Publicis Groupe Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) has gained a remarkable reinforcement with the appointment of Barbara Grabiwoda as Chief Commerce Strategy Officer.
In this newly created role, Barbara’s priorities will focus on leading the development and implementation of commerce and retail media strategies across key markets in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as strengthening Publicis Groupe CEE’s commitment to innovation, integration, and client growth in a rapidly evolving communications landscape.
This includes connecting retail media and commerce content, driving content innovation supported by artificial intelligence, scaling products and services, developing hubs, fostering client growth and innovation, and improving scalability for key retail clients operating across multiple markets.
A Seasoned Leader in Commerce and Content Innovation
Barbara brings extensive experience in commerce strategy, digital transformation, and scalable content production. Most recently, she served as Chief Strategy Officer at PXP / Publicis Production, a revolutionary solution combining technology and marketing to enable faster, more personalized content production. There, she played a key role in shaping e-commerce and product strategies, driving innovation, and strengthening cross-team collaboration.
Over her decades-long career on the client side, Barbara held senior leadership positions at LOT Polish Airlines, Alior Bank, and Tchibo, where she successfully combined business and marketing expertise to drive digital transformation.
Thought Leadership and Industry Contributions
In addition to her executive role, Barbara is also a leader in AI-generated content creation. In 2024, she authored Supercharging Content Production with GenAI: Turning Buzzwords into Scalable Practices – A Cross-Sector Analysis, a study on the impact of artificial intelligence on the efficiency and optimization of content creation.
Barbara earned her PhD from the Warsaw School of Economics, where her research on Generation Z’s shopping behavior was recognized as the best doctoral dissertation of the year. She also lectures at leading Polish universities and is the author of The Economics of Digital Shopping in Central & Eastern Europe (Cambridge University Press, 2022).
Commenting on the appointment, Maria Tudor, Chief Operating Officer of Publicis Groupe CEE, said: “Barbara’s appointment highlights our commitment to building cutting-edge strategic capabilities in commerce and retail media across the CEE region. She brings exceptional vision, in-depth industry knowledge, and a proven ability to drive transformation. We are confident that our strategic offering will continue to evolve and deliver meaningful results for our clients under her leadership.”
Barbara Grabiwoda added: “I’m excited about this new challenge at Publicis Groupe CEE and to continue driving innovations that connect business, content, and technology. As the market continues to evolve, we have an incredible opportunity to shape the future for our clients by creating integrated, data-driven, and AI-powered solutions.”
