Career Reinvention in the Wake of Mergers

Welcome to this week’s EVOLVE Dispatch

In this edition:

1. The Snacks Industry Is Consolidating
   What Mars’s acquisition of Kellanova can teach the EVOLVE members about strategic partnerships and being nimble

2. Community Round-up
   Rogerio Nicolai, head of Pinterest in Brazil, joined our expert session and
   Voices Middle East on Fire, Mayssa, released two episodes

3. The Week Ahead
   This week’s expert sessions

   Luke Hilton - Marketplace Mastery

   Jessika Ödling - Why Search & Personalisation Is Going To Change in Global Commerce

Markets & Perspective

Acquisitions Mean Career Reinvention

Mars Inc. has announced its acquisition of Kellanova for $35.9 billion, adding iconic snack brands like Pringles, Cheez-It, and RXBAR to its portfolio. This move aims to strengthen Mars's position in the global snacking market and diversify its offerings beyond confectionery. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2025, pending regulatory approvals

Key Factors

• Diversification and Scale: By integrating Kellanova's portfolio, Mars aims to diversify its product offerings and achieve greater scale in the snacking market. This expansion allows Mars to leverage operational efficiencies and negotiate better terms with retailers, enhancing its competitive edge.
  

• Health-Conscious Consumer Trends: The acquisition includes brands like RXBar and MorningStar Farms, aligning with the growing consumer demand for healthier snack options. Mars's investment in these brands reflects a strategic shift towards meeting the "permissible indulgence" criteria, where snacks are both enjoyable and nutritious
  

• Global Market Expansion: Kellanova's established presence in emerging markets such as Africa and Latin America provides Mars with an opportunity to tap into these high-growth regions, expanding its global footprint and driving future growth

Challenges and Considerations:

• Market Consolidation: The merger increases Mars's market share in the snacking industry, which may raise concerns about reduced competition and potential price increases. Critics argue that such consolidation could limit consumer choices and hinder innovation.

Why does this matter to EVOLVE

Mars's acquisition of Kellanova illustrates a “traditional approach” to scaling operations through consolidation.

EVOLVE advocates for building networks that empower local communities and foster innovation from the ground up. More importantly, industry consolidation, as exemplified by Mars's acquisition of Kellanova, often leads to significant organisational restructuring, which invariably will lead to job loss. But this means a unique opportunity to proactively design and manage your life and career trajectory.

EVOLVE serves as a global ecosystem that empowers individuals to:

• Redesign Careers: Leverage the community to explore new career paths and opportunities.

• Build Strategic Relationships: Connect with senior talent and industry leaders to gain insights and mentorship.

• Capitalise on Knowledge: Share and monetise expertise within a supportive network.

📍 EVOLVE in Hamburg: OMR 2025 & VTEX Activation

This week, the EVOLVE team attended the Online Marketing Rockstars (OMR) Festival in Hamburg, engaging with industry leaders and exploring the latest trends in digital commerce. In collaboration with our partner VTEX, we activated a dynamic presence at the event, forged new partnerships and had new members join our club.

At this year's OMR Festival in Hamburg, Mariano Gomide de Faria, Co-founder of VTEX, sat down with Greg Swimer, CTO of City Football Group (CFG), to discuss the future of digital commerce and fan engagement. Their conversation highlighted several key insights:

• The Evolution of User Interfaces: Greg emphasised that the traditional user interface is becoming obsolete. The future of commerce lies in prompt-based interactions, where users engage with systems through natural language and intuitive prompts, eliminating the need for buttons and menus.

• AI Integration Without Capital Expenditure: Mariano pointed out that AI technologies are no longer exclusive to large enterprises with significant capital. Brands can now seamlessly integrate best-in-class AI tools into their operations without substantial upfront investment, democratizing access to advanced technologies.

• Outcome-Oriented Innovation: Both leaders agreed that true innovation is measured by the outcomes it delivers, not just the features it introduces. It's about creating meaningful experiences and tangible results for users and businesses alike.

• Performance Mindset in Retail: Drawing parallels with sports, Greg highlighted that success in retail, much like in football, requires a performance-driven culture. Teams, whether on the field or in business, must continuously show up, improve, and deliver consistently.

• Seamless and Simple Commerce: Looking ahead, the future of commerce is envisioned as seamless, fast, and radically simple. Brands that can anticipate and meet customer needs effortlessly will lead the way.

I've had the privilege of interviewing several incredible leaders across various sectors.

One of the standout conversations was with Ben Harmanaus, who leads the Media Ecosystem at HubSpot.

He shared fascinating insights into HubSpot’s transformation from relying heavily on SEO, once a key acquisition channel, to becoming a dynamic Media Ecosystem.

Ben discussed how HubSpot leverages its proprietary media channels to remain relevant to customers, partners, and its broader ecosystem.

OMR is Europe’s premier digital marketing event, where more than 70,000 attendees, 800+ speakers, and 1,000 exhibitors gather.

The event covered key trends and themes, including AI-supported campaigns, marketing automation, and the evolution of SEO in the age of AI-driven search experiences.

3. Community Round-up

Expert Session #57 Rogerio Nicolai - Country Head- Pinterest Brazil

EVOLVE hosted an exclusive session with Rogerio Nicolai, Head of Pinterest Brazil. We delved into the evolution of Pinterest, exploring its role as a major discovery channel for brands.

Key takeaways

• Brazil's Strategic Importance: Pinterest has reached 570 million monthly active users globally, with Brazil emerging as its second-largest market, boasting over 40 million users.

• Shift to Intent-Driven Commerce: Pinterest is evolving from a visual inspiration platform to an intent-driven commerce engine, catering to users who arrive with specific plans—what to buy, where to go, and what to try.

• AI-Enhanced Discovery: The platform leverages AI, including Visual Language Models, to enhance content discovery without compromising privacy or authenticity.

• Engaging Gen Z Users: An increasing number of Gen Z users in Brazil are turning to Pinterest to plan projects and ideas, presenting brands with opportunities to engage them early in their decision-making journey.

• Key Discovery Channel for Shein: Pinterest has become Shein’s second-largest discovery channel in Brazil, highlighting the platform's effectiveness in driving product discovery when content aligns with user intent.

EVOLVE Voices #23: Oman’s Global Invitation: The Man behind the Nation’s Convention Vision

From tech to tourism, and now at the helm of Oman’s premier Convention Centre, Said Al Shanfari is redefining leadership in the region. In this episode, we explore his journey, his vision for positioning Oman as a global events destination, and what it takes to lead with purpose and impact across industries. A must-listen for anyone curious about leadership, legacy, and the future of Oman.

Fadi Abi Nader, Vice President of One Demand for Global Emerging Markets at Mars Wrigley, oversees marketing, sales, digital commerce, and data across 140+ markets. Fadi shares powerful insights on leading across diverse regions, building high-performance teams, and driving sustainable growth in the ever-evolving world of consumer goods. A must-watch for anyone passionate about global leadership, innovation, and purposeful growth.

4. The Week Ahead

We’re hosting two expert sessions and our monthly meeting for our exclusive members

📍 Wednesday – ES#58- We are hosting an expert session with Luke Hilton, Marketplacer VP of Sales Engineering. We'll delve into the rapid expansion of online marketplaces globally. Discover how platforms are leveraging third-party sellers, dropshipping, and recurring revenue models to scale efficiently. We'll explore regional growth trends, particularly in Europe and Latin America, and discuss strategies for businesses to capitalise on this marketplace momentum.

📍 Thursday – ES#59- In this expert session, we dive into how AI-driven discovery is reshaping the way users engage with content and products online. Led by Jessika Odling, we’ll explore how leveraging artificial intelligence for personalisation and user intent can enhance user experience, boost engagement, and drive smarter business outcomes. Gain insights into the future of AI in commerce and how it’s transforming digital discovery for brands and consumers alike.

Time to EVOLVE

Keep the conversation going in our WhatsApp group and exclusive Mighty Networks community—that’s where real connections happen.

Make sure to follow our newsletter, where we highlight what’s shaping our club. In the coming months, we’ll be announcing new partnerships, events, meetups, and the opportunities our members are creating together.

Interested in partnering with EVOLVE? Reach out at [email protected] or [email protected].

We don’t need more content—we need better ways to connect humans.

The future is bright. Let’s build it together.

#EVOLVE