150 - What Makes IKEA’s Insights Team a Strategic Powerhouse?
In this episode of the Greenbook Podcast, host Karen Lynch speaks with Joel Renkema, Global Head of Insights at Inter IKEA Group. From foundational lessons at Procter & Gamble to shaping strategy at one of the world’s most iconic retail brands, Joel shares how IKEA integrates insights across its entire value chain—from supply and logistics to retail and communication. The conversation covers the power of ethnographic research, IKEA’s unique approach to segmentation and innovation, and how foresight planning informs sustainable, long-term strategies. Joel also discusses how empathy, immersion, and activation are essential for future-proofing insights teams and keeping research human in an AI-driven world.
Key Discussion Points:
- Joel’s career journey from P&G to Inter IKEA and what he learned at each stop
- How IKEA uses ethnographic research and employee-led home visits to fuel innovation
- A reframing of segmentation—designing for life stages and universal needs rather than narrow targets
- The strategic role of foresight in planning for climate, mobility, and urbanization
- Why empathy and business immersion matter more than perfect data in impactful insights work
Resources & Links:
You can reach out to Joel Renkema on LinkedIn.
Many thanks to Joel Renkema for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.
