Julia Knox
Saint Mary's University proudly welcomes Julia Knox, Chief Technology and Analytics Officer and Chief Privacy Officer at Empire Company Limited, as the new Chair of the Advisory Council for the David Sobey Retailing Centre. Julia brings outstanding leadership, extensive retail expertise, and a passion for driving innovation to the Centre’s strategic direction.
Julia recently visited campus, meeting with members of the Centre’s leadership team to discuss her new role as Chair and explore exciting opportunities for collaboration. She will connect with the full Advisory Council at the upcoming meeting on May 15. Her appointment reflects the Centre's strong confidence in her ability to inspire transformative change in retail innovation and research.
“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,” said Julia Knox. “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, Julia will also highlight the Centre’s thought leadership as a featured speaker at two high-profile events:
Atlantic AI Summit (May 1, 2025), hosted at Saint Mary's University, where she’ll explore how AI is revolutionizing retail.
Canadian Retail Collective Conference (May 7, 2025) in Toronto, joining an expert panel discussing AI and tech-driven innovation in retail. The Collective aims to bridge academic research and retail practice. It is led by the David Sobey Retailing Centre in partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University, McGill University, and the University of Alberta.
Julia’s extensive career includes senior leadership roles at Giant Tiger, where she drove success as Senior Vice President, E-Commerce and Chief Merchandising Officer, and strategic roles at H-E-B Grocery Company and Monitor Group in Toronto and New York.
"We are excited to have Julia Knox leading our Advisory Council,” said Dr. Ramesh Venkat, Director of the David Sobey Retailing Centre. “Her vision, experience, and energy are exactly what we need to advance our mission of shaping the future of retail, especially at such a pivotal time for the industry.”
Beyond her professional achievements, Julia is deeply committed to community impact: serving as past Chair of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, as a founding activator of Coralus (supporting women entrepreneurs), and as a member of GS1 Canada’s Board of Governors. She is an alumna of the Ivey Business School at Western University.
About the David Sobey Retailing Centre
The David Sobey Retailing Centre at Saint Mary's University drives retail innovation through impactful research, education, and collaboration—bringing academia and industry together to shape the retail future.