Having attended Clayton State University and Harvard Business School, Roche has 33 years of IT experience garnered at both IBM and Microsoft. His retail life began at IBM in the early eighties with the introduction of the first PC-based POS system, the 4680. Later, he was also responsible for the introduction of IBM's first open architecture POS system for small and mid-size retailers called the SureOne. Roche also headed up partnership development of the first of its kind, value-added industry distribution channel with then start-up ScanSource, based on the emerging "open system" Microsoft platform.

In 2002, Roche started at Microsoft, where he led a team charged with managing all of the top retail and hospitality independent software vendors (ISV's) worldwide. In 2008, he was promoted into Microsoft's Dynamics division, leading Microsoft's entry into the retail enterprise applications business with direct involvement in application software acquisitions, partner channel development, marketing and brand awareness, keynote public speaking and publication syndication.

Will Roche is focused on providing actionable information about how retailers can become customer-centric. Will is currently consulting and writing for retail industry publications worldwide.