The new battleground for retail is undoubtedly ‘Customer Experience’. Irrespective of the segment of retail, consumers expect retailers to deliver them personalised, easy and unifi ed experiences similar to those provided by companies born in the digital age and reshaping consumer expectations like Google, Facebook, Amazon, WhatsApp, Apple.   To cater to the consumer of today who is evolved, well-traveled, connected, and has enough disposable income, brands and retailers are embracing technology in a big way. Towards this, they are higher technology experts – CIOs CTOs – who drive a seamless user experience in an eff ort to blend in with the increasingly digital world and provide convenience and benefi ts to the consumer.   The cover story of IMAGES Retail’s February issue brings you a look at some of Indian retail’s most infl uential and impactful CIOs and CTOs, the visionaries responsible for the technological direction an organisation takes.