Thinkers360
Interested in getting your own thought leader profile? Get Started Today.

Ricardo Belmar

Washington, DC, United States

With over 25 years of experience in the tech industry, Ricardo is a trusted advisor and influencer for retail and consumer goods organizations. Named a top retail industry influencer & expert each year since 2021 by RETHINK Retail, and a Top 10 Retail Influentials in 2021 by RIS News, Ricardo is currently leading partner go-to-market for retail & consumer goods at Microsoft. In this role he enables and empowers Microsoft's retail tech partners to grow and thrive in the dynamic and competitive retail market. He leverages his deep industry knowledge, strategic vision, and integrated marketing skills to create and execute impactful campaigns, programs, and investments across the partner go-to-market lifecycle, ultimately helping partner organizations serve their customers.

Ricardo is also the founder and podcast producer of The Retail Razor, a media and advisory podcast platform that cuts through the clutter in retail and retail technology. He shares his insights and perspectives on the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the retail sector, and advises retailers and retail tech solution providers on how to build and scale transformational customer experiences and business operations. He is a member of several retail industry advisory councils, a featured panelist at RetailWire, and a contributor to many industry publications. He is passionate about helping retail and tech executives innovate and develop their leadership skills to succeed in the digital era.

Ricardo has previously held product marketing and product management leadership roles developing and marketing managed services to retailers, restaurant operators, supply chain companies, and established go-to-market strategies and branding for technology solution providers.

As a frequent contributor to blogs, podcasts, and publications in the retail, payments, and enterprise software industries, Ricardo has been published by RetailWire, RETHINK Retail, Retail Customer Experience, Mobile Payments Today, RIS News, Retail TouchPoints, The ICX Association, The Fast Mode, and Digitalisation World. Published topics include retail digital transformation, retail in-store experience, omnichannel retailing, future of shopping, mobile payments, and the impact of enterprise infrastructure on customer experience and employee productivity. Ricardo is regularly quoted in Forbes.com, Retail Dive, The Motley Fool, & other publications.

Ricardo also devotes his time as a strong supporter of the RetailROI charity organization that seeks to help children in need worldwide.

Ricardo Belmar Points
Academic 0
Author 279
Influencer 19
Speaker 12
Entrepreneur 0
Total 310

Points based upon Thinkers360 patent-pending algorithm.

Thought Leader Profile

Portfolio Mix

Company Information

Areas of Expertise

Agentic AI 30.14
AGI 49.09
AI 30.12
Business Strategy 30.62
Careers 35.18
Cloud 30.30
Customer Experience
Customer Loyalty
Digital Disruption
Digital Transformation 32.94
Innovation
IoT
Leadership 30.41
Management 39.84
Marketing 30.26
Public Relations
Retail 51.09
Social
Supply Chain
Sustainability
Transformation 30.91

Industry Experience

Consumer Products
Hospitality
Media
Retail
Wholesale Distribution

Publications

93 Podcasts
Beyond the Cart: How SHEIN is Rewriting Retail’s Marketplace Rulebook, with George Chang
Import from wordpress feed
August 06, 2025
S5:E6 SHEIN’s Marketplace Evolution - A Conversation with George Chang, GM & Head of SHEIN MarketplaceIn this episode, we explore how SHEIN is reengineering what marketplace success looks like in the U.S., how loyalty is evolving post-2020, and why SHEIN’s unique approach to seller partnersh

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Management, Retail

Inside Naturepedic: A Conversation with Arin Schultz on Innovation & Sustainability
Import from wordpress feed
July 25, 2025
S5:E5 Leading with Values: How Naturepedic Builds a Better Brand, with Arin SchultzWhat does it take to lead growth at the forefront of a movement for safer, healthier sleep? In this episode of The Retail Razor Show, we sit down with Arin Schultz, Chief Growth Officer at Naturepedic, a pioneering

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Management, Retail

Leading with Positivity: April Sabral's Retail Revolution
Import from wordpress feed
July 14, 2025
S1E1- Transforming Retail: April Sabral on Mindset and AI Welcome to the first episode of The Retail Razor: Retail Transformers podcast! Hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden dive into candid conversations with top innovators, change-makers, and disruptors in the retail industry. In this episod

See publication

Tags: Careers, Retail, Transformation

Breaking Barriers: Retail Women in Tech
Import from wordpress feed
July 03, 2025
S5:E4 Empowering Women in Retail Tech: A New Era of LeadershipIn Season Five, Episode Four of The Retail Razor Show, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden engage in a captivating conversation with Shannon Flanagan, a seasoned retail leader and founder of Retail Women in Tech (RWIT). Shannon s

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Management, Retail

Season 1 Trailer - Beyond the Buzz: Spotlighting Real Change Makers in Retail
Import from wordpress feed
June 16, 2025
S1 Trailer - Insider’s Guide to the Visionaries Shaping the Future of Retail In this trailer for The Retail Razor: Retail Transformers, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden introduce our new podcast series, part of The Retail Razor Podcast Network, focused on the individuals driving real tra

See publication

Tags: Careers, Retail, Transformation

Unlocking Human Pride: Thriving in the Age of AI
Import from wordpress feed
May 14, 2025
S5:E3 From Retail Pride to Human Pride: Navigating Leadership and Connection with Ron ThurstonIn this episode, Ron Thurston returns to discuss his new book 'Human Pride' and its themes of optimizing human potential in a world increasing its reliance on technology and AI. The conversation t

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Management, Retail

The New Playbook for Digital Marketing
Import from wordpress feed
April 24, 2025
S5:E2 Influencers, Gen Z, & Beyond Social Commerce: Lessons from AliExpress with Chris CarlWelcome to the second episode of Season 5 of the Retail Razor Show! Join hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden as they dive into the fresh tactics and cutting-edge strategies that are driving the future of

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Management, Retail

Transforming Retail Media into a Growth Engine
Import from wordpress feed
April 10, 2025
S5:E1 Unleashing Retail Media's Potential: A Conversation with Drew CashmoreWelcome to Season 5 of the Retail Razor Show! In our premiere episode, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden dive deep into retail media with special guest Drew Cashmore, Chief Strategy Officer at Vantage and a pionee

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Management, Retail

Retail Insights Unveiled: Maximizing Store Team Potential
Import from wordpress feed
March 13, 2025
S1:E6 The Power of Knowledgeable Store Teams In the final episode to Season 1 of the Retail Razor: Data Blades, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden welcome Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating. Georgina discusses the significant impact well-informed store teams have on retail performance. Highli

See publication

Tags: Business Strategy, Marketing, Retail

Season 5 Trailer - Retail Revolution: AI, Media, and Human Connection
Import from wordpress feed
March 12, 2025
S5 Trailer - Retail's Next Chapter: AI and Media Meet HumanityJoin hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden in Season Five of The Retail Razor Show as they explore the intersection of AI, media, and human connection in retail. This season will examine the power of AI-powered personalization, retail

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Management, Retail

Shaping the Checkout Experience: The Power of Consumer Perception
Import from wordpress feed
March 10, 2025
S1:E5 Revolutionizing the Checkout: How Choice Impacts Purchase Behavior In this episode of the Retail Razor Show: Data Blades, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden are joined by Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating, to explore the essential role of consumer choice during the checkout experience.

See publication

Tags: Business Strategy, Marketing, Retail

Fast Lanes and Price Checks: Navigating Self-Checkout
Import from wordpress feed
March 06, 2025
S1:E4 Speed, Convenience, and Choices: Self-Checkout Perspectives In this episode of Retail Razor: Data Blades, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden are joined by Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating, to explore consumer sentiments on self-checkout systems. TruRating, known for gathering real-tim

See publication

Tags: Business Strategy, Marketing, Retail

Aligning with Values: Key Strategies for Retail Success
Import from wordpress feed
March 03, 2025
S1:E3 Beyond Price: How Consumer Values Drive Retail Loyalty In this episode of Retail Razor Data Blades, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden chat with Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating, about critical consumer insights and the importance of aligning retail strategies with customer values. Ge

See publication

Tags: Business Strategy, Marketing, Retail

Navigating the Price Surge: Shifting Shopping Habits
Import from wordpress feed
February 27, 2025
S1:E2 Economic Waves: How Price Hikes Transform Shopping Trends Welcome to another Retail Razor: Data Blades episode, where we discuss how rising prices are affecting shopper behavior with Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating. Georgina shares data showing significant consumer insights: 63% of U.S.

See publication

Tags: Business Strategy, Marketing, Retail

Inflation's Uneven Impact Across Age Groups
Import from wordpress feed
February 23, 2025
S1:E1 Retail Intelligence: Understanding Inflation's Differing Impact Welcome to the Retail Razor Podcast Network's latest show, Data Blades! In this debut episode, we explore how inflation impacts different consumer demographics. Featuring Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating, we uncover insights

See publication

Tags: Business Strategy, Marketing, Retail

Cutting Through the Clutter: Retail Razor's Season Four Finale
Import from wordpress feed
January 31, 2025
S4:E10 On the Razor's Edge: The Season Four Final CutIn the season four grand finale of the Retail Razor Show, guest host J.P. Kamel, managing director of RFID Sherpas, takes over to interview our regular hosts, Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden. This episode first reviews the top 10 retail pred

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Management, Retail

Reimagining Department Stores: Nostalgia Meets Innovation
Import from wordpress feed
December 31, 2024
S4:E9 Department Stores 2.0: Building Experiences for TomorrowIn this episode, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden bring back the original Retail Avengers team for a highly anticipated reunion. What discussion could bring the team back together again? The current struggles and future opportunity f

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Management, Retail

Unlocking Retail: AI, Ethics, and the Future of Commerce
Import from wordpress feed
December 18, 2024
S4:E8 Navigating Responsible AI in Retail: Trust in a Digital WorldIn this episode of the Retail Razor Show, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden dive deep into the ethical implications of AI and commerce technology in the retail industry. They reflect on past discussions about AI innovations and t

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Management, Retail

From Frontline to C-Suite: Effective Communication Strategies with Ron Thurston
Import from wordpress feed
December 06, 2024
S1:E9 Bridging the Gap: Communication from Floor to Corporate with. Ron ThurstonIn this episode, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden speak with Ron Thurston, co-founder of Ossy and author of 'Retail Pride'. Thurston shares his wisdom on essential skills for retail executives and discusses empathet

See publication

Tags: Careers, Leadership, Retail

The Negativity Detox - Retail Leadership with April Sabral
Import from wordpress feed
December 04, 2024
S1:E8 Cutting Out Negativity - Insights from April SabralIn this episode, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden welcome April Sabral, founder of retailu.ca and author of 'The Positive Effect' and 'Incurable Positivity.' April shares her insights on the importance of maintaining a positive outlook in

See publication

Tags: Careers, Leadership, Retail

Retail Leadership: Crafting a Positive and Productive Culture with April Sabral
Import from wordpress feed
December 02, 2024
S1:E7 Cultivating Excellence: Positive Culture in Retail Leadership with April SabralHosts Ricardo & Casey speak with April Sabral, founder of retailu.ca & author of 'The Positive Effect' & 'Incurable Positivity.' With three decades of experience leading retail brands, April shares valua

See publication

Tags: Careers, Leadership, Retail

Converting Customer Insights to Action Through Smart Fitting Rooms
Import from wordpress feed
November 27, 2024
S4:E7 How Smart Fitting Rooms’ Data Insights Transform Store Operations & Shopper ConversionHosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden dive into the transformative potential of smart fitting rooms in the fashion and apparel industry. Joined by Matthew Cyr, founder and CEO of Crave Retail, the dis

See publication

Tags: Digital Transformation, Management, Retail

Cultivating Career Growth in Retail with Ron Thurston
Import from wordpress feed
November 22, 2024
S1:E6 Career Advancement Strategies in Retail: Insights from Ron ThurstonRicardo & Casey welcome Ron Thurston, co-founder of Ossy & author of 'Retail Pride,' to discuss fostering a career development culture within retail. Ron shares his experiences & insights on mentorship & career

See publication

Tags: Careers, Leadership, Retail

Unlocking Retail Leadership: Fostering Intrapreneurship with Jeffrey P. McNulty
Import from wordpress feed
November 20, 2024
S1:E5 Empowering Retail Leaders Through Intrapreneurship - Insights from Jeffrey P. McNultyIn this fifth episode of the Retail Razor show 'Blade to Greatness,' hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden speak with Jeffrey P. McNulty, founder and CEO of New Retail Ethos.. Jeffrey shares insights from his

See publication

Tags: Careers, Leadership, Retail

Revolutionizing Retail Hiring: Insights from Ron Thurston
Import from wordpress feed
November 18, 2024
S1:E4 How to Hire the Right Person in Retail with Ron ThurstonJoin hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden on the fourth episode of the Retail Razor: Blade to Greatness. This episode features a discussion with retail industry expert Ron Thurston, co-founder of Ossy and author of 'Retail Pride.' Ron sh

See publication

Tags: Careers, Leadership, Retail

2 Speaking Engagements
Examining the evolution of digital signage
Digital Signage Today
March 24, 2025
In this episode of the Digital Signage Today podcast, Judy Mottl talks with Ricardo Belmar, director partner marketing for retail and consumer goods at Microsoft.

In this role, Belmar helps Microsoft Cloud for Retail partners grow their business by delivering cloud-based AI solutions and services to retailers and consumer goods brands, solving their business challenges in supply chain, store operations, and elevating the shopper journey. He is also the podcast producer and host of The Retail Razor Podcast Network series of podcasts helping retailers cut through the clutter in retail trends and retail technology.

Belmar has over two decades of experience leading retail tech marketing and product teams to help retail organizations deliver elevated customer experiences and optimize their operations using technology including digital signage and shares his insights on big innovations and where digital signage is heading in the next decade.

See publication

Tags: AI, Cloud, Retail

NRF 2025: Full AiR Conference Recap!
RETHINK Retail
February 04, 2025
Missed the AIR (AI in Retail) Conference at NRF 2025?

Now’s your chance to catch the full recap of this game-changing event, where retail’s top AI leaders revealed how intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and generative AI are transforming the industry.

Powering the conversation:

Gina Ayala Claxton & Shanthi Rajagopalan – Microsoft
Bryan Amaral – Clientricity, LLC
Andrew Sun – NVIDIA
Yael Kochman – buywith
Matt Redwood – Diebold Nixdorf
Barry McGeough – AmeriCo. Group
Manish Choudhary – SymphonyAI
Bridget Shea – Typeface
Arnold Leap – 1800flowers/Conroy’s
Remzi Ural – PwC
Ricardo Belmar - Microsoft & Retail Cloud Alliance

From AI-driven customer engagement to real-time operational intelligence, these experts revealed what’s next for unified commerce, personalization, and digital transformation.

See publication

Tags: AI, Cloud, Retail

2 Videos
Highlights from the Retail Cloud Alliance at Shoptalk 2025!
RETHINK Retail
April 02, 2025
At Shoptalk 2025, Microsoft, Logicbroker, and Kyndryl joined the Retail Cloud Alliance to talk about the biggest shifts in retail:

AI moving from hype to real implementation
How tariffs are impacting retail strategies
The challenge of balancing innovation with legacy systems

See publication

Tags: AGI, Cloud, Retail

Shoptalk 2025 Recap: AI, E-Commerce, and the Future of Retail
RETHINK Retail
March 31, 2025
The retail industry is evolving faster than ever, and Shoptalk 2025 showcased the biggest innovations driving change. In this exclusive RETHINK Retail recap, we dive into key conversations around:

Gen AI vs. Generative AI – The new frontier in automation and personalization
Tariffs & the Global Economy – How retailers are navigating new challenges
Tech Stack Optimization – Reducing complexity while maximizing ROI
Omnichannel Growth – From social commerce to in-store experiences

Hear from top industry leaders including Brandon Rael at Kyndryl, Steve Norris at Logicbroker, Tom Griffin at Passport Global, Rehman Baig at Flexfactor, Ricardo Belmar at Microsoft, and more as they share insights on where retail is headed next.

See publication

Tags: Agentic AI, AI, Retail

Thinkers360 Credentials

7 Badges

Radar

Blog

Opportunities

Contact Ricardo Belmar

Book a Video Meeting

Media Kit

Share Profile

Contact Info

  Profile

Ricardo Belmar


Latest Activity

Upcoming Member Events

Search
How do I climb the Thinkers360 thought leadership leaderboards?
What enterprise services are offered by Thinkers360?
How can I run a B2B Influencer Marketing campaign on Thinkers360?