Sam Knights is the CEO of Threefold and the entire SMG agency network, which includes the buy-side agency Capture and Plan-Apps, the Retail Media Operating System.

Sam is a retail media revolutionary with over two decades of experience, having begun his career at Procter & Gamble. Driven by his mission to transform the brand-retailer-shopper relationship, he joined SMG in 2012 and became CEO in 2020. Sam was named the 2024 Performance Marketing Leader of the Year by Performance Marketing World for his contributions to the world of retail media.

Passionate about enhancing retail media, Sam envisions it as a sophisticated, measurable marketing channel. Today, Threefold and its parent SMG dominate the retail media market, working with major retailers and brands in Europe and North America.

Sam's focus on people propelled SMG's growth from a 20-person startup to a thriving enterprise with nearly 400 experts across seven cities and two continents, creating hundreds of retail media jobs. His people-centric approach has garnered accolades, including Top-75 employer and Top-5 marketing agency by Best Companies. Other honors include Lloyds Bank Mid-Market Business of the Year, Sunday Times Fast Track 100 and Financial Times Future 100.

Sam, a 2023 recipient of the Path to Purchase Institute’s Retail Media Award, is a renowned industry innovator and commentator, regularly being tapped to add commentary by the press and to speak at industry events in North America and Europe.