President & Chairman
Retail Institute Italia
Zanardi has over 35 years of experience in the retail and industrial manufacturing sectors, with a focus on business management, strategy, marketing, and operations. Throughout his professional career, he has worked for major multinationals (ie: Nielsen, Unilever, WPP etc).
A global citizen, he regularly attends 16 international trade fairs each year, allowing him to monitor retail dynamics in individual countries and cities. Curious and a researcher by nature, he explores the evolution of retail at every opportunity. This gives him a broader perspective, enabling him to understand the growing complexity that characterizes the sector, exploring areas that can influence corporate management, business strategy, and innovation.
Passionate about lifelong learning: 5 Master's degrees (Economics, Law, Psychology, Philosophy, Sports Organization and Management); 1 PhD in Economics with a specialization in Strategic Foresight. He also holds an MBA and a MIM (Master in Management).
He is a member of international think tanks on strategic foresight and futures studies. He is an Adjunct Professor of retail management and martech at the University of Milan-Bicocca, Partner of Beready Srl, President of the Retail Institute Italy, the leading Italian retail association, an industry think tank integrated into the EHI Retail Institute and the NRF. He regularly speaks at national and international conferences, universities, and business schools, contributing his vision and global and local approach to the sector. Top Retail Expert 2024, 2025, 2026, TopAi Expert 2026, Voice of Retail 2026 by NRF.
