Page 5 - #194 Oct/Nov 2024

WHO’S RLI MEETS

WHO

IN RETAIL & LEISURE

Dan Pelson

COO, AREA15

What are the company’s key objectives for the next 12-18 Do you feel that CEOs and company leaders can continue to
months? be transformational in the new retail landscape and will this
We are very focused on growth right now and there are two elements actually be more important than ever now?
to this growth. In Las Vegas, our site is expanding from about 20 acres to I am a little different from CEOs in more traditional retail, in that I
International Conference On
close to 40 acres and we have a number of new attractions and partners come out of the entertainment space. That said, whether you are on International Conference On
coming into that expanded district. We are also continuing to grow what the experiential side, or more traditional side, you have to be thinking
we’re doing in the existing district, such as introducing new concepts and transformationally right now. The retail and leisure landscape is changing
Shopping Centre & Mall
existing spaces, or even opening up new spaces. So we’re continually dramatically and has changed dramatically and forevermore, not just by Shopping Centre & Mall
looking at what’s working with consumers at AREA15 and outside of technology, but by the pandemic and so many other factors and being
AREA15 and doing everything we can to ensure that we’re constantly transformational is now almost a requirement.
bringing a creative vision to the intellectual property that we create. Management
What do you make of social media and its importance in the Management
Would you say events around the world in the last few years world of retail and how prominent is e-commerce and online
have affected the business at all and has it had any effects on activities within the business?
future plans? Social media is our most important channel, especially for our consumer
Well we opened in the middle of the pandemic so that was not base. Our core consumers are adults, with 21-35 being the peak of our curve.
without its challenges! But it has been difficult for a lot of businesses out So because of who our core audience is, they get all their information from About LECTURES
there. We are an entertainment establishment first and foremost and social media, so it is a critical channel. Digital is how we drive the meaning of The International Conference on Shopping
entertainment is something that people continually seek out in good times our brand, how we drive awareness and how we drive transactions. Center & Mall Management convenes as a
and bad times. Are we impacted premier event dedicated to the meticulous NETWORKING
by what’s going on around the THE RETAIL AND LEISURE LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING With everything that has oversight and strategic direction of shopping
world? One hundred per cent we DRAMATICALLY AND HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY happened in recent times, centers and malls. This distinguished
are and I would be lying if I said we AND FOREVERMORE, NOT JUST BY TECHNOLOGY, how are you feeling about the gathering unites industry luminaries to EXHIBITION
are completely immune to market BUT BY THE PANDEMIC AND SO MANY OTHER 12-18 months that lie ahead? deliberate upon contemporary trends,
conditions. Our job is to respond FACTORS AND BEING TRANSFORMATIONAL IS NOW Very excited as there is a lot optimal methodologies, groundbreaking
to these conditions, and if people ALMOST A REQUIREMENT.” coming to AREA15, for example advancements, and inherent complexities
are stretched in terms of their we will be opening a John Wick intrinsic to the proficient management of Why Attend SCMM 2024 Conference?
finances, we have to make sure that we’re offering things that give them experience with Lionsgate and we have a retail partner called Superplastic retail environments. Global Thought Leadership
access to joy and delight. that creates character-based collectibles through collaborations. I think
in the next 18 months you are going to see a lot of happening inside and Strategic Insights
What key leadership skills do you feel are the most important outside of AREA15. 20+ Professional Speakers Networking Powerhouse
in the current retail & leisure climate?
Entrepreneurial problem solving is to me the most important skill set If we look at the retail industry as a whole, do you have any Cutting-edge Technologies
that a leader can have. The first step of that is being able to identify words of warning for the industry or advice from your own Alvaro Luiz Dos Santos Best Practices Showcase
problems as it is a very tricky market out there and you can panic and experiences? Technical Committee Member
react in the wrong way. Flexibility and adaptability are also massive I would say creating businesses like AREA15 is much like being a chef. Professional Development
factors as everything is continually changing and changing rapidly. For The ingredients of competitive leisure mixed with retail may seem simple, Cultural Exchange
example the impact of AI, even on our business is immense. So you but to combine it all together and make it fit, requires a tremendous
need to be adaptable and flexible to be able to lead a company in a very amount of creativity and a tremendous amount of understanding of what Shannon Quilty
rapidly altering world. the audience is seeking. Always remember how hard it is to build a brand Key Speaker
and pay close attention your brand’s relationship with its consumers. Date & Location:
As a leader who makes key strategic decisions, do you 12 & 13 November 2024
prefer to rely on facts and figures, your natural instinct, or a Lastly, any final thoughts or anything else you would like to
combination of the two? add for our readers? David W. Huesser Antalya, Türkiye
The quick answer is, we are very heavily data driven. We have an If you are in a position where you have to transform your brand, or Technical Committee Member
enormous amount of data that we are constantly pouring through to try the experience of retail, or even leisure, get out on the road and go and
to garner insights. But when you are inventing and innovating on a daily experience things. It is worth getting out from behind the desk or even out
basis, the gut instinct and feeling is really important as well, so a lot of in your city, because for example immersive in London is very different
instinct comes into play. It is also important to have a really great team, from immersive in other locations, in Asia per se. There is nothing better REGISTRATION: MORE INFORMATION:
it is not just about me. than experiencing things for yourself to help and transform your business. www.scmmconference.com info@scmmconference.com

4 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2024