Page 59 - February 2020

EVENT PREVIEW | THE RETAIL SUMMIT

Uniting Global Leaders

The second annual gathering at The Retail Summit will bring together
worldwide c-level executives from the world of retail and beyond to create and

debate the future of commerce. Taking place on the 10-11 March, the event will
explore the convergence of retail with technology, experience and hospitality.

et to house discussions about the retail ecosystem loyalty for a digital age’. This session will focus on how Outside of these panel sessions, the event will feature
and more, The Retail Summit will turn the spotlight transactional loyalty programmes are no longer fit for several key elements, including Women in Retail. Dedicated to
onto young, ambitious brands that are changing purpose once they reach critical mass as they have high promoting and reflecting a more balanced and diverse retail
Sthe face of retail and the leading icons that are running costs, a negative impact on margins and fail to world, The Retail Summit will host an exclusive ‘Women in
leading the way contribute to an organic connection with the customer. Retail Reception’ to recognise and honour female achievements.
Following on from its inaugural event last year, the Confirmed speakers for this session include Manju New in 2020 is the addition of a beach party at the end of the
2020 edition will explore the hyper-connected customer Malhotra, Co-Chief Operating Officer at Harvey Nichols, first day of the conference, giving attendees the opportunity
that needs a fast, convenient and frictionless shopping Jaume Miquel, CEO at Tendam and Mark Tesseyman, CEO to continue engaging conversations and connect with the
experience that can be done on the go. of Liwa Stores. global retail community in a more relaxed atmosphere in the
From engaging the current generation to enhancing Moving into day two, some of the stand-out conference sumptuous surroundings of the Emerald Palace Kempinski.
customer experience, The Retail Summit 2020 offers sessions are ‘Customer Experience - Blurred Lines: If all this wasn’t reason enough to attend… The Retail
an opportunity to meet and connect with the best of Merging the online and offline worlds for a “New Summit features speakers from the top echelon of the
the best in the industry and come away with lasting and Retail” experience’ which will point out that retail is retail sector, including Kristina Blahnik, CEO of Manolo
impacting insights. in a transformational moment, and an overhaul to the Blahnik, David Boynton, CEO of The Body Shop and Kevin
“The inability to engage today’s hyper-connected approach of online, offline, data and logistics strategies Jiang, President of International Business at JD.com.
consumer means your relevance and business are in to create a single value chain that is completely
danger of becoming extinct,” explains Gary Thatcher, customer focused is well underway. Confirmed panellists For more information or to book your place at the event, please visit
CEO and Co-Founder of The Retail Summit. “We live in include Jeremy Hodara, Co-CEO and Founder of Jumia www.theretailsummit.com and keep in mind RLI readers get 30 per cent off
a time where a company’s approach to technology and Group, Hannah Mercer, VP Global Retail and Franchise delegate passes. Enter ‘RLIPARTNER’ at the checkout.
how products are marketed digitally has a direct impact on Operations at Adidas and Ahmad AR. BinDawood, CEO
sales. This trend is global and Gulf-based retailers need to of Danube & BinDawood Stores. Other sessions include
wake up to the fact. First-mover status is already gone, but ‘Sustainability – A changing brand for a changing world:
the race for relevance is heating up.” Transforming your sustainability objectives for a future-
Returning to Dubai’s Atlantis, The Palm and set to take focused customer’ which will educate consumer groups to
place over two days, the event will feature many key the purpose of sustainability aims, attract new consumer
conference sessions that highlight key topics and trends groups, based on a more sustainable outlook and ensure
within the industry. cost-efficiency of any sustainability objectives. This session
For example, day one will feature a session entitled will feature Dani Reiss, CEO of Canada Goose. Finally, one
‘Gen Z - Step aside millennials: Connecting with Gen Z session to look out for will be ‘Transformation – Getting
and creating a value-driven brand’. This conference panel back on track: Changing direction to survive in a cut-
will highlight how a new consumer audience is starting throat landscape’ which will focus on how technological
to take centre stage as Gen Z begins to come to age. advances have fundamentally changed the retail landscape
Confirmed panellists on this are Marloes Knippenberg, and how the pace and depth of this shift caught many by
CEO of Kerten Hospitality, Fredrik Malm, President of surprise. Panellists for this session are Mike Elliott, CEO
Europe and International at Coach and Michael Hardwick, of Edgars, Marcella Wartenbergh, CEO of Pepe Jeans
CFO of Cotton On Group. Another of the sessions on day Group and Daniel Füchtenschnieder, Managing Director
one is ‘Digitalisation - Giving accurate rewards: Rethinking of bonprix Retail.

58 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL FEBRUARY 2020