Zitcha has appointed Debra Berman and Jonathan Waecker to senior advisor positions as the Australian retail media platform continues its global expansion.
Berman and Waecker bring their extensive international expertise across retail, media, consumer goods, marketing, and technology to support Zitcha’s rapid expansion into the US and other key markets, driving Zitcha’s mission to build a world-class adaptive retail media platform that works for the total retail business, from marketers to merchants.
Berman was the former chief marketing officer for Yahoo and JCPenney, where, under her leadership, the retailer’s customer base and brand health were restored. She also led account planning for Kraft Foods, focusing on brand planning across the global portfolio. She has held roles in advertising, brand strategy, and management consulting.
A former board director for the Association of National Advertisers, Berman’s career started in media planning, and she has toggled between retail, tech and CPG, enabling a perspective for value creation across the many stakeholders of a successful retail media network and enabling Zitcha’s differentiation.
Waecker has nearly two decades of global marketing and retail experience, holding senior marketing and global executive roles at Yahoo, The Walt Disney Company, Zynga and most recently at The Warehouse Group, New Zealand’s largest retail group, where he was chief customer and sales officer and successfully launched the group’s retail media network, Market Media.
Recognised for his leadership across the marketing, retail, eCommerce, and digital sectors, Waecker’s experience with retail ecosystems, data, and in-store operations will be instrumental as Zitcha continues to expand its footprint and amplify its presence across the US.
Troy Townsend, Zitcha CEO, said: “We are delighted to welcome Debra and Jonathan as senior advisors at this pivotal moment for Zitcha. Their combined expertise across global retail, media, and technology will be invaluable as we continue to address the evolving needs of retailers, including joint business planning and team integration, to rapidly scale our presence in the US and beyond.
“Debra’s strategic insights and transformational leadership in retail marketing, along with Jonathan’s proven ability to build successful retail media networks, will provide critical guidance as we continue to evolve our platform. Their experience will help ensure that Zitcha, which is built for retailers first, delivers exceptional value and enables them to connect their trade and marketing efforts to drive real results.”
Berman, said: “Joining the Zitcha team in an senior advisory capacity comes as retail media networks in the US, which have traditionally been focused on eCommerce, want to broaden their omnichannel offering.
“I’ve seen firsthand how critical it is to have a unified platform that bridges marketing and retail operations and Zitcha’s vision to create a solution aligns with the future direction of retail media. I look forward to working alongside Troy and the growing US team to leverage my experience and help guide the business through this competitive landscape.”
Waecker added: “Having worked alongside Zitcha for the launch of the Market Media retail media network, I’ve seen firsthand the outstanding results the Zitcha platform delivers for retailers across all categories.
“I couldn’t be more excited to bring my global passion and expertise across retail, marketing, and retail media together to support Troy and the entire Zitcha team as they push into their next phase of growth.”
Zitcha, which was developed as a retailer-first tech platform, recently announced A$15 million (US$10 million) in Series A funding, led by US investment firm VMG Partners, to accelerate growth in the booming North American retail media market.
Picture: (L to R) Debra Berman; Jack Byrne, co-founder and chief operating officer, Zitcha; Troy Townsend, co-founder and CEO, Zitcha; and Jonathan Waecker