Cynthia Ortiz

Cynthia Ortiz is a seasoned business development leader and retail design expert, a leader in business development at MBH Architects, an award-winning architecture and design firm with offices across the U.S. , India and London. As the past International President and current Chairperson of the Retail Design Institute, Cynthia brings a uniquely well-rounded perspective shaped by her work on both the vendor and architectural sides of the industry.

Known for her dynamic energy, strategic relationship-building, and deep industry insight, Cynthia plays a pivotal role in expanding MBH’s client base across multiple sectors—including retail, multi-family and luxury residential, restaurant, and hospitality design. She is passionate about driving cross-disciplinary collaboration and introducing innovative, educational content that keeps pace with a rapidly evolving market.

A respected voice in the industry, Cynthia has spoken at major events such as NRF, the Global Retail Show, StorePoint, LATAM Retail Conference and Euroshop. She also hosted the “Retail Decoded: Defining the ‘Next’ Normal” podcast, offering insights on how the pandemic would likely reshape the retail landscape. In addition to her leadership and speaking roles, she is a regular contributor to the industry as a blogger for VMSD magazine, where she shares insights on visual merchandising and store design trends.