Linda Johansen-James

Linda Johansen-James is a globally recognized retail strategist, entrepreneur, and author, best known for transforming retail concepts into scalable, profitable realities. As the Founder and CEO of International Retail Group (IRG), she partners with brands, landlords, and developers to launch, grow, and optimize retail across pop-ups, automated retail, kiosks, and flagship stores worldwide.

With more than 26 years of retail leadership, Linda has successfully launched over 40 retail concepts and negotiated hundreds of leases across four countries, helping brands from startups to global leaders achieve measurable growth. Her expertise spans real estate strategy, experiential retail, operations, and customer experience, with a people-first approach that empowers teams and drives bottom-line success.

As Publisher of International Retail Magazine, Linda leads editorial strategy and partnerships that bring together over 100 global contributors and spotlight emerging trends, technologies, and thought leadership across the retail landscape. She is also the author of AI for Retail Success, a groundbreaking guide to implementing artificial intelligence in modern retail operations—bridging innovation with real-world execution.

Previously, Linda served as Co-Owner and CEO of American Kiosk Management (AKM), where she oversaw more than 600 staffed locations, 1,000 automated stores, and 1,800 employees across North America, Australia, and New Zealand—generating over $1.7 billion in revenue and serving millions of customers worldwide.

A Certified Leasing Specialist (CLS) and Certified Retail Executive (CRX), Linda has been named a Top Retail Expert by RETHINK Retail (2024 and 2025) and frequently appears as a Retail Expert on CBS Las Vegas Now. She is a keynote speaker, author, and mentor, known for her mantra that “bonding is the new branding.”

Through her creative venture, ImagineerShip, Linda continues to inspire the global retail community to reimagine the future of shopping—one customer connection at a time.