Technology in the Service of The Customer with Michon Williams, Chief Technology Officer, Walmart Canada

Michon Williams is my special guest in this episode, sharing her career journey, emphasizing an early interest in technology and explaining her role as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Walmart Canada.

Michon highlights the importance of balancing innovation and stability, operating on three horizons: stability, incremental improvements, and long-term disruptions. We discuss the need for local solutions in Canada due to unique market requirements, the rapid pace of innovation in retail, particularly post-pandemic, and the role of AI in enhancing efficiency and customer experience. Michon advises retailers to foster a culture of experimentation and continuous learning and encourages women in tech to be curious and proactive in their career development.

About Michon

Michon was recruited to Walmart Canada as Vice President of Product & Delivery to steward their accelerated investment in technology in 2021. Promoted to Chief Technology Officer, Michon and her team are responsible for core systems strategy and delivery, technology infrastructure and operations, infosec and architecture across stores, pharmacies, supply chain, merchandising, core data platforms, associate tools and enterprise technology (including real estate). Michon is a long-time advocate of the environment and inclusion and leads programs in support of Green Technology and to promote and advance Diversity in Technology.

Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.

Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.

Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.

Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.