With over 100 years of accumulated retail, technology and real estate experience, the team and resources available through Metareal Retail is without compare. Working on the leading edge of retail, supply chain, New Retail and Metaverse retail business model the Metareal Retail team is available as a formidable ally, educator, coach, mentor and consultant in these turbulent times.
“The Metaverse is coming and retailers who stick their heads in the sand will regret it. Implementing tactical ‘Metareal’ responses which leverage existing retail assets has the potential to be even more powerful than pure play Metaverse actions.”
Jeff Ashcroft
Jeff Ashcroft
Jeff Ashcroft, has over thirty years experience in the retailing, distribution, systems, third party logistics and supply chain management business domains.
After a solid retail grounding during his 15 year career with the first corporation in North America, The Hudson’s Bay Company, Jeff struck out into the uncharted world of Third Party Logistics. Firstly in Retail at Tibbett & Britten (now DHL Supply Chain), building Walmart’s coast to coast distribution center network in only 12 weeks, followed by building a national DC network for Shoppers Drug Mart as well as other notable retailers across North America.
An early internet adopter, Jeff also led dramatic growth in retail and ecommerce at SCI Logistics where ecommerce volumes were quintupled in only 4 years, including Walmart, Sears and Uniqlo to name only a few. Since that time Jeff has held variety of senior roles in Big Six consulting (PwC), Boutique Advisory (Constellation Research) and a number of other innovative technology and services firms and was named one of IBM’s Global Commerce Futurists in 2016.
Michael Zakkour
Michael Zakkour is the Founder & CEO of 5 New Digital, a digital commerce, retail and consumer consultancy and ecosystem, and China BrightStar, a China/APAC consumer and market consultancy.
He is one of the world’s leading retail futurists whose insights, innovations and predictions on the future of eCommerce, The New Retail Model, and digital commerce have shaped the narrative and reality of commerce in the 21st century.
Michael has advised hundreds of global brands, retailers, CPGs and manufacturers on developing and capitalizing on new business opportunities though digital transformation and consumer centricity.
Michael’s reputation as a business and consumer futurist has made him an in-demand consultant, C-suite coach, corporate strategist and keynote speaker.
Notable Achievements:
- Rethink Retail’s Top Retail and Digital Commerce Influencer 2022
- Named 4x by Alibaba as a one of the “10 Most Influential Global eCommerce & Retail Influencers
- 2x #1 best selling author: “The New Retail: Born in China, Going Global” & “China’s Super Consumers
- Front line builder of Web 1.0 and early eCommerce companies, brands and technologies (1994-2002)
- Founded China BrightStar in Shanghai in 2005 to guide global brands and retailers entering and growing in China/APAC
- Featured tech & consumer contributor at CNBC, CNN, Fox Business, NPR, FORBES, WSJ etc.
- Lecturer at NYU, Columbia, Wharton. Northwestern, Yale, The China Institute, The Confucius Institute