As retail media continues its explosive growth across Latin America, Kevel is doubling down on the region with a strategic hire that signals serious commitment to the market.
We sat down with Herik Mourão, Kevel's newly appointed Director of Community & Market for LATAM, to discuss the unique opportunities in the region, what drew him to Kevel, and why Latin America represents one of the most exciting frontiers in retail media today.
Q: What excites you about joining Kevel?
What excites me most is joining a company that is truly customer-success driven — not just SaaS-driven. In a time when software alone is no longer the solution, Kevel understands that partnerships, people, and long-term growth are the real value.
Add to that a culture that is genuinely out of the curve and global success stories with some of the most mature retail media players in the world — it's a rare combination that I'm proud to be part of.
Q: What makes the LATAM retail media landscape unique?
LATAM is unique because Amazon is not the dominant force here. Instead, we see local and regional players building innovative and disruptive retail media models tailored to their markets — creating a landscape full of originality and untapped potential.
Q: What are some benefits of Kevel expanding into LATAM?
Expanding into LATAM allows Kevel to access incredible talent and learn from a very different market dynamic. The region's complexity and creativity can generate insights that benefit not only local clients but also Kevel's global teams and strategies.
Q: How do you envision Kevel's technology impacting the retail media ecosystem in LATAM?
Kevel's technology is battle-tested with some of the most mature and demanding global clients. Bringing that level of capability to LATAM can accelerate the region's retail media evolution.
But technology alone doesn't create impact — it's the people enabling it and the partnerships built around it that make transformation possible.
Q: What opportunities do you see for retailers and marketplaces in LATAM?
The next phase of retail media in Brazil and LATAM is about advancing maturity — building stronger partnerships and learning from global best practices while adapting them to local realities.
Q: How will Kevel's platform help businesses leverage first-party data more effectively?
Kevel's audience management capabilities — especially through Kevel Audience — bring a level of sophistication in understanding and activating customer data that is still largely unknown in Brazil.
This opens the door to more relevant experiences for shoppers and more measurable outcomes for brands.
Q: Which industries in LATAM are primed to benefit from retail media?
Delivery apps, banks, pharmacies, grocery retailers, and marketplaces are especially well positioned due to their high engagement, rich data, and frequent consumer interactions.
Q: How does LATAM differ from other regions when it comes to retail media?
LATAM is highly fragmented and lacks Amazon's dominance, which creates both complexity and opportunity. Retailers have more room to innovate and build differentiated media ecosystems.
Q: What challenges do you anticipate in LATAM?
One key challenge is developing mature advertising products that attract larger media investments from agencies and marketing teams.
This requires better measurement, clearer value propositions, and stronger collaboration across the ecosystem.
Q: What excites you most about leading Kevel's efforts in LATAM?
Bringing one of the world's most advanced retail media technologies to help grow the market in LATAM is incredibly exciting.
With outstanding people and a platform proven in large-scale operations, we have the opportunity to be part of major transformations across the region's retail and commerce landscape.
Q: Before we wrap up, tell us a fun fact about yourself.
When I take my kids to the supermarket — especially my 4-year-old — I sometimes go dressed as Spider-Man. It turns grocery shopping into an adventure.
And fun fact #2: I hosted a Brazilian music podcast back in 2006, long before podcasts were mainstream.
Why LATAM Matters for Retail Media
Herik's appointment comes at a pivotal moment for retail media in Latin America. While North American and European markets have seen significant consolidation around a handful of major players, LATAM presents a fundamentally different landscape—one where innovation isn't constrained by the shadow of Amazon's retail media dominance.
This creates a fertile environment for regional retailers, marketplaces, delivery apps, and fintechs to build differentiated media businesses powered by their unique first-party data. With The Retail Media Cloud®, these commerce platforms can launch sophisticated, AI-powered retail media networks that compete on equal footing with global giants.
Kevel's proven track record with innovative retail media players like iFood—which grew its delivery ad revenue by 20x in a single year—demonstrates the potential for rapid transformation when the right technology meets market opportunity.
"Retail media in LATAM isn't just growing — it's being reinvented. And I'm excited to help shape that transformation with Kevel and the incredible community we're building together," Herik concludes.
Ready to learn how The Retail Media Cloud® can power your retail media network in LATAM or beyond? Talk to an expert today or explore our customer success stories to see what's possible.
