Welcome to Commerce Media Matters – Cannes Lions Edition!
Following a successful run of conversations with some of the brightest minds in commerce media, we’re taking the podcast to the iconic Croisette for a special Cannes Lions edition!
To kick off our Cannes Special episodes, we caught up with three incredible Ad-Tech Heavy Hitters. We spoke with Emma Newman (Chief Revenue Officer, PubMatic), Babs Kehinde (Senior Director, Commerce Media EMEA, PubMatic) and Amie Owen (Chief Client Officer, Flywheel) to explore the industry's next stage of evolution.
Across both conversations, a common theme quickly emerges. The industry is moving beyond proving that retail media works and towards solving the operational challenges that will determine whether commerce media can truly scale. From AI-enabled workflows and offsite commerce to retailer differentiation, ecosystem connectivity and consumer trust, this episode examines how the market is shifting from experimentation to execution.
What you’ll learn from this episode:
Why commerce media has entered its next phase: Retail media has become one of the defining conversations at Cannes Lions—but the discussion is no longer about proving the opportunity exists. Emma, Babs and Amie explain why the industry's focus is shifting towards maturity, operational excellence and building scalable commerce ecosystems.
Why AI's biggest opportunity may be simplifying complexity: While AI dominated conversations across Cannes, all three guests argue its greatest value won't simply come from generating creative assets or replacing people. Instead, AI has the potential to remove operational friction, accelerate campaign execution and simplify increasingly fragmented commerce media workflows.
Why connected ecosystems matter more than new platforms: Rather than building more disconnected retail media networks, the future lies in connecting existing ecosystems. Amie explains why retailers, brands and technology partners must focus on interoperability, collaboration and creating a more seamless path from discovery through to purchase.
The shift from onsite retail media to connected commerce: Commerce no longer starts and ends on a retailer's website. The discussion explores how offsite activation, publishers, CTV and broader digital channels are extending the digital shelf and creating new opportunities for brands to engage consumers throughout the entire purchase journey.
Why trust and consumer experience remain competitive advantages: As AI becomes increasingly embedded into media and commerce, maintaining consumer trust becomes even more important. Emma and Babs discuss why transparency, responsible AI and better customer experiences will become key differentiators as commerce media continues to evolve.
Why the next challenge isn't growth—it's integration: The future won't be defined by who launches the next retail media network. It will be determined by who can best integrate data, media, technology and commerce into a connected ecosystem that delivers better outcomes for retailers, brands and consumers alike.
About the guests
Emma Newman is the Chief Revenue Officer, EMEA at PubMatic, where she leads the company’s commercial strategy and growth across the region. With more than 20 years’ experience spanning digital media, marketing, communications and business development, Emma has held senior leadership positions at MSN, AOL, Huffington Post and Clear Channel UK. Since joining PubMatic in 2014, she has played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s international presence, helping publishers, retailers and advertisers navigate the rapidly evolving programmatic and commerce media landscape.
Babs Kehinde is the Senior Director, Commerce Media, EMEA at PubMatic, where he leads the company’s commerce media strategy across the region. A seasoned digital media executive with more than two decades of experience, Babs has held leadership roles at Yahoo!, Essence and OpenX, helping media owners and advertisers unlock growth through technology and innovation. At PubMatic, he works closely with retailers, publishers and brands to develop scalable commerce media solutions that connect advertising performance with measurable business outcomes.
Amie Owen is the Chief Client Officer at Flywheel, leading global client partnerships and helping some of the world’s largest brands accelerate growth across digital commerce platforms. With extensive experience in retail, ecommerce and media, Amie works closely with brands to navigate the increasingly complex commerce ecosystem, bringing together strategy, retail media, marketplace optimisation and performance measurement. Her expertise spans both agency and client-side leadership, making her a respected voice in the future of commerce marketing.
Connect with the hosts on LinkedIn
Nick Morgan
Paul Blackburn
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