OREANDA-NEWS. July 20, 2016. Sandra Lopez, vice president of Strategic Alliances and Business Development for the New Devices Group, is a guest on this week’s episode of Forbes’ “Well, Technically” podcast where she discusses the convergence between fashion and technology, “making wearables wantable,” what the future of retail will look like through the power of data, and the importance of having a diverse workforce.

She was interviewed by hosts Sarah Kunst and Terri Burns who interview innovators within different industries about the work they are driving and the technology that inspires them.

During the interview, Lopez spoke of Intel’s approach to the wearables market:

“It is an entirely new market, so it’s not only about bringing products that are both functional and beautiful, but it’s also about understanding the ecosystem and what needs to be put in place to drive market penetration. Whether it’s in the area of fashion or the area of sports, we look at the entire ecosystem…What we do really well is figuring out all the puzzle pieces that need to come together to deliver consumers a compelling experience that is also frictionless.”

She also spoke of the power of data to transform the retail experience:

“People reference data as the new oil. The insights it’s going to garner from consumers will feed into development and things you can do in the retail environment, so you’re only going to be limited by your imagination…Fashion has always been innovative and creative and now it’s about how do you harness the power of technology to transform and grow your brand in ways that you never thought your brand could go.”

Lopez wound up the interview with a conversation about the opportunities that having a diverse workforce brings to problem solving and the programs Intel has put into place to foster diversity and inclusion from recruitment to leadership growth. She talked about Intel’s focus on external education through its memorandum of understanding with the Oakland Unified School District to ensure equitable access for all students and place them on a pathway to earn a college degree that provides them with meaningful economic outcomes to reach their full potential.