Empire’s Julia Knox named chair of SMU’s David Sobey Retailing Centre advisory council

Saint Mary's University in Halifax has announced Empire Company Ltd.’s Julia Knox as the new chair of the advisory council for the David Sobey Retailing Centre.

Knox, Empire’s chief technology and analytics officer, and chief privacy officer, will connect with the full advisory council at a meeting on May 15.

“I am honoured to take on this role with the David Sobey Retailing Centre and excited to help shape the future of retail alongside such a talented, forward-thinking group,” Knox said in a press release. “As retail evolves at a rapid pace, the centre is uniquely positioned to drive real change by bridging academic insight and industry practice. I am especially passionate about helping the next generation of retail leaders build the skills, tools, and confidence they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving industry.”

In her new role, Knox is scheduled to speak at two upcoming events: the Atlantic AI Summit (May 1) and Canadian Retail Collective Conference (May 7).

Prior to joining Empire, Knox served as SVP, e-commerce and chief merchandising officer, for Giant Tiger, in addition to holding strategic roles at H-E-B Grocery Company and Monitor Group in Toronto and New York.

She is also one of Canadian Grocer's 2023 Star Women in Grocery Award winners.