About Marc Keegan
I’m Marc Keegan. Originally from Athlone, Ireland, I’ve called Sydney, Australia home for more than 15 years.
I’ve spent most of my career working in digital, retail and technology. These days, I’m particularly interested in AI, the products it’s making possible, and how technology can make everyday experiences simpler.
I’m also someone who likes to build things. Sometimes that’s part of my day job. Other times it’s a random idea I’ve had on a Sunday afternoon that turns into weeks of building, testing and figuring things out.
A bit about my background
I’m currently Head of Product and Digital at one of Australia’s largest retail and wholesale distribution networks, working to develop new products and services for Australian businesses.
Before moving into this role, I spent years leading teams across digital channels, eCommerce, customer experience and loyalty.
One of the things I’m particularly proud of is my involvement in building and evolving IGA Rewards. It’s a program that took years of work, plenty of experimentation and a genuinely talented group of people to bring to life. Seeing it recognised with the Australian Loyalty Association’s Best Customer Experience award in 2026 was a pretty special moment.
More recently, I’ve been involved in developing new platforms and services designed to make life easier for independent businesses.
What I’ve always enjoyed most is taking an idea, figuring out whether it could actually work, and getting something useful into people’s hands.
I like building things, not just talking about them
Outside of work, I spend a fair bit of time experimenting with new technology and building my own products.
A few of those experiments have turned into actual businesses and apps:
A travel eSIM business I started after getting frustrated with the cost and complexity of staying connected overseas. I wanted to see whether I could build something simpler, cheaper and easier to use. So I did.
An iPhone app I built to help small businesses create better social media content without needing a graphic designer. Having worked with independent retailers for years, I’ve seen how difficult it can be to consistently produce good marketing material. ImageKit makes it easier to turn a simple product photo into a professional-looking promotion, complete with branding, pricing, AI image enhancements and ready-to-use social media formats.
An iPhone app that turns ordinary journeys into personalised audio adventures using AI. Choose where you’re going, pick a storytelling style, and the app creates a narrated experience inspired by the places along your route.
An app I developed around personalised bedtime stories for children, using storytelling to help them explore things like confidence, friendships, fears and everyday challenges.
There are other experiments too. Some work, some don’t, and quite a few end up teaching me something completely different from what I originally set out to learn.
That’s probably why I keep building them.
Why I write
This website is where I put some of those thoughts, experiments and occasional frustrations into words.
I’m particularly interested in how artificial intelligence is changing the relationship between businesses, technology and humans.
What happens when AI agents start making purchasing decisions for us? Will loyalty programs still matter when an algorithm is choosing where we shop? What happens to marketing when people increasingly ask AI for answers instead of searching through websites?
I find those questions fascinating, partly because I’ve spent years working on the systems and experiences that AI could fundamentally change.
I also write about digital commerce, payments, customer behaviour, marketing, technology and the lessons that come from building products yourself.
Not everything here is about work or AI either. Sometimes I’ll write about something completely unrelated simply because I find it interesting.
I don’t claim to have all the answers, and I’m fairly comfortable changing my mind when someone presents a better argument.
Speaking and sharing ideas
I’ve had the opportunity to speak at industry events and share some of the lessons from my work.
I enjoy conversations with people who are building things, challenging conventional thinking or trying to work out where technology is heading next.
I’m particularly interested in discussions around AI, product development, loyalty and the changing relationship between businesses and their customers.
A final thought
I’ve worked in digital long enough to see plenty of technologies arrive promising to change everything.
Some have. Plenty haven’t.
AI feels different, but I think it’s important to keep asking the same questions: Does this solve a real problem? Does it make someone’s life easier? And are we building something people actually want?
That’s what keeps me interested.
Thanks for stopping by.
Get in touch
If something I’ve written has made you think, you’ve got an interesting product idea, or you simply disagree with something I’ve said, I’d be happy to hear from you.
You can find me on LinkedIn, or subscribe to my newsletter for occasional thoughts on AI, technology, digital commerce and whatever else I’m exploring.