Former Amazon Leader to Drive Enterprise Retail Media Expansion.

Mindgruve, a modern media, commerce, and data technology company, has named Spencer Lian-Thornton as its new Vice President of Growth and Partnerships. In this role, Lian-Thornton will help accelerate the company’s growth, expand enterprise partnerships, and further advance Mindgruve’s leadership in retail media and commerce-driven marketing.

“Retail media is transforming how brands grow, and Spencer brings a rare combination of platform expertise, strategic vision, and brand stewardship,” said Chad Robley, CEO of Mindgruve. “Having spent more than a decade at Amazon during the rise of retail media, Spencer has been at the forefront of this evolution. He deeply understands how marketing, media, and commerce intersect — and how to help brands win in today’s retail ecosystem.”

Lian-Thornton joins Mindgruve with over 12 years of experience at Amazon, where he played a key role in scaling retail, advertising, and supply chain strategies for brands such as Wrangler, Hanes, New Balance, and The Children’s Place. With a background spanning enterprise apparel, footwear, and consumer products, he brings proven expertise in helping brands thrive in today’s connected commerce landscape.

His career journey reflects the transformation of modern marketing. Beginning in supply chain roles, Lian-Thornton was drawn to advertising after seeing the direct connection between marketing performance and brand growth. Throughout his career, he has focused on building long-term, trusted partnerships that drive results across retail environments.

“I’ve always believed the best marketing feels like advice from a trusted friend, and to deliver, you need a trusted agency,” said Lian-Thornton. “For nearly a decade, I had Mindgruve on my radar and recommended the agency to clients because they were early leaders in retail media, delivered real results, and built trusted partnerships — not transactional engagements. That philosophy has only become more important as retail media evolves.”

Mindgruve is thrilled to welcome Lian-Thornton to the team and looks forward to driving continued growth for our brand partners through integrated commerce and media strategies.

View Mindgruve’s leadership team here.