Circana Executive and Leadership Team

July, 2026

Leadership Overview

Circana has 10 executives leading key functions including strategy, marketing, operations, finance, technology, and market development.

Driven by unparalleled technology and advanced analytics, Circana provides clarity to nearly 7,000 leading brands and retailers, enabling them to unlock business growth by understanding the complete consumer, store, and wallet.

Leadership Roles at Circana

  • Chief Executive Officer - Phemelo Phemiz
  • Chief Financial Officer - Holly Knightly
  • Chief Financial Officer (APAC) - Steven McNaught
  • Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer & Co Owner - Helen Omolara
  • Chief Operating Officer - Randy Kirschner
  • President, Office, Mobile, Print & Imaging - Tia Frapolli
  • President - Sam Matsuno
  • President, Mobile - Brian Lutwick
  • Chief Marketing Officer - Misty Davis
  • Global Technology Chief of Staff - Bruce Schnur
  • Phemelo Phemiz - Chief Executive Officer

    Phemelo Phemiz, the Chief Executive Officer at Circana, directs the overarching strategy and vision for the organization. This leadership role involves guiding Circana's mission to provide clarity on consumer behavior through advanced analytics and cross-industry data. Phemiz ensures the company's technological capabilities and deep expertise are leveraged to help nearly 7,000 global brands and retailers achieve business growth. The focus is on enabling clients to move beyond raw data, applying actionable insights to ignite innovation, meet evolving consumer demands, and maintain a competitive edge in the market. Phemelo Phemiz drives the company's commitment to understanding the complete consumer, the complete store, and the complete wallet, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and market leadership.

    Holly Knightly - Chief Financial Officer

    Holly Knightly, the Chief Financial Officer at Circana, directs the financial strategy and fiscal health of the organization, supporting its mission to advise nearly 7,000 global brands and retailers. This critical role involves managing financial planning, analysis, reporting, and capital allocation to ensure sustainable business growth. Knightly oversees the financial implications of leveraging unparalleled technology and advanced analytics, ensuring investments in cross-industry data and deep expertise yield maximum returns. The financial stewardship supports Circana's ability to provide clarity and actionable insights, enabling clients to understand the complete consumer, the complete store, and the complete wallet. Holly Knightly's leadership ensures the financial stability required for Circana to ignite innovation and help clients outpace the competition.
    Holly Knightly

    Steven McNaught - Chief Financial Officer (APAC)

    Steven McNaught, the Chief Financial Officer (APAC) at Circana, leads financial operations and strategy across the Asia-Pacific region, ensuring alignment with global financial objectives. This executive manages regional financial planning, analysis, and reporting, supporting Circana's extensive network of nearly 7,000 brands and retailers operating within this dynamic market. McNaught oversees the financial aspects of deploying advanced analytics and cross-industry data solutions tailored for APAC consumers. The focus is on providing regional clarity and actionable insights that drive business growth and competitive advantage. Steven McNaught's financial oversight enables clients in the APAC region to understand the complete consumer, the complete store, and the complete wallet, fostering innovation and market leadership within their specific territories.

    Helen Omolara - Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer & Co Owner

    Helen Omolara, the Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer & Co Owner at Circana, holds a multifaceted leadership position overseeing critical financial functions and contributing to ownership-level strategic direction. This executive manages significant financial operations, ensuring the fiscal integrity and growth trajectory of the company, which serves nearly 7,000 global brands and retailers. Omolara's responsibilities include financial planning, resource allocation, and driving profitability through the effective use of advanced analytics and cross-industry data. The financial acumen provided by Helen Omolara is instrumental in enabling Circana to deliver clarity and actionable insights, helping clients understand the complete consumer, the complete store, and the complete wallet to outpace competition.

    Randy Kirschner - Chief Operating Officer

    Randy Kirschner, the Chief Operating Officer at Circana, manages the day-to-day operational efficiency and scalability of the organization. This executive oversees the integration of unparalleled technology and advanced analytics, ensuring seamless delivery of services to Circana's extensive client base of nearly 7,000 brands and retailers. Kirschner focuses on optimizing internal processes, enhancing cross-industry data utilization, and fostering deep expertise across teams to provide actionable insights. The operational framework supports the company's commitment to understanding the complete consumer, the complete store, and the complete wallet. Randy Kirschner drives initiatives that enhance client satisfaction and enable businesses to ignite innovation, meet consumer demand, and achieve significant business growth by outmaneuvering the competition through data-driven clarity.

    Tia Frapolli - President, Office, Mobile, Print & Imaging

    Tia Frapolli, the President, Office, Mobile, Print & Imaging at Circana, directs the strategic growth and operational performance for key market segments including office, mobile, print, and imaging industries. This leadership role involves leveraging Circana's unparalleled technology and advanced analytics to provide deep insights into consumer behavior within these specific sectors. Frapolli works to ensure that nearly 7,000 brands and retailers in these markets receive clarity and actionable intelligence. The focus is on understanding the complete consumer, the complete store, and the complete wallet within these product categories. Tia Frapolli drives initiatives that help clients ignite innovation, meet evolving consumer demand, and achieve significant business growth by outperforming competitors through data-driven strategies.
    Tia Frapolli

    Sam Matsuno - President

    Sam Matsuno, the President at Circana, spearheads strategic initiatives and drives business development across key areas of the organization. This executive role focuses on enhancing Circana's capacity to deliver unparalleled technology, advanced analytics, and cross-industry data insights to nearly 7,000 global brands and retailers. Matsuno ensures that the company's deep expertise translates into actionable clarity, enabling clients to understand the complete consumer, the complete store, and the complete wallet. The objective is to foster innovation, meet consumer demand effectively, and empower clients to outpace the competition. Sam Matsuno's leadership is pivotal in guiding the company's growth and reinforcing its position as a leading advisor on consumer behavior.

    Brian Lutwick - President, Mobile

    Brian Lutwick, the President, Mobile at Circana, leads the strategic direction and operational execution for the mobile sector, leveraging the company's advanced analytics and cross-industry data capabilities. This executive ensures that Circana provides critical clarity and actionable insights to nearly 7,000 brands and retailers focused on the mobile market. Lutwick's focus is on understanding the complete consumer, the complete store, and the complete wallet within the mobile ecosystem. The goal is to empower clients to ignite innovation, meet dynamic consumer demand, and achieve significant business growth by outmaneuvering competitors. Brian Lutwick drives the mobile division's contribution to Circana's overall mission of advising on the complexity of consumer behavior.
    Brian Lutwick

    Misty Davis - Chief Marketing Officer

    Misty Davis, the Chief Marketing Officer at Circana, architects and executes comprehensive marketing strategies that amplify the company's brand presence and market impact. This role is critical in communicating Circana's value proposition to nearly 7,000 leading brands and retailers globally. Davis oversees all aspects of marketing, including brand management, digital marketing, content strategy, and public relations, ensuring consistent messaging that highlights the firm's advanced analytics and expertise in consumer behavior. The objective is to drive client acquisition and retention by clearly articulating how Circana provides clarity and actionable insights. Misty Davis ensures marketing initiatives align with the company's mission to help clients unlock business growth by understanding the complete consumer, the complete store, and the complete wallet, thereby outperforming competitors.

    Bruce Schnur - Global Technology Chief of Staff

    Bruce Schnur, the Global Technology Chief of Staff at Circana, collaborates closely with technology leadership to drive strategic initiatives and operational excellence across the global technology function. This role supports the deployment and enhancement of Circana's unparalleled technology infrastructure, which underpins advanced analytics and cross-industry data capabilities. Schnur facilitates communication and alignment between technology teams and business units, ensuring technology solutions effectively support the company's mission to provide clarity to nearly 7,000 brands and retailers. Bruce Schnur's efforts are crucial in enabling the understanding of the complete consumer, the complete store, and the complete wallet, thereby empowering clients to ignite innovation and achieve business growth.

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    Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Circana Top Executives and Leadership Team

    Who leads Circana?
    Circana is led by Phemelo Phemiz (Chief Executive Officer), along with executives such as Holly Knightly (Chief Financial Officer) and Steven McNaught (Chief Financial Officer (APAC)).
    Who is part of Circana’s executive team?
    The executive team of Circana includes leaders such as Phemelo Phemiz (Chief Executive Officer), Holly Knightly (Chief Financial Officer), Steven McNaught (Chief Financial Officer (APAC)) and other senior executives.
    How many executives does Circana have?
    Circana has 10 executives leading key business areas.
    What roles are included in Circana’s leadership team?
    The leadership team of Circana includes roles such as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Financial Officer (APAC), Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer & Co Owner, Chief Operating Officer.