Nour Semaan is shaping the future of luxury retail as it races toward an AI-powered era—without sacrificing the soul of the brand. With more than a decade across Canada Goose, Holt Renfrew, and the classroom at George Brown College, she’s redefining how data, empathy, and emerging tech can coexist. Her stance is blunt: technology should amplify human connection, not replace it. In this conversation, she breaks down how AI elevates luxury experiences, why emotional intelligence still wins, and what tomorrow’s marketers must get right.

The Social Digest: Nour, your career in retail marketing spans over 10 years, blending industry expertise with academia. What inspired you toecialize in digital marketing, and how has your journey shaped your approach to emerging tech in the retail sector?

It’s hard to believe it’s been over a decade already, I feel old haha! What first drew me to digital marketing was the intersection of creativity and data, the ability to tell stories that are not only engaging but also measurable and strategic. Over time, I realized that technology isn’t the destination; it’s the enabler.

My journey has shaped how I view emerging tech in retail: it’s not about adopting every new tool, but about using technology to create experiences that feel more personal, intuitive, and human. That balance between innovation and empathy is what defines my approach today.

The Social Digest: As CRM and Email Marketing Manager at Holt Renfrew, how do you leverage emerging technologies like AI to personalize customer experiences in luxury retail?

At Holt Renfrew, personalization is at the heart of how we define luxury. AI allows us to move beyond segmentation and into true individualization, predicting what a client might love next, anticipating needs before they’re expressed, and curating experiences that feel both seamless and human.

We use machine learning to analyze behaviors across channels, from email engagement to in-store purchases, to deliver messages that are contextually relevant and emotionally resonant. Whether it’s dynamic product recommendations, predictive send-time optimization, or next-best-action models, our goal is to ensure every touchpoint feels intentional, not automated.

For me, AI isn’t about replacing the human element in luxury; it’s about enhancing it. The technology gives us scale, but the insight and creativity ensure we never lose the sense of connection that defines a truly exceptional client experience.

The Social Digest: Your work at Canada Goose involved omni-channel strategies. Can you share a project where digital tech transformed customer engagement, and what made it successful?

At a brand like Canada Goose, the goal was always to create a seamless experience that reflected the same sense of craftsmanship and care clients expect from the product itself. One project I loved working on focused on connecting digital and in-store moments, ensuring that a client browsing online could walk into a boutique and feel instantly recognized and vice versa.

We used data to understand intent and anticipate needs, so every interaction feels personal, not transactional. What made it successful wasn’t just the technology, but how it deepened emotional connection. That’s what omni-channel means to me: using digital innovation to make luxury feel even more human, no matter if its in person or online.

The Social Digest: Teaching digital marketing at George Brown College, how do you prepare students for the rapid evolution of tech in retail, and what skills do you emphasize?

When I first started teaching digital marketing at George Brown, I’ll admit, I fought AI. I didn’t want my students using ChatGPT to do their work, so I started rewriting my exam questions to things like, “As discussed in class, what was the example….?” just so AI couldn’t answer.

But over time, I realized resistance wasn’t helping anyone. The reality is that my students will use AI in their careers, it’s part of the future of marketing. So instead of banning it, I began teaching them how to use it intelligently: how to prompt, validate, and add human judgment to what the technology gives them.

To prepare them for the rapid evolution of tech in retail, I focus on adaptability, critical thinking, and curiosity. Tools will keep changing, but the ability to connect insights, creativity, and empathy will always be what sets great marketers apart.

The Social Digest: AI is revolutionizing retail, but ethical concerns like data privacy persist. How do you critically evaluate AI tools for customer analytics, and what red flags do you watch for?

AI can be incredibly powerful in understanding and predicting customer behavior, but it’s also where responsibility becomes non-negotiable. When I evaluate AI tools for customer analytics, I look at three key things: transparency, data governance, and bias control.

I always ask: Where is the data coming from? How is it being processed? And can we explain the logic behind the output? In luxury retail, trust is everything, so if a tool feels like a “black box,” that’s a red flag.

Another concern is over-personalization. When technology crosses into intrusion, you risk losing authenticity. For me, the goal is to use AI to enhance relationships, not exploit them

The Social Digest: Global changes in retail tech, such as AI-driven personalization, are reshaping markets. How do you see these trends impacting luxury retail, and what strategies do you recommend for brands like Holt Renfrew?

Luxury has always been about personalization, but AI is redefining what that looks like. Luxury clients don’t just expect convenience, they expect care, exclusivity, and the feeling that every interaction was crafted just for them. The biggest shift I see is from reactive personalization to predictive, using data to anticipate a client’s needs before they even express them.

For luxury retailers like Holt Renfrew, this means moving beyond mass automation and focusing on meaningful precision. It’s not about adopting every new technology, that’s the shiny-object trap, it’s about choosing the right tools that deepen emotional connection and preserve brand integrity.

The most successful strategies will blend human intuition with machine intelligence: stylists empowered by data, curated journeys informed by AI, and storytelling guided by insight. In the end, technology should make luxury feel more personal, not more digital. Lead with empathy and let technology work in the background.

The Social Digest: As a professor, you bridge theory and practice. How do you incorporate emerging tech like generative AI into your curriculum, and what challenges do students face?

I integrate generative AI into my classes as part of the creative and analytical process, whether it’s building customer personas, testing content variations, or analyzing campaign data. It helps students understand how technology can accelerate insight, but also where human intuition and judgment still matter most.

The biggest challenge students face is over-trusting AI. They often assume what it produces is accurate or strategic, when in reality, it’s only as good as the data and the prompt behind it. Many also struggle to maintain their own creative voice, AI can make work sound polished but generic.

So, we spend a lot of time on critical evaluation: learning how to fact-check, refine outputs, and add personal perspective. I remind them that AI is there to enhance their thinking, not replace it — the real skill is knowing when to use it, when to challenge it, and how to bring back the human touch.

The Social Digest: Data analytics is core to your work. Can you share a campaign where analytics drove unexpected insights, and how it influenced your strategy? 

In luxury, retention is one of the biggest challenges, I mean the price point is high, and purchases are often occasional or emotionally driven rather than habitual. So, the question becomes: how do you keep that customer coming back after a major purchase?

In one campaign, we analyzed post-purchase data and found that returning customers weren’t re-engaging with the same category, someone who bought a statement piece, say a parka for instance, would later browse accessories or gifting. That insight pushed us to rethink our retention strategy entirely.

Instead of traditional “thank you” emails, we built relationship-driven journeys, storytelling around lifestyle, craftsmanship, and complementary products that extend the brand experience beyond the initial purchase.

The impact was twofold: engagement and repeat purchase rates rose, but more importantly, it strengthened emotional loyalty. It was a great reminder that in luxury, retention isn’t about discounts or urgency, it’s about using data to sustain desire and relevance over time.

The Social Digest: Balancing teaching and industry roles, how do you stay ahead of retail tech trends, and what resources or habits keep you innovative?

Balancing teaching and my industry role actually keeps me sharp in both worlds. Working in marketing gives me hands-on exposure to evolving tools and customer behaviors; while teaching pushes me to constantly study new trends, research papers, and innovations so I can translate them into something practical for students.

I make it a habit to read daily retail and tech publications, attend conferences, and connect with thought leaders in data, personalization, and customer experience. I also test emerging platforms myself, from AI-driven analytics tools to new CRM features, so I can understand their real impact beyond the theory.

Teaching keeps me curious. It forces me to simplify complex concepts, ask better questions, and stay updated on what is next. In a way it is the best form of continuous learning because every semester becomes an opportunity to rethink how technology and creativity intersect in retail.

The Social Digest: In a world of retail tech hype, how do you critically evaluate which innovations will truly transform customer loyalty, and what red flags do you watch for? 

When you sit at the intersection of marketing and data, you quickly learn that not every new retail technology deserves your budget or your team’s time. I look at innovation through the lens of business impact, not novelty.

I always ask: does this solve a real customer problem? If the answer is no, it is just another shiny object.

The first thing I assess is scalability. Can this tool deliver consistent performance across channels, regions, and audiences without constant manual intervention? If it only works in a pilot but collapses under real operational pressure, it is not a true innovation.

Next is integration. The best technologies fit seamlessly into your ecosystem. I evaluate how they connect with CRM, analytics, and personalization platforms because if data cannot flow freely, you lose visibility and control over the customer experience.

Finally, I look for measurable commercial impact. I want to see how it affects retention, frequency, and customer lifetime value, not just engagement rates or open rates. If the outcome cannot be quantified or tied to revenue, it stays in the testing phase.

I am cautious of solutions that sell buzzwords instead of outcomes. Real transformation happens when technology enhances strategic decision-making, improves efficiency, and drives meaningful long-term results.

The Social Digest:  Global e-commerce growth is accelerating. How do these changes affect luxury brands, and what strategies do you recommend for maintaining exclusivity in a digital world? 

Global e-commerce growth has completely redefined what luxury means online. Accessibility has expanded, but exclusivity can no longer rely on physical presence or scarcity alone. Today, the real challenge for luxury brands is to scale digitally without diluting the brand’s emotional and experiential value.

The key is controlled accessibility. A luxury brand can be digitally available without being digitally common. That means curating online experiences with the same precision as an in-store one, offering personalized product recommendations, limited-edition drops, private virtual consultations, and exclusive client tiers that reward loyalty with access, not discounts.

Data also plays a critical role. Understanding a client’s journey, preferences, and purchase intent allows brands to build a digital ecosystem that feels one to one, even at scale.

The Social Digest: For emerging tech leaders in marketing, what advice would you offer to navigate challenges and scale innovations in retail? 

For emerging tech leaders in marketing, my biggest advice is to stay grounded in purpose. Innovation only matters when it drives meaningful impact for both the customer and the business. Before introducing any new technology, ask yourself: does this improve the experience, simplify the journey, or strengthen loyalty? If the answer is not clear, it is not ready to scale.

I would also say to never confuse speed with progress. Scaling innovation is not about being first, it is about being effective. The best leaders know when to pause, refine, and build frameworks that last beyond a single campaign or fiscal year.

My other piece of advice is to build cross-functional fluency. In retail, marketing cannot operate in isolation from data, logistics, or merchandising. The more you understand how the entire ecosystem works, the better you can design solutions that last.

Finally, stay adaptable. Technology will evolve faster than any of us can predict, but the ability to translate complexity into clarity is what defines true leadership in this space.

This interview was conducted by  Ansh C Vachhani, The Social Digest on 04/11/2025. If you have any interview recommendations or have a story that you want to share with our readers, get in touch with our editor Vedant Bhrambhatt, at editor@thesocialdigest.com