Rethink Retail appoints Chris Parsons as Vice President of Audience

Retail strategy expert and author of “Retail Rewired”, Chris Parsons, has joined Rethink Retail with the aim of deepening audience interaction and connecting its continuously expanding ecosystem of media, communities, research, and events.

New York, September 28, 2026 / PRNewswire / -- Rethink Retail Today, we announce the appointment of Chris Parsons as Vice President of Audience, a newly established position. Parsons will integrate the company's media, executive community, research, podcasts, events, and partnerships into a cohesive customer experience, transforming individual interactions into ongoing conversations, and expanding the reach of Rethink's perspective within the retail industry.

This appointment follows closely on the launch of the new brand and website Rethink. The new brand and website position the company as a community-first platform, as well as a gathering place for the most forward-thinking leaders in the retail industry. The new brand positioning is based on a simple concept: the biggest challenges in retail cannot be solved in isolation. Research identifies the most important issues in the industry, and content editing and podcasts revolve around these issues. The community brings together those facing these problems, while events and partnerships transform these discussions into tangible progress. The responsibility of Parsons is to ensure that all these elements work together seamlessly.

Parsons has over 25 years of experience, spanning dealer networks, national retailers, and the e-commerce sector. His professional background includes driving the launch of Walmart.ca, as well as holding leadership and advisory roles at Home Hardware, Newegg, and Ren's Pets. At Home Hardware, he served for six years in a senior e-commerce and omnichannel position, responsible for connecting digital strategies with store operations, covering a nationwide network of independent dealers. This experience has shaped his simple belief that retail strategy must be based on how stores actually operate and how customers actually shop.

Rethink Retail CEO Marie Chevrier Schwartz stated: " Chris truly understands retail from within. He has work experience in various retail models, and his focus has always been on connecting strategy with effective methods for customers and operators. As Rethink develops, Chris will help us build stronger connections between communities, content, and experiences, and ensure that the value we create can reach more people in the industry."

Parsons itself also has its own audience. Over 24,000 professionals in retail and e-commerce follow him on LinkedIn, and his newsletter Retail Rewired Roundup has thousands of subscribers. Through his works Retail Rewired, his speeches, as well as the frameworks AI Moment, of, and Discovery ( AIMOD ), he transforms complex topics such as omnichannel strategies, customer data, and AI into actionable ideas for retailers. In 2026, he was recognized as a top retail expert, and even before officially joining the community, he had already made contributions to it.

Parsons means: "The retail industry does not need more people to repeat what everyone already knows. What it needs are people who are willing to ask better questions, use data in different ways, and bring new perspectives to the discussions. Rethink has already brought together some of the most astute minds in the retail industry. My job is to connect these conversations so that every interaction with Rethink is more valuable."

On the occasion of this appointment, Rethink Retail is expanding its executive community in the fields of AI, retail media, and supply chain, while also advancing research, content editing, podcast, and event projects.

About Rethink Retail

Rethink Retail is a community-first media platform and also a gathering place for the most forward-thinking leaders in the retail industry. Through executive communities, original research, editorial content, podcasts, events, and strategic industry partnerships, Rethink Retail brings together the people and ideas that drive retail forward. For more information, please visit: https :// rethink.industries.