Sam Knights

Sam Knights, a seasoned marketer with over two decades of experience, began his career at Procter & Gamble, where he managed iconic brands like Duracell, Braun, and Gillette.

In 2012, driven by his mission to reimagine the supplier-retailer-customer relationship, he joined a startup shopper marketing agency. Eight years later, after building three successful businesses, Sam assumed the role of CEO in 2020. Sam is passionate about performance and envisions elevating retail media into a sophisticated, measurable marketing channel. Under his leadership, SMG has emerged as a dominant player in the retail media market, fueling five of the UK’s most sophisticated and profitable Retail Media Networks for its retail partners. Sam has created hundreds of jobs within the retail media sector. His commitment to prioritising people has propelled SMG from a 20-person startup to a thriving enterprise with over 400 experts spanning seven cities and two continents. His people-centric ethos has fostered a culture that has garnered numerous accolades, including recognition as a Top 75 employer and Top 5 marketing agency by Best Companies. Other accolades include the Lloyds Bank Mid-Market Business of the Year, Sunday Times Fast Track 100, and the Financial Times Future 100. In recognition of his contributions to retail media, Sam was celebrated as one of the world’s Top 25 Commerce Marketers by the Path to Purchase Institute. His reputation as an industry innovator and commentator continues, with regular appearances at major events and in leading publications on both sides of the Atlantic.