Mountain Warehouse Names Steven Wait Strategy Director
The outdoor retailer has appointed a former head of UK e-commerce to lead its strategy and AI efforts.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Business Strategy
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Mountain Warehouse has appointed Steven Wait as its Strategy and AI Director. Wait previously spent almost five years at the company, serving as Head of E-commerce (UK), before leaving in 2022 to join Olsam.
Why it matters
The appointment comes as Mountain Warehouse has recently replaced a decade-old custom-built system with a composable e-commerce platform powered by BigCommerce. The move signals a focus on digital strategy and artificial intelligence across the retailer's operations.
Mountain Warehouse operates more than 400 stores worldwide and serves over five million customers, according to the company's public profile. Wait's return follows a tenure of almost five years, and the scope of his AI mandate has not been detailed.
The players
Mountain Warehouse
A British outdoor and lifestyle retailer founded in 1997 that designs and sells its own apparel and equipment across multiple countries.
Steven Wait
A digital commerce executive who previously led e-commerce for Mountain Warehouse in the UK before working at Olsam.
The details
Steven Wait announced his return to Mountain Warehouse in a LinkedIn post, having previously held the role of Head of E-commerce (UK). The retailer, founded in 1997, designs and produces the majority of its products in-house and recently launched its new composable platform.
Timeline
2022: Wait left Mountain Warehouse to join Olsam.
Earlier in 2026: Mountain Warehouse launched its BigCommerce composable e-commerce platform.
November 4, 2026: Wait's appointment as Strategy and AI Director was published.
Market Landscape
Mountain Warehouse's move to a BigCommerce composable platform, replacing a decade-old custom system, reflects a broader shift among retailers toward modular commerce stacks. Appointing a dedicated Strategy and AI Director positions the company to pursue that architecture alongside AI-driven operations.
Shoppers may see changes in how Mountain Warehouse's online store performs as its new composable platform and AI initiatives develop. The extraction does not indicate any specific pricing, product, or service changes for customers.
The takeaway
Retailers replacing legacy systems often pair platform upgrades with new leadership in digital strategy. Watching how composable commerce and AI roles are structured can offer insight into where mid-sized retail operations are heading.
Further reading
For broader context on how retailers are reorganizing leadership around digital and AI priorities, see Business Strategy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Retail Technology Innovation Hub.
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