Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NvGIGU_zEk8

Alina Nickolson is the CEO of Europe Licensed & Commercial Markets at Suntory Beverage & Food. In this episode, recorded live at their offices in Amsterdam, she shares her unconventional journey from scientist and forklift driver to FMCG executive, discusses how great leaders balance performance and transformation, and explains why careers are more like a subway than a ladder. The conversation also explores coaching, diversity, AI, and the leadership lessons she's learned managing teams and businesses across Europe.

Tune in to hear about:

• From biochemistry and logistics to leading some of the biggest FMCG businesses in Europe.
• Why leadership requires both decisiveness and vulnerability—and knowing when to use each.
• The mindset behind building high-performing teams through coaching, empowerment, and trust.
• How FMCG companies can navigate transformation, changing consumer expectations, and the rise of AI.
• Lessons on career growth, work-life balance, and why careers are "more like a subway than a ladder."

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/

Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Rob Manhoudt is Procter & Gamble's VP Digital Commerce Europe. With the highly anticipated Shoptalk Europe just around the corner (Barcelona, June 9-11), we are bringing one of their top speakers to the show to go over his unique point of view on Digital Commerce, Brands and, to an extent, the future of FMCG.

Tune in to hear about:

• Why after a career in Sales and General Management, he decided to move into eCommerce
• The transition from eCommerce to a more holistic and impactful "Digital Commerce"
• How the funnel has collapsed, silos have come down and eCom Leadership needs to think of the company as a whole
• The merge between Consumers and Shoppers
• Retail Media and the next steps to become a top pillar of the Media Mix
• NPD and Consumer Adoption in an increasingly Digitally-Driven world

More about Shoptalk Europe

• Homepage: https://europe.shoptalk.com/home
• Agenda: https://europe.shoptalk.com/agendas/2026-agenda
• Speakers: https://europe.shoptalk.com/speaker-list

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/

Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_bHAy84bB3A

In this special episode, The FMCG Guys partner with LEAD Network Europe for a candid conversation with FrieslandCampina's Frouke Hakstege on one of the most important challenges facing Consumer Goods today: advancing more women into executive leadership positions. Frouke is the Dutch Dairy Leaders Global Commerce Director and Co-Chair at LEAD's Sales Chapter.

Recorded at FrieslandCampina's offices in Amersfoort, the episode explores the realities of leadership, career progression, family life, international moves, and what companies can do to create more inclusive paths to senior leadership.

Tune in to hear about:

• Why female representation at executive level remains a challenge across FMCG and Retail
• The difference between mentorship and sponsorship — and why both matter
• Leading a global career while balancing family life and raising 4 children
• How companies can create cultures where women can thrive long-term
• The role of visibility, advocacy, and leadership support in career progression
• Practical ways the industry can move from conversations to measurable action

Relevant Links

1. Lead Network Website: Women in Retail and CPG Network & Leadership Programmes | LEAD Network
2. Lead Network Sales Chapter Page: Sales Chapter | LEAD Network (If people register they can download the Sales Career Roadmap under "Chapter Content Library")
3. Sales Chapter LinkedIn Page: (17) LEAD Network Sales Chapter: Overview | LinkedIn

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/

Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Patricia Amaro from Mars returns to The FMCG Guys, after previously joining the podcast to discuss eB2B transformation (listen here), this time to explore why Responsible AI is becoming one of the most important topics in business. From enterprise AI adoption and regulation to hallucinations, data privacy, and governance, the conversation looks at how companies can embrace AI's potential while building the right guardrails for the future.

• How AI can help companies accelerate innovation, efficiency, and growth
• Why Responsible AI is about enabling innovation — not slowing it down
• Practical ways companies can create guardrails while still moving fast
• The importance of AI literacy, training, and responsible adoption across teams
• How businesses can balance data privacy, governance, and experimentation
• Why the future belongs to companies that combine bold innovation with long-term trust

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/

Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-Im35OklDTI

Francisco "Paco" Camacho is the Chief Executive Officer at Grupo Lala, Mexico's leader in Dairy. We visited him at their Mexico City Office to speak about how, after a long career in global companies, he's back in his native Mexico to lead a company that's an institution. Topics covered: - Grupo Lala's footprint - The Mexican Consumer Goods and Grocery Markets - Making a Consumer Brand relevant to the current consumer - Change management and cultural transformation - Adjusting to food trends

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/

Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Yves Briantais is the Chief Marketing Officer at Beer Leader Carlsberg. Someone with a unique point of view of marketing and the state of the alcohol category, he joins Christina and Daniel to share how after a long stint at Colgate-Palmolive, he's re-discovered himself to be successful at the Danish icon. Tune in to hear about:

• Moving to Carlsberg after nearly two decades at Colgate
• What Marketing should be like
• The alcohol category, what's the gap when connecting with consumers
• Liverpool FC and sports sponsorships

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/

Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cD1ge-XvcxY

Lee Kum Kee is the company that first commercialized the world-renowned Oyster Sauce back in 1888. Today, it's a world leading condiments and sauces business. Our guest, Maria Chong, leads the business in Europe and we sat down with her at their London Office to discover how they've grown and what their plans are in the coming years. You'll be delighted!

Tune in to hear about:

• The background of this historical company
• How they've developed in Europe since she stepped in as MD in 2012
• Demographic and cultural shifts in the Old Continent
• The importance of cultivating relationships with chefs to develop new flavours

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/

Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/P4MZ7Wofuoo

Boris Rütten (Global Head of eCommerce at Henkel, who visited us 2023) and Salim Bachatene (SVP eCommerce Sales at NIQ) join us to tackle one of the most critical, and often overlooked, topics in modern commerce: Data.

For years, eCommerce teams have focused on growth levers without fully addressing the complexity of bringing data together. But as AI and advanced analytics take center stage, the reality is clear: without strong data foundations, there is no meaningful insight and no scalable impact. In this podcast we explore how brands can connect online and offline data, establish the right governance, and turn fragmented inputs into actionable, cross-functional decisions.

Topics covered:

• Why data has traditionally been ignored in eCommerce—and why that's changing fast
• The three essential layers of commerce data: online, offline, and the connection between both
• Why AI and insights are only as strong as the data behind them
• The consequences of poor data management—and how to avoid them
• Governance: who should own data internally, and how to structure it effectively
• Navigating a world without digital shelf standards
• Practical recommendations to move from siloed data to actionable growth

More:

• Other Webinars with NIQ
• Boris' 2023 Episode: https://www.fmcgguys.com/henkel-boris-rutten-ecommerce/

  Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/

  Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/

  Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

  Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8oc8kc_rdoA Bart Ongenaet is the Commercial, Supply and Wholesale Director for Mexico at sports retailer Decathlon. When Daniel joined him to record live in Mexico City , he had to enter and go through their store before accessing the office. This is very telling about the organisation, always close to the consumer and to Bart's own experience in the company, which started managing a small section of a shop in Belgium and has taken him to Japan and now Mexico in senior leadership roles. Tune in to hear about:

• Bart's background as a psychologist and playing sports and then transitioning into business
• Decathlon's "management school" based on empowerment from day 1
• The evolution from big stores to a now also having a digital multi-brand marketplace
• How to deliver quality at an affordable price
• Brand architecture in their multiple sports
• His experience in Japan and lessons learnt along the way, both in business and leadership

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fmcgguys/

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fmcgguys/

Audio Mixing by Modest Ferrer Voice Acting by Jason Martorell Parsekian

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The FMCG Guys (Dwyer Partners SL) or its partners. The FMCG Guys make no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information discussed, and accept no responsibility for any decisions or outcomes based on this content. Listeners are encouraged to seek their own professional advice before acting on any of the topics covered.

Watch on YouTube Live from Shoptalk Luxe: https://youtu.be/vNIJJmgD3Fg

Amit Keswani is the Chief Omnichannel and AI Officer at the Chalhoub Group, a leading luxury retail group in the Middle East, where he leads customer, technology, loyalty, and AI transformation across a portfolio of hundreds of brands. In this episode recorded live in Abu Dhabi, we discuss the reality of omnichannel in luxury retail, how AI is being implemented in practice, and why the future of commerce will be driven by discoverability on LLMs and conversational shopping experiences.

Topics covered:

• The Chalhoub Group business model across luxury retail, owned brands, and franchise distribution
• What omnichannel really means in practice and how to build seamless customer journeys
• How AI is being applied today: predictive analytics, agentic AI, and conversational commerce
• Why discoverability on LLMs and conversational shopping will reshape ecommerce
• Career advice, risk-taking, and the balance between data-driven decisions and gut feel