The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Dora Cortinas, Enterprise Data & Analytics Expert & Neda Nia, Chief Product & Growth officer at Stibo Systems which empowers data-led businesses to create and deliver data transparency to their customers and partners. With a single, accurate view, companies can unlock the strategic value of their data by connecting, governing, enriching and syndicating it wherever it’s needed. This enables businesses to make informed decisions and achieve their goals of scale, scope and ambition. This episode is sponsored by Stibo Systems and was recorded at the Stibo Systems Connect 2026 conference in Austin, TX. Find Dora on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doracortinas Find Neda on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nedania Find Stibo Systems online at: https://www.stibosystems.com/ Dora & Neda answer these questions: Dora, what do you feel is the #1 data friction point or legacy bottleneck that most CPG C-suites are looking to solve right now?Neda, as Chief Growth Officer at Stibo Systems, you sit at the intersection of technology, platform innovation, and enterprise needs including global CPGs. Historically, brands managed product data in one tool, customer data in a CRM, and supplier data in an ERP. Why is the shift toward a unified, multi-domain data foundation—connecting product, customer, and supplier domains—becoming the non-negotiable substrate for CPG enterprise transformation?Looking back at your journey at your prior employer, what was the specific operational tipping point or business bottleneck that convinced leadership that master data management had to become an enterprise strategic priority, rather than just a back-office IT project?For a massive CPG portfolio, trusted data has to deliver measurable ROI—whether that’s faster time-to-shelf, operational efficiency, or retailer satisfaction. Dora, where have you seen the most tangible business value from your data transformation? And Neda, how are you seeing other global CPGs quantify that same ROI?In your conversations with enterprise customers, a common theme is breaking away from institutional 'people knowledge'—where critical business rules live in someone's head or an offline spreadsheet. From Stibo Systems’ perspective, how do you help large organizations build systemized, governed processes that teams actually trust and adoptCPG is built on dynamic portfolios and M&A activity. When a giant like KDP acquires or launches new brands, speed-to-market is everything. How does a standardized Master Data Management architecture drastically accelerate brand onboarding and catalog expansion across channels?Everyone in CPG is talking about being 'AI-ready'. But as we always say on The CPG Guys: Garbage data in, garbage AI outputs out! Dora, what practically makes enterprise data 'AI-ready'?We are seeing AI evolve from simple chat prompts and descriptive analytics into agentic AI that executes real-world business actions. As AI agents start autonomously updating catalogs or routing supplier workflows, how does the demand for trusted, governed master data change for an organization?When CPG brands connect product master data with customer and channel data, it directly impacts the retail relationship—from Joint Business Planning to supply chain execution. Dora, how does having a trusted data foundation elevate execution with major retail partners? Neda, what are you seeing across the retail ecosystem?Let's give the executives in this room an actionable takeaway. If a CPG Chief Data Officer or Chief Operating Officer were preparing for a major brand acquisition, corporate reorganization, or digital overhaul tomorrow morning, what is the very first thing they should audit in their data foundation?Looking out a decade from now, do you think CPG organizations will still treat product, customer, and supplier data as separate functional departments—or will the ultimate competitive advantage come from managing the relationships across one fully connected enterprise data graph?To send our audience here in Austin home with a visionary closing thought: Five years from now, what will fundamentally separate the market-winning, truly data-driven CPG companies from those still trapped in legacy operating models?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.com FMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.com SheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/ Rhea Raj’s Website: http://rhearaj.com Lara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/ DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.
