Chris Jensen departs Ibotta to take on Chief Commercial Officer role at retail tech firm Simbe

Simbe, a provider of store intelligence solutions, has appointed Chris Jensen as Chief Commercial Officer. 

He will oversee sales, strategy, business development, and customer experience, operations and support, with a view to driving Simbe’s next phase of expansion.

Jensen joins from performance marketing firm Ibotta, where, as CRO, he led a 250+ person team, helped drive its 2024 IPO, and grew revenue to $400 milion. Prior to that, as the Global Marketing Director at Whole Foods Market, he spearheaded digital initiatives that generated $300 million+ in incremental revenue.

In a LinkedIn post, he said: "I recently had the rare opportunity to take a meaningful sabbatical which gave me time to recharge, reflect, learn, play, grow a terrible beard, and most importantly, spend some precious time with my family. Now, after this restorative hiatus, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve joined Simbe."

He added: "I’ve followed Simbe for many years and have long admired their groundbreaking approach to addressing one of retail’s biggest challenges: lack of visibility into what's on the shelf (the linchpin of the supply chain). The ambition and talent of their team has always impressed me, and I knew that they were building something extraordinary."

"I couldn’t have joined at a better time. Simbe is at an inflection point, as the seeds they’ve planted are set to grow like bamboo in a rain forest, fueled by an industry leading product, an unparalleled team, surging market demand and an incredible group of investors and advisors, including Goldman Sachs, who recently led Simbe's Series C. The momentum is real, and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead."

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

In-store technology was a key focus area at the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering.