In this Omni Talk Retail interview, recorded live from the Global DIY Summit 2026 in Amsterdam, Chris Walton talks with Harri Karumo, Senior Vice President and K-Rauta Chain Director at Kesko, about what makes Nordic home improvement retail unique and how Kesko leverages insights across multiple retail businesses.

Harri shares his journey from finance to retail leadership, explains Kesko's retailer-owned business model, and discusses the opportunities and challenges of serving customers across Finland and the broader Nordic region.

The conversation explores how Kesko combines data from both its grocery and home improvement businesses to better understand customer behavior, improve marketing effectiveness, and identify new opportunities for growth. Harri also shares his perspective on AI adoption, why curiosity is essential for retail leaders, and why the biggest challenge isn't the technology itself but finding the time to learn and experiment with it.

Key Topics Covered:

• Kesko's retailer-owned business model

• What makes Nordic home improvement retail unique

• Differences between Nordic and U.S. DIY markets

• Serving both professional and consumer customers

• How Kesko uses grocery and DIY customer data together

• AI applications in replenishment, marketing, and product data management

• Why customer data creates a competitive advantage

• The role of curiosity in retail leadership

• Customer behavior in Finland and the impact of second-home ownership

• Lessons from the Global DIY Summit 2026

Thank you to Vusion for supporting Omni Talk Retail's live coverage from the Global DIY Summit 2026 in Amsterdam.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Why Sharing Grocery and DIY Data Gives Kesko an Edge | Global DIY Summit 2026

Omni Talk Retail

Why Sharing Grocery and DIY Data Gives Kesko an Edge | Global DIY Summit 2026