Most people know Pandora for its iconic charms, but far fewer realize the company is the largest jewelry brand in the world by volume — producing more than 100 million pieces a year.

In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein speaks with David Walmsley, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Pandora, about how the brand is modernizing its business without losing sight of what it really sells: memory, connection and emotion. David shares how Pandora’s Program Phoenix transformation has helped turn around the business, why the company is investing heavily in digital and omnichannel infrastructure, and where AI is starting to unlock value across service, selling, forecasting and product design.

Key Takeaways

• Why the company focused first on building stronger digital channels and stabilizing store tech before chasing bigger transformation bets; 
• How Pandora is using AI in customer service today, and what the agentic future holds for the company;
• Why jewelry creates a more emotionally complex AI selling challenge than more functional categories; 
• Where AI may have the biggest long-term impact at Pandora: design, service and operational automation; 
• Why omnichannel success depends on brands — not customers — being the “glue” across digital and physical touchpoints; and
• How to avoid the tech pitfall of “platformitis.”

Related Links

• Explore Pandora’s jewelry collections and gifting experience
• Related reading: How Data and Tech Power Jewelry Brand Pandora’s Mission to ‘Give a Voice to People’s Loves’
• Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints
• Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix