Michael is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Secure conference with leaders from The Gap and Kroger talking about violence in retail stores, keynotes on the state & future of retail in Orlando and Halifax, and at the 2023 Canadian GroceryConnex conference, hosting the CEOs of Walmart Canada, Longo's and Save-On-Foods Canada. Michael brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.

Michael also produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in North America, Remarkable Retail,
Canada's top retail industry podcast; the Voice of Retail; Canada's top food industry and the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor, with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.

Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail influencers for the fourth year in a row, Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer, and you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.

Available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state of the retail industry in Canada and the U.S., and the future of retail.

 

 

Founder & President

M. E. LeBlanc & Company Inc.

2017 - Present

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Senior Vice President, Marketing, Membership, Programs & Revenue

Retail Council of Canada

2014 - 2017

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Chief Marketing Officer of Portfolio Company (Herbal Magic)

TorQuest Partners Private Equity

2013

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Vice President, Marketing & Promotions

The Shopping Channel

2007 - 2013

 

General Manager, Shopping

CanWest Media

2005 - 2007

 

Director, eCommerce & CRM

Hudson's Bay Company

1998 - 2005

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Marketing Manager, Digital Media

Levi Strauss & Co

1997

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Marketing Manager, Consumer Power Tools & Outdoor

Black & Decker

1994 - 1997

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