The Digital Shelf Forum 2025: The Future of Commerce

Last week we welcomed more than 100 senior leaders from Australia’s top FMCG, retail, consumer, and digital brands to the Digital Shelf Future Forum in Melbourne. 

The half-day event was designed to spark meaningful conversations about the future of commerce, where technology meets people, data meets creativity, and businesses are rethinking how to stay discoverable and chosen in a constantly evolving digital landscape. 

The forum was hosted by Six Degrees Executive - a connector of industry leaders and trusted talent partner, and  Arktic Fox, founded by  Teresa Sperti, as one of Australia’s leading voices in digital transformation and marketing strategy. 

Setting the tone 

Opening the day, Maya Wettenhall, Associate Director at Six Degrees Executive, reflected on how much the FMCG and retail landscape has evolved, from a world dominated by in-store activations and TV campaigns to one where digital commerce now drives core business growth. 

“This forum was born out of a shared purpose between Six Degrees and Arktic Fox – to help businesses and talent navigate an environment that’s constantly changing. No matter where you are on the journey, you’re not alone. Each of you are navigating this change at a different pace, but the most important piece of the puzzle is always the same - the right people, culture, and leadership.” 

While technology is an enabler, people and capability remain at the heart of digital transformation. 

The now & the next 

In the opening keynote, Teresa Sperti, Founder and Director of Arktic Fox, shared The Now & The Next, setting the strategic stage for the discussions to follow. 

She unpacked how the digital shelf is influencing not only online behaviour but in-store decision-making, as shoppers research, compare, and build trust with brands across multiple touchpoints. 

Key insights included: 

• The rapid rise of marketplaces and social commerce, changing how brands approach discoverability. 

• AI’s growing influence in search and product discovery, reshaping how consumers choose what to buy. 

• The importance of investing in data capability and internal skills to ensure teams can act on insights, not just collect them. 

The session was both practical and forward-looking, showing that brands who invest in capability and measurement today will be the organisations consumers find and choose tomorrow. 

The new omnichannel reality 

Moderated by Nicole Cooke, from Six Degrees Executive, the first panel delved into the evolving complexity of retail strategy. 

Panellists Hannah Wilson (FUNDAY™ Natural Sweets), Charles Wood (Vitadrop) and Naomi Shorman (Mayborn Group Limited) shared candid perspectives on balancing retailer partnerships, DTC expansion, and the realities of operating across multiple channels. 

The conversation centred on agility, learning from failure, and prioritising long-term brand equity over short-term results. The group discussed the need to test, learn, and adapt, particularly as Australian brands benchmark against more mature omnichannel markets like the UK and US. 

“The most successful brands are the ones who remain curious and connected to their shopper,” shared Nicole. “Omnichannel isn’t a destination, it’s a constant cycle of refinement.” 

The panel agreed that cross-functional collaboration is critical, as sales, marketing, and supply chain teams must align around the same commercial and customer goals. 

Cracking the code - technology, data & digital shelf success 

The second panel, moderated by Katrina Park, from Six Degrees Executive, explored how brands are using technology and data to drive connected shopper experiences. 

Panellists  Vera Skocic (TTI, Inc.), Will Wilson (SAP) and Amish Goel (Adairs Retail Group) discussed the intersection of data, technology, and people - and how success depends on more than the right systems. 

The key takeaways were: 

• Start with the problem, not the platform – ensure technology decisions serve a clear business objective. 

• Data is only powerful when it’s clean, ethical, and actionable. 

• Technology means nothing without capability. The people who use it determine its value. 

• Even if you don’t control the sale, like TTI’s Ryobi brand through Bunnings, you can still own the customer experience through smart data capture and content. 

“Balance foundational systems with flexibility to evolve,” shared Katrina. “The technology landscape will keep changing, so building capability and culture around adaptability is key.” 

Tradition Meets Transformation - Bega Group Fireside Chat 

Hosted by Maya Wettenhall, the fireside chat with Darryn Wallace and Carla Salsone, from Bega Group gave attendees a rare inside look at how a legacy brand is reshaping its future through digital capability. 

The conversation touched on Bega’s transformation journey - one that has seen online sales triple while building an internal culture of experimentation and continuous learning. 

“Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress, failure is just a data point,” Darryn and Carla shared. 

Their advice resonated across the audience - transformation doesn’t require perfection; it requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to learn along the way. 

Next-gen discoverability 

Moderated by Teresa Sperti, this panel brought together Gill Smythe (Salsify ANZ) and Kate Muslayah (Reece Group)  to explore how discoverability is evolving across platforms and channels. 

The discussion focused on how content, creativity, and context now shape the shopper journey. The rise of AI-driven search, social commerce, and user-generated content means that the path to purchase is increasingly fragmented - but full of opportunity for brands that tell authentic stories. 

Panellists agreed that successful digital content strategies rely on consistency and adaptability. The shopper journey doesn’t start with a product page anymore, it starts with storytelling, and relevance.

The session highlighted the growing importance of investing in creative capability alongside technology and data, ensuring brands remain discoverable in an ever-changing environment. 

Making retail media work 

The final panel of the day tackled one of the hottest topics in FMCG and retail — retail media. 

Moderated by Teresa Sperti, the panel featured Bridie Swatton (Coles 360), Melissa Polglase (David Jones) and Dan Ferguson  who explored how brands can measure, optimise, and invest effectively in retail media networks. 

The discussion uncovered both opportunity and challenge - while retail media offers powerful access to first-party data and closed-loop measurement, it also demands sophisticated capability and alignment across teams. 

“The cost of inaction is often greater than any tech debt,” one speaker noted - a reminder that waiting too long to invest can leave brands behind. 

Panellists discussed the growing need for shared frameworks, cross-functional alignment, and trusted retailer partnerships to ensure investment translates into performance. 

Closing reflections 

Closing the forum, Natalie Rogers, FMCG Marketing Practice Lead at Six Degrees Executive, brought the themes of the day together with authenticity and warmth. 

“The FMCG landscape is rapidly evolving, but the right people and culture remain key,” she said. “Curiosity and a growth mindset are what future-proof careers, teams, and businesses.” 

Natalie also reflected on the importance of genuine partnership, between brands, technology providers, and recruitment partners in shaping the future of work and capability across the sector. 

She closed by thanking all panellists, attendees, and sponsors SAP, Salsify ANZ, and MikMak  for their support in making the event a success, acknowledging the collaboration and care behind the scenes that made the day possible. 

Attendees described it as one of the most valuable industry forums of the year, praising the calibre of speakers, the depth of insight, and the practicality of the discussion. 

It reinforced our role as a connector of leaders, talent, and ideas, because winning on the digital shelf takes people - capable, curious, and connected to turn transformation into action. 

If you would like to speak to our team about hiring the right people to support your marketing, digital or eCommerce hiring strategy - please reach out below.