How does an iconic luxury beauty group stay relevant in an AI-powered world?

Recorded live on stage at London Tech Week's AI in Retail Event in London, this episode of Retail Disrupted features Pernilla Nyberg, SVP & General Manager UK & Ireland at The Estée Lauder Companies. Pernilla shares how Estée Lauder is thoughtfully using AI and data to support creativity, innovation, and personalization across luxury beauty — from trend intelligence and product development to fragrance, digital experiences, and in-store service.

A candid conversation on balancing technology with craftsmanship, brand equity, and high-touch human experience in prestige beauty.

International expansion isn't about copy-and-paste growth — it's about cultural intelligence.

In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg is joined by CMOs and leading global brand experts Katherine Melchior Ray and Nataly Kelly to explore why so many global brands fail — and what they should do differently to succeed across borders.

From luxury retail and hospitality to beauty, fashion, and FMCG, this conversation unpacks real-world examples (Sephora, Walmart, Target, Louis Vuitton, Apple, Uniqlo) as covered in Katherine and Nataly's book: Brand Global, Adapt Local.

If you're responsible for brand, retail, marketing, or international growth — this episode is for you.

In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie Berg shares her 2026 outlook and insights from the KPMG Retail Think Tank. She is then joined by international logistics expert Becky Lombardo to unpack how retailers can build resilient, flexible, and profitable supply chains in an increasingly unpredictable world.

Becky shares practical insights on global trade disruption, nearshoring, returns, AI in logistics, sustainability, and why doing less - not more - may be the smartest strategy for retail leaders in 2026.

🎙️ Ideal for: retail executives, e-commerce leaders, supply chain professionals, brand founders, and investors.

00:00 – Introduction to Retail Disrupted

00:28 – Retail trends and challenges shaping 2026

02:48 – Geopolitical risk, weak demand & supply chain pressure

05:10 – AI, personalization & the risk of cognitive complacency

07:05 – Meet Becky Lombardo: global logistics & supply chain expert

08:25 – Why unpredictability is the biggest threat to retail planning

09:45 – Tariffs, geopolitics & global trade uncertainty

10:35 – Sourcing risk, China dependency & supply chain blind spots

12:47 – Nearshoring, profitability & smarter sourcing strategies

14:58 – Doing more with less: cutting complexity in supply chains

16:54 – What luxury retailers get right about customer experience

18:58 – Customer expectations vs speed, service & reliability

20:57 – Logistics, fulfilment & treating every customer like a VIP

23:02 – AI in logistics: efficiency vs human touch

24:39 – Returns, serial returners & charging for returns

26:49 – Sustainability, cost control & smarter supply chains

29:00 – Fixing fit, reducing fashion returns & new technology

31:07 – Direct-to-consumer vs wholesale: hidden operational costs

33:19 – Final advice for brands navigating retail disruption

34:10 – Where to find Becky Lombardo & closing remarks

🔗 KPMG Retail Think Tank: 2026 Outlook (LinkedIn post)

🔗 More about Becky and Londra Consulting