Leadership Perspectives

As StayinFront’s Commercial and Strategic Growth Director EMEA, Rod oversees strategic account acquisitions across the region, focusing on maximizing revenue opportunities and driving growth for clients. Throughout his career, Rod has developed a deep understanding of the distinct challenges and opportunities unique to the EMEA Consumer Goods market. He is passionate about delivering cutting-edge software and technology solutions that improve efficiency while driving strategic growth initiatives and fostering long-term customer relationships.

As Commercial Director for EMEA at StayinFront, I spend a lot of time with regional leaders, field teams, and partners across diverse markets.

One thing is always clear.

Great retail execution doesn’t happen by accident; it comes from giving people the tools and insights they need in the moment.

For CPG companies, what happens at the shelf can make or break performance. This is why I focus on solutions that provide real-time insights, intuitive mobile workflows, and reliable image recognition to help reps make smarter decisions on the spot.

Flexibility is just as important. Across EMEA, teams navigate different languages, regulations, trade structures, and route-to-market models. A sales or retail execution platform must adapt to the market, integrate smoothly with existing processes, and scale without friction.

At the end of the day, technology is only valuable if it helps teams sell more and execute better — consistently and efficiently. At StayinFront, that’s the standard we hold our solutions to and the impact we strive to deliver for our customers across the region.

When I look at how our clients use AI in retail execution, the impact is strongest when the technology genuinely makes life easier for field teams. The best AI is fast, accurate, and helps teams focus on what truly drives sales.

From what I see, most partners aim to make shelf audits faster and more accurate, boost field productivity with smarter workflows, provide reps with clearer insights, and surface the right sales opportunities at the right time.

None of this matters unless it can be measured. For me, meaningful results are key. I’m looking out for reduced visit times, higher audit accuracy, improved compliance, distribution gains, and, most importantly, incremental revenue from AI-driven actions. That’s how leadership can see real impact.

AI has enormous potential, but it has to earn its place. If it delivers clear ROI (ideally in weeks, not months), then it becomes a genuine accelerator for the business, not just another piece of technology.

AI is evolving so quickly that it’s changed the way I lead. I’ve had to shift from focusing purely on traditional sales strengths to creating an environment where continuous learning is the norm.

I encourage my team to stay curious. I’d like to see them experiment, to question how AI can genuinely reshape retail execution, and to feel confident guiding clients through what it means for their business.

What’s been interesting is how this mindset has transformed our relationship with customers. We’re no longer simply presenting a platform or a feature set. We’re stepping into a true advisory role. With this growth, we’re helping clients understand where AI fits, what it can realistically deliver, and how to adopt it in a responsible, practical way.

That shift has strengthened trust. It’s allowed us to build deeper partnerships. Clients see that we’re invested, not just in selling technology but in helping them achieve real improvements in-store. For me, that’s the kind of leadership that creates long-term value for the team, our clients, and the business.

Over the years, I’ve learned that insights only matter if they lead to real action in stores. If they don’t help a team fix something, grow something, or sell something, then they’re just noise. That’s why I focus so heavily on KPIs that tie activity directly to outcomes. Things like distribution, share of shelf, resolving out-of-stocks, and driving stronger promotion compliance are what genuinely move the business.

For me, analytics should make life simpler, not more complicated. A field rep should open their app and instantly know: 

• Which stores matter most today?
• What issues need fixing?
• Which opportunities will have the biggest impact? 

If we can give them that clarity, we empower them to win more often.

The same thing applies to managers. They shouldn’t have to dig through dashboards to understand what’s happening. Analytics should spotlight trends, highlight performance gaps, and reveal where coaching can make a real difference.

When strong KPIs are paired with simplified, actionable execution, that’s when you really start to see momentum, especially in a region as competitive and diverse as EMEA. That blend of focus and clarity is what consistently moves the needle.

What I’ve learned in this role is that customers don’t just want a vendor; they want someone who truly understands the realities of their market. In EMEA, that can mean anything from navigating fragmented retail landscapes to dealing with regulatory pressures or the nuances of local culture. Clients expect me to “get” those challenges, and they expect clarity, accountability, and results they can measure.

For me, trust is built through simple but consistent behaviors: being transparent, following through on what I say I’ll do, and staying focused on solutions rather than obstacles. Some of the strongest partnerships I’ve built didn’t come from solving a single problem; they grew because we showed commitment over time. We kept helping teams improve field performance year after year, and that long-term investment is what truly deepens relationships.

Ultimately, clients remember who stands beside them, not just who sells to them. That’s the standard I hold myself to.

One thing I’ve learned is that every client is at a different point in their digital journey, and real leadership starts with meeting them exactly where they are.

Some teams are ready to jump straight into AI-driven image recognition and predictive insights. Others are still building the fundamentals of retail execution and just need a solid, reliable process to start with, and that’s perfectly okay.

My role is to understand their reality, not impose mine. I spend time looking at how their teams work today, where the friction points are, and what’s holding them back. From there, we can map out how technology (including AI) can actually make their lives easier.

Sometimes that means automating shelf audits. Sometimes it’s reducing the hours spent on manual reporting. Other times, it’s simply giving reps a clearer sense of what to focus on each day.

What matters most is creating quick, meaningful wins that show progress and build confidence. When clients start to feel that momentum, that’s when broader transformation becomes possible. Being part of that journey, step by step, is one of the most rewarding parts of this work.

Working across EMEA has taught me one simple truth: local relevance wins. Our platform may be global, but no two markets behave the same. It’s my responsibility to ensure we show up with the right message, support, and understanding of each country’s reality.

Relationships are key. I rely on the insights of local distributors, partners, and industry leaders who know their markets best. Their perspective shapes how we position our solutions and adapt to local expectations. I also focus on practical differences such as trade structures, regulatory environments, and retail dynamics because these details determine how teams work and what they need from us.

From there, it’s about tailoring the experience: adapting workflows, languages, compliance steps, and success stories. This approach allows us to scale with intention, build credibility with retailers and manufacturers, and deliver solutions that consistently drive value while respecting each market’s uniqueness.

From my experience, the most successful digital transformations aren’t about technology alone; they’re about people, process, and purpose. They start with clear business objectives that everyone understands, and they succeed when teams across sales, IT, and field operations are genuinely aligned around the same goals.

Data quality is critical. Without clean, integrated data, even the smartest tools can’t deliver results. But technology is only as effective as the people using it, which is why ongoing training, coaching, and support are just as important as the software itself. Transformation isn’t a project with an end date; it’s a continuous journey of improvement.

In EMEA, I’ve seen that the organizations that approach it in phases and start with strong execution fundamentals and then layer in AI or predictive analytics, see the best results. Adoption is higher, ROI comes faster, and teams feel more confident in the change because they’re seeing tangible wins along the way. For me, leading transformation is about guiding that journey, helping teams see what’s possible, and celebrating progress at every step.

Thank you!