Let's Talk Loyalty

In this episode, Charlie Hills interviews Timothy Lange, CRM Lead at Vinted, a brand well known and loved by listeners. Tim leads the CRM team's messaging as the company transitions from a fashion resale platform to a multi-category marketplace and continues its expansion across Europe. His focus is on driving engagement, personalisation, and improving the Vinted experience for millions of members.

In this episode, listeners will learn all about Vinted, how the brand manages loyalty, and key insights and innovations to look out for.

Loyalty marketing professionals are invited to join the show every week to hear the latest ideas and insights from loyalty experts around the world.

Show Notes:

1) Timothy Lange,

2) Vinted

3) Quiet by Susan Cain (Book Recommendation)

Today’s episode is in Audio only.

In this episode, our host Nyeleti is joined by Alice Sesay Pope, a Fortune 100 executive, former Global Vice President at Amazon, and author of The Trust Algorithm, to explore why the hardest part of AI adoption isn't the technology at all—it's the trust required to use it well.

Drawing on more than two decades of leadership across Amazon, Visa, Microsoft, Capital One and USAA, Alice makes the case that transformation succeeds or fails on people, governance and judgment long before it succeeds or fails on technology. The conversation moves from how leaders diagnose which problems genuinely call for AI, to what builds a customer's confidence to engage rather than hesitate, to what effective governance and accountability actually look like once AI moves from framework to lived, high-stakes experience.

A central theme is that this wave of transformation is different from those that came before it - not because it changes how work gets done, but because it changes who, or what, is doing the thinking. Nyeleti and Alice discuss what that shift means for how people behave inside organisations, and for loyalty and CX professionals in particular, who are often influencing AI transformation rather than leading it.

This episode offers a grounded, leadership-first perspective for anyone building customer loyalty in an environment where trust, not technology, is the real currency of transformation.

Show notes:

1) Alice Sesay Pope

2) The Trust Algorithm

3) Good to Great - Jim Collins (Book Recommendation)

Tomas Warden, Group Owner of Digital Customer Success at Telstra, shares how Telstra Plus is moving beyond points and rewards to create meaningful customer experiences, drive retention and build emotional loyalty.

Discover how Telstra is using digital innovation, travel partnerships and customer-centric experiences to make loyalty a powerful strategic lever.

Hosted by Carly Neubauer

Show Notes:

1) Tomas Warden

2) Telstra

3) Telstra Plus

4) Diary of a CEO by Stephen Bartlett.

As part of our Best of the Back Catalogue, we’re revisiting a fascinating conversation with Paul Smitton, now President, International and Partnerships at Ascenda and formerly CEO of Asia Miles ( now Cathay / the Cathay Membership Programme.)

A true loyalty industry veteran, Paul shares insights from his remarkable career, from his “baptism of fire” building Air New Zealand’s first loyalty programme in 1991 to leading one of Asia’s most recognised loyalty programmes, Asia Miles.

In this episode, Paul explores the importance of customer focus and innovation, sharing his thinking on blockchain, WhatsApp and the evolution of Asia Miles’ partnerships across dining and eCommerce.

It’s a great conversation filled with practical insights, memorable stories and a powerful reminder of what it means to have a true loyalty mindset.

The episode was released in 2020.

Show Notes:

1) Paul Smitton

2) Cathay / the Cathay Membership Programme

3)#65: Paul Smitton talks Asia Miles, Innovative Ideas in Airline Loyalty and Preparing for Travel's Inevitable Rebound

Dave Canty needs minimal introduction to the world of loyalty. He is the 2026 International Loyalty Personality of the Year, and this interview we'll engage all loyalty professionals as we learn from Dave and his rich loyalty career.

With a career spanning three decades and across multiple industries of airlines, retail, hospitality, and now at Bilt Rewards, Dave shares his approach to all loyalty challenges and what has made a difference in the business he's worked in and his own personal career.

The current role he's playing at Bilt Rewards is illustrative of the courageous approach he takes in changing consumers' lives and changing the business through loyalty.

Show Notes:

1)Dave Canty

2)International Loyalty Personality of the Year,

3)Bilt Rewards

4) The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything

This episode from our Best of The Back Catalogue explores how Vodacom South Africa launched Vodabucks back in 2020, an innovative loyalty programme designed to recognise, reward and drive customer behaviour.

Jorge Mendes, Former Chief Officer, Consumer Business Unit, shares how Vodacom uses gamification, brand partnerships and global loyalty best practices to build engagement and drive profitable customer behaviour.

Mr. Mendes is now the Chief Executive Officer of Cell C and has been since July 2023.

Show Notes:

1) Vodabucks

2)Jorge Mendes - now Chief Executive Officer of Cell C South Africa

3)#63: Vodacom South Africa Launches Vodabucks

In this episode, we bring Audience Rewards President Katie Dalton to center stage. Katie leads the ongoing development and operation of Audience Rewards, while also serving as Co-Founder of The Broadway Women’s Alliance.

Audience Rewards is the only loyalty programme dedicated to Broadway and has continued to evolve into a best-in-class audience engagement platform. Founded by the primary theatre owners, the programme helps shows better understand, engage and retain theatregoers, while creating new opportunities to connect Broadway with audiences and partners in meaningful ways.

Under Katie’s leadership, Audience Rewards has expanded its role in transforming how Broadway connects with fans—leveraging loyalty, partnerships and customer insights to create deeper relationships with theatre audiences.

Hosted by Bill Hanifin

Show Notes:

1) Katie Dalton

2)Audience Rewards

3) Broadway

4) Tiny Beautiful Things (Book Recommendation)

In this Best of the Back Catalogue episode, former Yuu Rewards COO Mark Sage shares the story behind building one of Hong Kong's most successful loyalty programmes, from complex technology integrations to creating a customer experience that truly resonated.

🎧 Listen now to discover the lessons behind a standout loyalty launch.

Show Notes:

1) Yuu Rewards

2) Mark Sage

3) #61: Yuu Rewards, Hong Kong's New Coalition Programme

This episode is available in audio format on the Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast and in video format on www.Loyalty.TV.

In this episode, Nyeleti reconnects with Raghu Mahadevan, Executive Vice President, Chief Digital Officer and Chief Information Officer at 7-Eleven, five years after his first appearance on the show, to explore how one of the world's most iconic retailers is evolving its loyalty, digital, and AI strategy.

The conversation explores the growth of 7Rewards, the integration of Speedy Rewards, and how personalization is expanding across fuel, in-store, and digital experiences to create more connected customer journeys.

A key theme is that innovation is rarely a straight line. From mobile checkout and conversational AI to customer engagement and loyalty, Nyeleti and Raghu discuss why successful innovation depends on continuous testing, learning, and knowing when to pivot as customer expectations evolve.

Looking ahead to 7-Eleven's centenary, they explore what the future of convenience looks like—and how loyalty, technology, and customer insight will shape the next 100 years.

This episode offers a practical perspective on building loyalty at scale while continuously redefining convenience.

Hosted by Nyeleti Sue-Angel Nkuna.

Show Notes:

1) Raghu Mahadevan

2) 7-Eleven

3) 7Rewards

4) Proximity - Book recommendation

5)#161: 7-Eleven Shares Secrets to Success & Driving Loyalty with 7REWARDS.

In this Best of the Back Catalogue episode of Let's Talk Loyalty, we revisit a conversation with BP, one of the world's largest fuel retailers.

Olivier Martinet, who led BP's loyalty initiatives for more than 26+years, shares how the company tailors its digital platforms and loyalty strategies to different market needs while maintaining global standards. From moving beyond points to delivering mass-personalised experiences, this episode explores how BP drives meaningful customer loyalty at a global scale.

Show Notes:

1)Olivier Martinet - Former VP Global Retail Marketing, Insights & Loyalty

2) BP

3) #60: BP Discusses Driving Loyalty in Fuel & Convenience Globally