Kearney's 100-year perspective on business transformation

• Why category expertise is becoming more valuable than scale

• The changing drivers of value creation in retail and consumer goods

• How companies can unlock value through end-to-end collaboration

• The connection between product design and business performance

• Why AI leaders focus on outcomes, not just processes

• How retailers are reimagining merchandising from a blank sheet of paper

• The role of startup ecosystems in accelerating innovation

• Why faster product renovation cycles create competitive advantage

• The importance of balancing top-line growth and bottom-line efficiency

• How AI is changing retail operating models

• Why the industry must move beyond AI use cases to enterprise-wide transformation

Special thanks to the CGF Leadership Studio sponsored by Vusion for supporting Omni Talk Retail's coverage in Vienna.