Marcella Au
As Senior Associate and Retail & Interiors Lead at BDP Quadrangle, Marcella oversees a team dedicated to delivering innovative retail and interior environments across North America. With more than a decade of experience, her portfolio spans retail flagships, managing nationwide rollout accounts, international retail expansion. Marcella thrives on guiding projects from concept through execution, ensuring that each space reflects both client vision and market insight. She brings deep knowledge of the retail landscape—its regional nuances, evolving dynamics, and the ways in which design can shape customer and employee experiences alike. Known for her collaborative approach, Marcella builds strong partnerships with clients while driving distinctive, functional and future-focused design solutions.
Thursday Oct. 8
SAME CONTINENT, DIFFERENT PLAYBOOK
Expanding from the U.S. into Canada may seem like a natural next step for many retailers, but success is far from guaranteed. Though the two markets share many similarities, the retailers that thrive understand that crossing the border requires far more than replicating a proven formula. This panel will examine why some brands have flourished while others have stumbled, exploring the critical roles of geography, real estate strategy, operational execution and cultural nuance. Through real-world examples, attendees will uncover the practical adjustments that separate successful cross-border expansion from costly missteps and leave with a clearer understanding of how to tailor retail strategies for long-term success in the Canadian market.
Takeaways:
• Understand the importance of localization over replication
• Discover the importance of scale vs. strategic focus
• Learn how culture drives performance