B&Q has appointed Laura Karsunky as its new director of retail media, in a move intended to overhaul its appeal to customers and expand its brand image.

Karsunky brings two decades of experience in sales to the role, having spent almost a decade in senior positions at Amazon prior to taking on the new position.

Most recently, she worked for three years as head of global growth sales for the UK at the retail giant, during which time she oversaw a 29 per cent uplift in year-on-year revenue and a 38 per cent increase in productivity.

Before this, Karsunky worked in numerous roles at Amazon Deutschland, including senior growth sales lead for the EU and manager associate account executives.

In a post on LinkedIn, Karsunky said that she had decided to take a break from work to travel after leaving Amazon, giving her time to carefully consider the right next role.

“One thing that really stood out throughout the interview process was the people,” she said. “Every conversation left me thinking I'd genuinely like to work with these people and that's not something I say lightly. After my first day, I'm happy to say that first impression was absolutely right. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming, generous with their time, and keen to help me settle in.”

"Retail Media is a key strategic priority for B&Q, helping us deliver more relevant experiences for customers while creating greater value for our supplier and brand partners,” said Virginia Wakefield, ecommerce director at B&Q.

“Laura's appointment comes at an important time as we continue to evolve our proposition, and her extensive experience will be instrumental in shaping the next stage of our growth. I'm delighted to welcome Laura to the team and look forward to seeing the impact she'll make."

In recent months, B&Q has expanded its standalone TradePoint store estate, including a new dedicated site for the brand in Barking.

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