Rudy Abitbol
B2B Commerce Operator. Now consulting.
Book a 30-minute fit conversation
Background as an Operator
I've spent 18+ years in B2B commerce — including 7+ years as a VP- and Director-level operator inside manufacturers and distributors before stepping into consulting. That operator background is what separates my work from typical agency advice.
From 2018 to 2022, I served as Director of Digital Channels at Lumen (part of Sonepar), one of the world's largest electrical distribution groups. Over four years, I managed an $8M digital budget, a team of 8, and built the digital ecosystem that delivered four consecutive years of double-digit online B2B sales growth. I launched mobile apps, integrated ERP, EDI, and PunchOut connectors, and made digital the default way B2B customers placed orders.
Most recently, I served as VP with full P&L responsibility inside a North American manufacturer-distributor, delivering double-digit-plus B2B growth in 12 months. I rolled out Akeneo PIM with AI-powered enrichment that cut time-to-market by 40%, and unified ERP, CRM, and Shopify Plus into a single commerce stack.
That experience — managing P&Ls, aligning sales teams, navigating ERP integrations nobody wanted to touch — is what I bring to every engagement. I've sat in the chair. I know what it takes to make transformation actually stick.
- 18+ Years — In B2B commerce, with 7+ as a VP- and Director-level operator
- Operator-Led — VP and Director seats held before stepping into consulting
What I Do
In January 2026, I made consulting my full-time focus through Human After All — the practice I founded in 2018 and ran alongside my operator roles.
I help mid-market manufacturers and distributors modernize their B2B commerce operations. My focus is the full commerce ecosystem: Shopify Plus B2B storefronts, Akeneo PIM architecture, ERP and CRM integration, and the AI layer that ties it all together.
Most of my current work is strategic and fractional — embedded leadership, platform audits, roadmap design, board-level decision support. When implementation work surfaces, my consultancy, Human After All, executes.
How I Work
Three engagement shapes, depending on what you need.
- Strategic Advisory — For executives who need clarity before committing to a transformation. Platform selection, architecture audits, roadmap design, board-level decision support. Scoped engagements · 4 to 12 weeks · Fixed-fee.
- Fractional eCommerce Leadership — For companies that need a VP- or Director-level operator embedded in the business — not a consultant alongside it. Strategy, team development, vendor management, board reporting. Monthly retainer · Three-month minimum · Remote with onsite cadence.
- Implementation (via Human After All) — For companies ready to execute. Shopify Plus B2B, Akeneo PIM, ERP integration, delivered by my consultancy using the B2B Protocol accelerator framework. Fixed-fee · Milestone-based.
The Gap I Bridge
Most consultants come to commerce transformation from one side — agency, technology, or strategy. I come from the operator side. I've owned the P&L, hit the targets, and faced the board when the platform didn't deliver.
That changes the conversation. We talk in roadmaps and trade-offs, not buzzwords. We talk in what the business needs first, what the technology supports next, and what the team can actually absorb. The work moves faster because the framing is right from the start.
AI in B2B Commerce
I've been working with AI in eCommerce since 2018, when I published my first piece on the topic for Forbes. Since then, I've deployed it in production for real business outcomes — not proofs of concept. In a recent VP seat with full P&L responsibility, I deployed Akeneo PIM with AI-powered enrichment and cut time-to-market by 40%.
Today, I use generative AI for product data enrichment, content optimization, demand forecasting, and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) — the layer that determines whether B2B buyers find you through AI search platforms. I also build with AI-native development tools daily, using agentic coding to deliver implementations faster than traditional agencies can.
My Approach
- Operator-Led Decisions — I don't recommend what I haven't done. Every recommendation comes from having owned the P&L, the team, and the platform decisions inside a real B2B business.
- Embedded, Not Alongside — For fractional engagements, I work as a member of the leadership team — not as an external advisor sending decks. The team gets a VP, not a consultant.
- Board-Room Language — I translate platform and integration decisions into the language executives actually use — margin impact, cash flow, customer retention, time-to-revenue. No jargon, no marketing fluff.
Current and Recent Engagements
- BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada) — Strategic advisory on B2B commerce transformation. Strategic Advisory.
- Lumen (part of Sonepar) — Led four years of double-digit online B2B sales growth as Director of Digital Channels. In-House Operator (2018–2022).
- Goodyear — Enterprise Akeneo PIM implementation across North America, integrating with SAP and Salesforce Commerce Cloud (via Publicis Sapient). Implementation.
- Tapestry (Kate Spade, Coach) — Digital readiness assessment and marketplace expansion strategy (via Publicis Sapient). Strategic Advisory.
- Husky Boutique — B2B commerce platform on Shopify Plus with ERP integration and self-serve ordering. Implementation.
- Quilicot Bicycles — eCommerce and PIM stack modernization with GEO advisory for AI search visibility. Implementation.
Credentials
- MasterB2B Nexus Executive Advisor
- Forbes Agency Council Member
- Shopify Plus Partner
- Akeneo Product Experience Advisor
- HubSpot Certified Expert
- Speaker — B2B Online, NRF Europe, RDV eCommerce, Master B2B Summit
Where I Work
Montreal & Miami — serving clients across Canada, the United States, and France. Remote-first, with onsite cadence for fractional engagements and regular travel for advisory work.
Let's talk.
Strategic advisory, fractional leadership, or implementation — start with a 30-minute conversation to see if there's a fit.