RETHINK Retail Reveals 2026 Top AI Leaders in Retail

Honoring the Visionaries from Walmart, Target, LVMH, Adidas, Tesco and More Redefining Global Retail Through AI.

NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, September 9, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- RETHINK Retail, through its AiR (AI in Retail) initiative, today unveiled its 2026 Top AI Leaders in Retail list, recognizing 150+ executives selected from hundreds of nominees worldwide. The Top AI Leaders is a community and annual recognition that spotlights executives leading the charge in AI-driven retail transformation.

Now in its second year, this annual honor celebrates leaders who are harnessing artificial intelligence to reimagine the customer experience, unlock new business models and transform the future of retail. Executives who make the list are senior executives from companies such as Walmart, Target, LVMH, Adidas, Sephora, Tesco, Pandora and Albertsons, as well as investors, researchers, tech leaders and associations such as the National Retail Association.

“AI is reshaping every corner of retail, from customer experience to supply chain operations. We’re proud to see so many innovative leaders recognized for their impact and thrilled to support initiatives like AiR that spotlight the people driving this transformation forward. I’m also excited to be listed among this year’s leaders and to contribute to the important conversations shaping the future of retail,” said Caroline Reppert of the National Retail Federation.

This year’s honorees include Fatih Nayebi, VP of Data & AI at ALDO Group; Garima Singh, CTO of Pandora; Ram Rampalli, VP of New Ventures & Growth at Walmart; Sara Moret, Senior Director of Generative AI Strategy at Target; and Sumit Mitra, CEO of Tesco for Business. Their inclusion highlights the breadth of expertise driving retail AI today – from scaling generative AI adoption to reinventing supply chains and customer engagement.

Since its launch, the Top AI Leaders community has grown into a global network of innovators shaping the next era of intelligent retail. Leaders named to the 2026 list are advancing AI across operations, marketing, product and customer experience, setting the agenda for what’s next in the industry.

"We’re proud to see such a diverse group of leaders on this year’s list – from Pandora and Adidas to Best Buy, Albertsons and Sephora," said Yael Kochman, Executive Director of Strategy, AiR by RETHINK Retail. "These executives are proving that AI is no longer experimental, but an essential force driving retail forward. Together, they represent the collective brain trust leading us into retail’s AI-powered future."

The 2026 initiative is supported by leading partners, such as Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, where Yevgeni Tsirulnik, SVP of Innovation, Grocery and General Merchandising, is recognized on this year’s Top AI Leaders list for his role in advancing AI-driven transformation across global retail.

The announcement comes as AiR by RETHINK Retail prepares to host two flagship summits: the AiR Virtual Summit on November 6, 2025 themed The Human Touch, and the AiR Physical Summit on January 12, 2026 at NRF, themed The Rise of Agentic AI. These gatherings will unite executives, innovators and thought leaders to examine how AI is transforming every layer of retail - from personalization at scale to autonomous operations, and will feature many of the Top AI Leaders on stage and in intimate roundtable discussions.

Following the success of its 2024 and 2025 programs, AiR has reached more than 1.5 million retail professionals globally.
See the full list of Top AI Leaders: rethink.industries/air.

About AiR:
AiR (AI in Retail) is the leading community and platform helping retailers harness AI’s transformative power. We provide members with insights, strategies and innovative ideas to revolutionize their businesses. To learn more, visit rethink.industries/air.

About RETHINK Retail:
RETHINK Retail is the premier destination for executive-led insights into retail’s evolving landscape. Our award-winning content reaches top decision-makers and industry leaders worldwide. To learn more, visit rethink.industries.

AiR Press Team
RETHINK Retail
air@rethink.industries
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