Holden Bale

Global Chief Strategy Officer Merkle

Holden Bale leads strategy for Merkle, dentsu’s global transformation consultancy. 
 
He has partnered with businesses including Ulta Beauty, McDonald’s, Arrow Electronics, Enterprise Mobility, Spotify, Nordstrom, Starbucks, Bain Capital, Target, and Nestle on some of their most ambitious initiatives – from new business models and digital business transformation to innovation in experience, CRM and loyalty, and commerce.
  
At Merkle, Holden leads 16,000+ talented global professionals across strategy and operations consulting; design; technology development and implementation; engagement, CRM, and loyalty; market research and insights; and data engineering, data management, and advanced analytics.
 
Recognized as global leaders in Digital Experience by Gartner and IDC; in Digital Commerce, Loyalty, Marketing Services, and Content Supply Chain by Everest Group; and in Data Strategy and Customer Engagement by Forrester, every year Merkle partners with the world’s leading brands to drive over $35B in revenue through customer experiences and platforms, deliver over 25,000+ CRM and promotional campaigns, optimize 150,000+ media campaigns with advanced analytics, manage loyalty programs comprising 650M+ active members, and optimize $20B+ in global commerce sales with digital shelf and merchandising analytics, competitive intelligence, and business management services.


2026 Agenda Sessions

Navigating Rapid AI Adoption in Retail

Tuesday 09 June 15:25 - 16:05 The Sunset Stage

Add to calendar 06/09/2026 15:25 06/09/2026 16:05 Navigating Rapid AI Adoption in Retail The Sunset Stage Europe/Madrid

Unpacking Retail's Real Tech Priorities

Thursday 11 June 09:00 - 09:40 The Sunset Stage

Add to calendar 06/11/2026 09:00 06/11/2026 09:40 Unpacking Retail's Real Tech Priorities The Sunset Stage Europe/Madrid