BONUS EPISODE: Suzanne Long, Chief Sustainability and Transformation Officer, Albertsons, Previews Her World Retail Congress Keynote

Welcome to a bonus episode of the Remarkable Retail podcast, presented by MarketDial. Steve and I are excited to take the podcast to the World Retail Congress at the Hotel Arts in Barcelona, April 25th - 27th.

Steve will also be joining an amazing roster of speakers to present his take on why organizations need to radically accelerate their pace of transformation. In advance of the show, we connected with some of Steve's fellow speakers for a quick preview of what they will be discussing in Spain. Stay tuned to the end of the podcast to learn more about the World Retail Congress event.

On this special episode, Suzanne Long, Chief Sustainability and Transformation Officer, Albertsons. Suzanne joined the "new" Albertsons Companies in 2012, leading five major acquisitions/integrations that grew the company to America's second-largest food and drug retailer. She now serves as the company's first Chief Sustainability and Transformation Officer, responsible for driving both the company's ESG strategy and a variety of enterprise-wide strategic initiatives.

Since 2007, World Retail Congress has been the premier platform for in-depth research, content and events, driving retail growth and inspiring, valuable global connections.

The Congress unites leaders from across the global industry for innovative, groundbreaking strategies and insights to drive success. It's the unrivalled high-level forum for senior retailers to learn, share insights, form powerful connections and play a key part in shaping the future of global retail. Learn more today at world retail congress dot com.

About Suzanne

Suzanne began her career at Accenture consulting for Fortune 100 companies. She joined Albertsons in 2001, leading the company’s Lean Six Sigma program – this first of its kind in the food and drug industry. In 2008 she became the Retail Practice Leader for the consulting firm SSA & Company, directing engagements with clients such as Kroger, Harris Teeter, Staples and Office Depot.

Suzanne joined the “new” Albertsons Companies in 2012, leading five major acquisitions/integrations that grew the company to the nation’s second largest food and drug retailer. In 2017 she was additionally given the assignment of delivering $500M in cost savings over a three-year timeframe. Suzanne became Group Vice President, Strategic Sourcing and ESG/Sustainability in 2020. She now serves as the company’s first Chief Sustainability and Transformation Officer, responsible for driving both the company’s ESG strategy and a variety of enterprise-wide strategic initiatives.

Suzanne graduated from Duke University with honors. She serves on three non-profit boards is on the Advisory Boards for the EDGE program at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business and The NEST Climate Campus.

About Us

Steve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his website. The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior contributor and on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel here.

Michael LeBlanc is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois. You can learn more about Michael here or on LinkedIn.

Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue, his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!

Registration is open for a special webinar featuring Steve in conversation with Placer AI's Head of Analytical Research RJ Hottovy. From changing shopping patterns to emerging market opportunities, shifting consumer demand continues to reshape the industry. So don't miss this data-driven session unpacking the most important trends defining today’s marketplace and the strategies leading brands are using to win retail's future. It's all brought to you by Placer.AI and It all happens on Tuesday September 29 at 1pm ET..

Register here today:

https://www.placer.ai/discover-events/discover-shifting-consumer-demand

About Us

Steve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling author of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.

Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the NRF as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2026 and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.