The AI Shift Every CPG Leader Must Make in 2026

From AI Strategy to AI Results: How Enterprises Finally Break Through

AI strategy is easy. Enterprise execution is the hard part - here’s what actually works.In this episode of Reimagine with AI, Imteaz Ahamed speaks with Ajay Dhaul (ex Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue) - a global technology and AI leader with 25+ years of experience leading enterprise-scale transformations.Ajay breaks down what separates enterprise AI that looks good on slides from AI that moves P&L outcomes in the real world. The conversation stays practical: start points, operating model, adoption, talent, and the “people/process/data” vectors that determine whether AI monetizes or stalls.Why this matters for executives:Most AI programs fail for predictable reasons: fragmented data, unclear business outcomes, weak cross-functional accountability, and human friction. Ajay lays out an execution playbook that boards and leadership teams can actually use - especially as agentic AI accelerates faster than enterprise change cycles.🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:1) “Follow the money” + “delight the customer” as the first AI transformation levers2) Turning strategy into execution: outcomes, charters, metrics, and product management accountability3) Building the right “one-pizza team” for adoption and speed4) Build vs buy reframed as “speed to value” and ecosystem design5) Where leaders overestimate AI (fast monetization) and underestimate AI (rate of change, agentic AI)6) The overlooked commercial levers: personalization end-to-end and faster innovation cycles7) How to build followership: influencers, psychological safety, and reverse mentoring for C-suite8) The CEO/board questions Ajay hears daily: where to start, where to find money, how to do it9) What every Fortune 500 CEO should stop doing now: endless PoCs and second-guessing AI 💡 Follow for more conversations on how AI is reshaping CPG, eCommerce, and revenue growth.

The AI Shift Every CPG Leader Must Make in 2026

AI won’t fix your P&L until you fix your data, systems, and governance — here’s why. In this episode of Reimagined with AI, Imteaz sits down with Dan Wiseman, Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Barry Callebaut — the $8B global ingredients manufacturer powering the world’s chocolate supply. Dan has led transformation across CPG, retail, and manufacturing for 25+ years, and this conversation goes straight into the realities most executives don’t want to confront: 1) Why 95% of GenAI pilots fail — and what separates the winners 2) The hidden P&L levers where AI actually moves margin 3) Why data visibility across the value chain beats any “shiny” tech investment 4) Why B2B growth is now driven by co-innovation, not product superiority 5) The operating rhythm CIO/CMO/CFO teams need in an AI-driven enterprise 6) Why multi-layer approvals destroy speed — and what replaces them 7) Why most companies aren’t ready for agentic AI 8) How to think about technical debt, process change, and talent in the AI era This is a must-watch for executives in CPG, manufacturing, retail, and any enterprise navigating AI transformation in 2025 and beyond. 🎙 Guest:Dan Wiseman — Chief Data & Analytics Officer, Barry Callebaut Imteaz Ahamed - Podcast Host | Formerly: Reckitt 💡 Follow to Reimagine with AI by Sigmoid for more conversations with data and business leaders on how AI and analytics are reshaping industries.

How AI Transforms Revenue Growth Management: Pricing, Promotions & Insights

AI is redefining how CPG companies approach revenue growth management (RGM) - reshaping pricing strategies, promotional effectiveness, and retailer collaboration with unprecedented precision.In this episode of Reimagine with AI, Michael Healy, Head of Revenue Growth Management at BAT, breaks down how AI is transforming pricing, promotions, and consumer analytics across some of the world’s most complex and regulated categories. Michael has built RGM capabilities at PepsiCo, AB InBev, Reynolds, and now BAT. Few leaders know more about how AI and data science are reshaping the way CPGs grow profitably. Why this conversation matters: RGM is the growth engine of every CPG, but AI is accelerating what’s possible—from store-level price optimization to trade spend efficiency and predictive promo modeling. Executives who don’t get this right will be left behind. 🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 1) The evolution of RGM: diagnostics → prediction → prescription 2) Why computing power + abundant data = new competitive advantage 3) How AI enables granular store-level pricing & assortment optimization 4) The truth about AI-driven pricing: not quick, not cheap, and not easy 5) How to balance algorithmic precision with regulatory and brand constraints 6) Why AI-enhanced promo modeling can strengthen - not sacrifice - retailer partnerships 7) The organizational barriers to embedding AI in RGM and how to overcome them 🎙 Guest: Michael Healy - Head of Revenue Growth Management at BAT Formerly: PepsiCo | AB InBev | Reynolds Imteaz Ahamed - Podcast Host Formerly: Reckitt Follow for more conversations on how AI is reshaping CPG, eCommerce, and revenue growth.

How Jack in the Box Uses AI to Transform Data, Personalization & QSR Strategy

AI is transforming how quick service restaurants (QSRs) operate - from customer personalization and supply chain optimization to delivering consistent, high-quality experiences at scale. In this episode of Reimagine with AI, Paul Bruffett, VP of Data & Analytics at Jack in the Box (Ex - Accenture & Starbucks), shares how AI is revolutionizing the fast-food industry and what it takes to scale innovation across millions of daily transactions. Tune in to discover: 1) How to build scalable data infrastructure for millions of transactions daily 2) The balance between AI-driven automation and human hospitality 3) How personalization can deepen guest connections when done right 4) Real-world generative AI use cases in QSRs 5) What separates AI pilots from full-scale enterprise transformation 6) The next wave of AI in hospitality: decision aids, simulations, and reinforcement learning Why it matters: Quick service restaurants are a microcosm of AI’s biggest opportunities and challenges. Leaders across CPG, retail, and eCommerce can learn from how QSRs balance speed, scale, personalization, and technical debt to stay ahead. 🎙 Guest: Paul Bruffett, VP of Data & Analytics at Jack in the Box | Ex–Accenture, Starbucks 🎧 Host: Imteaz Ahamed, Host | Ex–Reckitt 💡 Follow to Reimagine with AI by Sigmoid for more conversations with data and business leaders on how AI and analytics are reshaping industries.

How AI is transforming global CPG ecommerce with Opella’s Bas van Kesteren

AI isn’t just hype - it’s reshaping how CPGs win market share, innovate, and partner with retailer.In this episode of Reimagine with AI, host Imteaz Ahamed talks with Bas van Kesteren, GM of Opella E-Commerce and former leader at Reckitt, Sanofi, Unilever, and AB InBev. Together, they explore how AI is transforming every corner of CPG e-commerce, from retail media and supply chain to organizational design, and what leaders must do to stay ahead.Bas shares powerful lessons from leading digital commerce at some of the world’s biggest brands and breaks down where executives should focus as AI drives the next wave of disruption. 🎙️ Topics Covered: * How AI lowers the cost of use cases and unlocks adoption at scale * The new flywheel of media + innovation that will drive faster NPD pipelines * Why retail media is shifting from “tax” to “growth engine” * How to balance 70-20-10 across execution, scaling, and innovation * The new capabilities every CPG e-commerce team must build for an AI-first world