Barbara Grabiwoda Appointed Chief Commerce Strategy Officer for Publicis Groupe Central & Eastern Europe

Publicis Groupe Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) has announced the appointment of Barbara Grabiwoda as chief commerce strategy officer. 

Reporting directly to Maria Tudor, chief operating officer, Publicis Groupe CEE, Barbara’s first priorities in this newly established role will focus on leading the development and execution of commerce and retail media strategies across key CEE markets as well as reinforcing Publicis Groupe CEE’s commitment to innovation, integration, and clients’ growth in the rapidly evolving communication landscape.

This includes bridging the gap between retail media and commerce content, driving AI-powered content innovation, product scaling and hub development, enhancing clients’ growth and innovation, as well as enhancing multi-market scaling for key retail clients.

In addition to that, a roadmap is in place for Barbara’s role to evolve to include all aspects of communications and media strategy in the longer term.

A Proven Leader in Commerce and Content Innovation

Barbara brings a wealth of experience in commerce strategy, digital transformation, and scalable content production. Most recently, she served as chief strategy officer, PXP / Publicis Production, where she played a key role in shaping eCommerce and production strategies, fostering innovation, and strengthening collaboration across teams.

With more than a decade of experience on the client side, Barbara has held leadership roles at LOT Polish Airlines, Alior Bank, and Tchibo, where she successfully navigated the intersection of business and marketing to drive digital transformation.

Thought Leadership and Industry Contributions

Beyond her executive leadership, Barbara is also a thought leader in AI-driven content production. In 2024, she was the lead author for Supercharging Content Production with GenAI: Turning Buzzwords into Scalable Practices – A Cross-Sector Analysis, a comprehensive white paper exploring AI’s impact on content production efficiency and optimisation.

She also holds a PhD from the Warsaw School of Economics, where her research on gen z shopping behaviour earned Best PhD Thesis of the Year. Additionally, Barbara is a lecturer at top Polish universities and 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, Publicis Groupe CEE, said, “Basia’s appointment underscores our commitment to building cutting-edge strategic capabilities, commerce and retail-media in CEE. She brings exceptional vision, deep industry expertise, and a proven ability to drive transformation. We are confident that under her leadership, our strategic offering will continue to evolve and deliver impactful results for our clients.”

Barbara Grabiwoda added, “I am excited to take on this new challenge at Publicis Groupe CEE and to further drive innovation at the intersection of commerce, content, and technology. As the commerce landscape evolves, we have an incredible opportunity to shape the future for our clients by delivering integrated, data-driven, and AI-powered solutions.”