Saundra Linn

Saundra is guided by the principle that putting the consumer first in decisions and in actions leads to better long-term results. She is a seasoned executive who is passionate about delivering business results through customer-led insight, science, and solutions. Her experience extends over two decades and spans verticals, including operations, merchandising, strategic planning and finance for major retailers and consultancies within North America.

Saundra is a managing partner of GEM Insight Consulting. GEM’s goal is to make analytics, that are now table-stakes in retail, accessible to companies of all shapes and sizes through a flexible delivery model that is cost effective without compromise. While holding data has become easier and less expensive, knowing how to create the right metrics and using them to make better decisions can be illusive. GEM works with global retailers and manufacturers to get value from the vast amount of data they are collecting. GEM has decades of experience helping retailers, like Kroger, Metro, Whole Foods, Ahold/ADUSA, Tesco, and Cardenas Markets, and major CPGs, including Unilever USA, Unilever Vietnam, and Unilever Taiwan, use data and insight to deliver better assortment, pricing, promotions and personalized content and offers. Clients also include data insight providers including EYC, Infoscout/Numerator, and Sertis. She has a long-term client relationship with SPINS, a data and technology firm for natural and wellness retailers and brands, where she was the interim Head of Retail in 2020.

Prior to GEM, Saundra was COO of dunnhumby Canada, SVP Retail for dunnhumby North America, and SVP Client Leadership at 84.51° and dunnhumbyUSA. In each of these roles, she led the development and execution of customer solutions for retailers and brands, including Whole Foods Market, Metro Inc., The Kroger Co., and CPGs, in merchandising, assortment, pricing, promotions, loyalty and store design.

Prior to her work at dunnhumby, Linn served as VP of Operations Strategy for FedEx Kinko’s where she delivered operational and quality improvements. She spent over a decade in executive positions at The Kroger Co. including Vice President of Merchandising for General Merchandise and Vice President of Operations in Kroger’s Atlanta division, Group Vice President of Retail Operations, and Director of Finance in The Kroger Co.’s corporate office.

Saundra holds a Master’s in Business Administration, with a specialization in Quantitative Analysis from the University of Cincinnati, and a Bachelor of Science from Purdue University.