Paula Macaggi sits down in New York with Renée Federico, Head of Marketing at Primark US, to explore how one of Europe’s most iconic retail brands is accelerating its growth across America. From launching Primark’s first US brand campaign to building awareness in a store-led model, Renée shares how physical retail drives loyalty, how pop-ups and brand activations fuel customer acquisition, and why listening is the foundation of great marketing. The conversation also looks ahead to one of the most anticipated retail openings, Primark’s flagship store in Manhattan in 2026, and what it takes to scale a global value fashion brand in one of the world’s most competitive markets.

Paula Macaggi sits down with Ankur Goyal, SVP of Growth at Coterie, to explore how a premium, subscription-first brand can win in one of the most competitive and emotional consumer categories: baby care. They unpack how trust is built when product, brand, and customer experience work together, why messaging matters more than channels, and how Coterie balances performance marketing with long-term brand building. From controlling customer acquisition costs and prioritizing quality over quantity, to using service and personalization to drive retention, this conversation reveals what modern DTC growth really looks like and what comes next for the brand following its recent acquisition.

Ryan Holm, Divisional VP of Retail Innovation and Operations at Helzberg Diamonds, joins me in our New York studio to explore how a 111-year-old jewelry retailer bridges heritage with cutting-edge technology. We dive into the unique world of jewelry retail, where sales associates don't just close transactions—they start lifelong relationships with customers. Ryan shares the Christie Griffin story that changed his career trajectory, how AI-powered scheduling saved managers 66% of their time, the art of finding your store "innovators" for successful tech rollouts, and why treating solution providers as actual partners earned him Retail Partner Person of the Year. From managing change across 161 stores to knowing when technology helps versus when human connection is irreplaceable, this conversation is packed with honest insights for anyone leading retail innovation or bridging headquarters with frontline teams.

Marianna Satanas, President of HANRO USA, joins me for a great interview while we wear pajamas in our New York studio. We dive into the world of luxury intimate apparel, exploring the deeply personal nature of the business and how she's driving growth in the US market. Marianna shares her remarkable streaming ads success story (12x ROI in weeks), lessons from multiple replatforming projects, the key differences between European and US luxury consumers, and why perfection doesn't exist post-launch. From managing change to knowing when to use AI versus the human touch, this conversation is full with honest insights for anyone building or scaling brands.

Westwing’s transformation is a rare example of how a digital brand can reinvent itself and return to profitable growth. Recorded in Munich, this conversation with CEO Andreas Hoerning explores how the company shifted away from the flash sales model, rebuilt its technology foundation, premiumized its design-led assortment, expanded into physical retail, and made the difficult decision to walk away from unprofitable revenue. The discussion also dives into leadership during crisis, balancing data with intuition, and Westwing’s ambition to become Europe’s leading design super brand.

In the first episode of OFFBounds Season 3, Paula Macaggi is joined by retail trend expert Jack Stratten to unpack one of the fastest-growing shifts in retail today: the rise of brand memberships. From Costco and RH to emerging fashion and beauty brands, they explore why retailers are moving beyond traditional loyalty programs and building paid, emotional, and experience-led memberships instead. The conversation covers the psychology behind belonging, the role of community and hospitality, and why memberships are becoming a powerful engine for growth, data, and long-term customer loyalty in 2026 and beyond.

OFFBounds’ 100th episode celebrates a major milestone by turning the spotlight on host Paula Macaggi, with Oliver Banks stepping in as guest host. The conversation looks back on how the show began, how it has grown, and what it took to get there, from Paula’s global journey and early nerves behind the mic to building a truly international retail podcast driven by curiosity and consistency. Paula shares honest lessons about confidence, the hard work behind producing a weekly show, and the realities of traveling the world to record in person. The episode is both reflective and celebratory, while also looking ahead with excitement at how OFFBounds will continue to challenge perspectives and explore the future of retail and innovation.

In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with Mary Beth Sheridan, just a few weeks into her role as President of Jonathan Adler, to talk about how she’s thinking about the future of the brand so early on, from craftsmanship and customer connection to growth, digital-first retail, and the role of AI as a creative tool. It’s a thoughtful conversation about leading with instinct, scaling a deeply personal brand, and evolving an iconic name without losing what makes it special.

Paula Macaggi is joined by Ometria's Hannah Stacey, Director of Strategy and Product Marketing, and Rita Martins, Retail Intelligence Team Lead, to break down what really happened during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Drawing on performance data from hundreds of retail brands, they explore why Black Friday has become a full season, which categories and customer behaviors drove growth, how marketing volume and engagement shifted, and why retention remains the biggest post Black Friday challenge. The conversation focuses on what these results mean for long term growth, brand value, and how retail leaders should think about preparing for the next peak period.

Discover the trends that defined Black Friday 2025 in Ometria’s report, featuring verticalized breakdowns and expert analysis: ometria.com/page/black-friday-2025-report-offbounds

Sherry Smith, President of Retail Media at Criteo, joins OFFBounds to unpack the rapid evolution of retail media and what brands, agencies and retailers must prepare for next. From the industry’s early days in 2008 to today’s surge of more than 200 retail media networks, Sherry explains where growth is coming from, why self-serve activation is critical, how AI and agents will reshape customer journeys, and what talent and skills will win in the next phase. This is a sharp, future-focused conversation for anyone navigating retail, ecommerce, and marketing transformation.

You can read more on what we discussed here - https://hub.criteo.com/ujoFf