Kim Ludlow is the Head of EMEA at Moloco, and has had a milestone-packed career with leadership roles across organisations like Tesco, MySupermarket, CitrusAd and Microsoft, with more than a few “firsts” to her name.
She lays out for Retail Media Age how she was ‘found’ by retail media and came to work in the space before it had a name, as well as the career experience that shaped how she approaches retail media. She also reflects on the importance of lifting up budding talent – and who in the industry has in turn most inspired her.
What is your role and what does it entail?
I lead Retail and Commerce Media across Europe at Moloco, working closely with retailers to scale their on-site media in a way that improves the shopping experience and delivers measurable results.
In essence, we help retailers turn customer insight into better product discovery. This means helping them put the right product in front of the right customer at the right time, so ads feel useful in the moment rather than ‘bolted on.’
AI is crucial for this as it enables brands to make decisions based on customer intent and context – and Moloco Commerce Media is built on deep machine learning foundations that make this possible at scale. I’m excited to play a hands-on role in the next phase of retail media that is creating a more level playing field for brands of every size.
How did you first become interested in retail media and move into it?
I prefer to say retail media found me – and it was long before it even had a name!
I entered the job market at 16 through a youth training scheme, and an early sales role showed me that curiosity and tenacity can open doors quickly. From there, my career was marked by a lot of “firsts”, like working at iVillage, the first dedicated women’s website in the UK at a time when the very idea of women using technology still needed explaining.
That was in 2000. When iVillage was fully acquired by Tesco.com, I became Tesco’s first Head of Retail Media, and I was able to grow my team of one into a team of 25.
I then spent nine years at MySupermarket, which was the first version of “retail media” as I see it. It did something no site had done before: it unlocked shopper insight by revealing how people really behave when they shop. We’d always known that grocery shoppers move with intent, but suddenly we could see the connections in the data, such as red wine over-indexing (appearing far more often than expected) alongside nappy purchases!
That experience shaped how I think about retail media as part of the customer journey.
What most excites you about the industry today and what might happen next in retail media?
What excites me most is that the technology has finally caught up with the ambition of retailers.
Many retailers built their media businesses around keywords or placement type, and a lot of retailers are now hitting a ceiling because everyone competes for the same terms. This is where AI is now changing the game, enabling retail media to respond to what customers actually want in that moment, based on intent and context. That opens up a much more helpful kind of discovery.
The next phase looks much closer to the shift we have already seen in search, from rigid queries to natural, conversational interactions. Shoppers increasingly expect help that feels intuitive rather than intrusive.
I think we will see retail media evolve into something more like a personal shopping assistant: stepping in when guidance is welcome and staying out of the way when the customer knows exactly what they want.
Who is your biggest inspiration in the retail media sector and why?
If I can only name one person, it has to be Alice Anson, Director of Digital Media at Nectar360, overseeing Sainsbury’s and Argos’ retail media strategy. Alice inspires me because she supports people and she speaks her mind with clarity and warmth. She shows that women can be kind, direct and assertive at the same time, and she uses her voice to push the industry forward.
She also leans into new technology and looks beyond her own organisation, which matters in an ecosystem as interconnected as retail media. I value leaders who build progress through collaboration rather than ego, and Alice does that consistently.
What one retail media campaign or strategy that you’ve been involved in are you most proud of?
One campaign that stands out happened in my early days at Tesco.com, back in 2002. We partnered with Vauxhall to showcase its MPV range and connect it to a “family days out” content theme – building a story that enhanced the aspect of the “perfect family vehicle” with great snacks for all the family. That was a first for Tesco.com!
Singular campaigns aside, I am proudest of building teams and businesses. Throughout my career, I have often been the first person in the role and have grown teams from the ground up. There is a lot of talk about a lack of talent in the industry, and my antidote has always been to share my knowledge and give people the opportunity to build experience.
I am proud when I see people I have worked with grow in confidence, take on more responsibility and progress in their careers. That focus on people has been constant across my work, both inside my organisation and outside of it.
As an Ambassador for Women in Retail Media, I use my experience to support others and help create more visibility and opportunity for women in the industry. All in all, helping people grow and giving them a voice is the most meaningful impact I can have.
With a number of previous hires, now leading organisations across retail and in FMCG, it’s rewarding to see young talent blossom into senior roles across the industry.
Read more profiles of leaders in retail media in our My Road to Retail Media series.
