Melissa Gonzalez

Principale, MG2 & Fondatrice à MG2 Advisory

Conférencier

Award winning retail strategist Melissa Gonzalez is a principal at the global design and architecture firm MG2 and founded MG2 Advisory. Drawing from her success as a Wall Street executive and a seasoned entrepreneur who has worked side-by-side with some of the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer companies, she advises brands and retailers on how to leverage forward-thinking consumer insights with innovative strategy from concept through implementation and has advanced the industry through her work in experiential design.

Continually pushing the boundaries of experiential retail, she has pioneered the integration of physical environments and cutting-edge technologies, helping companies including established brands such as Nordstrom and Victoria's Secret, and digital-first natives such as Good American and Kizik.

Gonzalez authored the Pop-up Paradigm: How Brands Build Human Connections in a Digital Age, heralding a wave of pop-ups for luxury and specialty, long-lease and weekend drops. New York Business Journal named her one of “10 New York Executives to Watch in 2023,” Path to Purchase Institute included her among their 2023 Women of Excellence Winners, and Women's Wear Daily (WWD) called her one of "25 Most Influential Women Leaders of 2022.”

A sought-after speaker, Gonzalez has presented at SXSW, Shoptalk, Shoptalk Europe, Future Forward, World Retail Congress, NRF’s Retail’s Big Show, Retail Innovation Conference and Expo, and Vogue Business Summit. In 2024 she was the keynote speaker for the 21st Annual Retail Congress in Peru. Because of her broad scope and deep expertise, she is frequently tapped to be the moderator for prestigious brand panels or one-on-one conversations, such as her conversation with Birdies CEO Bianca Gates for the Women in Retail Leadership Circle.