Conversations with leaders shaping the future of digital business.
John Kelly discusses frontline digital transformation, mobile usability, and how enterprise brands and SMEs can practically adopt AI without channel conflict or margin erosion.
In this episode, former Global Director of eRetail and E-Business Transformation at Heineken, John Kelly, reflects on his 25-year career journey and how he helped scale Heineken's B2B digital ecosystem to €13 billion in global revenue. John shares practical lessons from the front lines of digital transformation—from initial local pilots to driving change in a process-heavy FMCG environment. The discussion covers: Career Beginnings & Mindset: Lessons learned from a farm upbringing in Galway, early sales and marketing roles, and navigating corporate growth spurts. B2B Transformation at Scale: Overcoming organizational resistance, building team belief without egos, and shifting from "big bets" to agile, incremental innovation. Practical AI Implementation: Moving past the hype with real-world applications, such as dynamic sales team routing and next-best-action models. Framework for Digital Growth: A pragmatic look at the distinct phases of scaling digital capabilities—from adoption metrics to full maturity.
with Sarah Mitchell
John shares insights on building and leading high-performance commercial teams, from hiring the right talent to creating a culture of accountability and innovation.
In the inaugural episode, John discusses the evolving landscape of eCommerce in the fast-moving consumer goods sector, drawing on his experience leading digital transformation at HEINEKEN across 30+ markets.