Kate Ancketill

Kate Ancketill analyses and speaks on key shifts in consumer expectations, retail, and technology in the light of social and technological change. Her findings show businesses where to adapt and innovate and where to best invest resources. Kate explores tomorrow’s retail behaviours including online shopping, café culture, the latest developments in AI, GPS information and the rise of ‘on-demand’ operators. Kate speaks on the future of consumer-facing AI for retail, brands and experiences – addressing physical and digital commerce, and everything in between.

Kate says: ‘We all know our economy, our jobs, the way we search, shop, and explore the world around us is changing faster than most people felt possible. There are going to be winners and losers, adopters and avoiders. Without utopianism, dystopianism or techie jargon, I explore how consumers are changing in the AI era. What will Gen Z expect from brands and experiences? How should we balance the opportunity for optimised personalisation, empathic customer service and agentic efficiency against the desire for authentic, human creativity and imperfection?’

Kate previously worked for Amnesty International before becoming the inspirational owner of GDR Creative Intelligence in 2000. She works now with an impressive roster of brands including Microsoft, Coca-Cola, P&G, Hilton, LVMH, Capital One, Macy’s, Tesco and Sephora. She steered the company’s work towards research into innovation in design, experiential marketing, technology, new media, packaging and service within the brand, retail and hospitality sectors using case studies either discovered by GDRs’ expert research team or honed over 22 years’ experience.

‘Meaningful innovation often starts with inspiration from unexpected places,’ says Ancketill. ‘I love to show how taking a concept from one sector, tweaking it and applying it to another can lead to world-beating bottom line success.’ In addition to the publication of quarterly Global Innovation Reports, GDR undertakes custom research and consults on mid-term (five year) future scenarios. Dynamic and commercial, Kate has won the Jennifer d’Abo Memorial Scholarship for female entrepreneurs, and was named as one of the Top 100 in the Courvoisier Future 500.

Kate’s presentations combine the inspirational with the highly practical. Her audiences take away concrete action points for future-proofing their business, a broad perspective on priorities for investment and technology, and minds fizzing with stimulating and challenging concepts and possibilities.