Matthias Spanke

For more than 25 years, retail and visual merchandising expert Matthias Spanke has been shaping brand experiences of leading retailers worldwide. His expertise covers the development and implementation of successful strategies for the in-store brand experiences of more than one hundred leading companies.

Matthias Spanke's career started out in Europe, where he was Global Head of Visual Merchandising for chain stores like Tom Tailor, Tchibo, and Tally Weijl, among others. In 2009, he shifted to the agency side as a founder and partner and supported internationally renowned brands as Retail Consultant and Creative Director.

When Macy's Inc., one of the world's largest department store chains, offered Spanke the position of Vice President Creative Director of Visual Merchandising, he moved to New York, where he was responsible for the visual concept of all Macy's stores in the US.

In 2017, Spanke left the department store chain to found the full-service agency BIG IDEAS Visual Merchandising. Since then, he has been Chief Executive Officer of the agency, which has companies and offices in Europe and the US. Spanke's strategic leadership is driven by his passion for creative and innovative solutions that fit the respective brand precisely.

The expert in brick-and-mortar retail and visual merchandising regularly gives presentations and leads workshops on the topics of retail trends and retail experience. Matthias Spanke is the author of several industry books and numerous articles for industry magazines.