The Retail Summit 2023 Reveals Its Full Agenda with Added Speakers and Sessions

The Retail Summit, the annual event for industry personnel providing unprecedented access to hear from global retail giants on the future and movement of the retail industry, announces its full agenda with the latest speakers and sessions added. Set to take place on 14 and 15 of March 2023 at both the Atlantis, The Palm Jumeirah and the soon to open Atlantis, The Royal, The Retail Summit, organized in partnership with Dubai Chambers, will host 75+ speakers who will provide practical insights and case studies across 30+ curated sessions, addressing the most pressing issues on the modern retail agenda.

The newest speakers announced at the highly-anticipated two-day Summit include Manju Malhotra, CEO of Harvey Nichols, David Vercruysse, President of Fashion, Beauty & Homeware at Chalhoub Group, Dr.Tara Lalvani, Founder of Beautifect, Khadija Oubala, CEO of Sultan Center Group and Piyush Chowhan, CIO of Panda Retail Company. These names will accompany the previously announced speaker lineup including Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Ward, CEO of Harrods, Kristina Blahnik, CEO of Manolo Blahnik, and Jo Malone, Founder of Jo Loves and Tom Athron, CEO of Fortnum & Mason, to name a few.

The third edition of the Retail Summit will boast decisive TED-style talks and endless opportunities to pose burning questions at the instrumental panel discussions. The agenda has been built around four key pillars, providing depth and breadth to create a cohesive picture with actionable insights dedicated to creating engaging, high-level learning experiences.

The first pillar, Customer Centricity, will focus on understanding customers’ values, frustrations and expectations to help deliver long-lasting business value. Sessions include Building A Truly Customer-Centric Operating Model; Reviving Legacy Formats: What Is The Future Of Speciality Retail?; Inspiration Not Aggregation: Setting New Standards for Luxury E-commerce Platforms, and Delivering Next Generation Loyalty and Personalisation at Scale.

Not to be missed, the Sustainability pillar will discuss the non-negotiable necessities for brands to drive a more positive change. Global leaders will share how they set environmental and employee welfare standards, transparency and traceability across the supply chain, and meet Environmental, Social, and Governance goals. Sessions include It’s Cool To Care: Building A Sustainable Community-Driven Impact; Mindful Fashion Consumption: Taking Fashion Responsibility Seriously and Sustainability Value Chains: Because We Only Have One Planet.

The notable People and Culture pillar will draw upon the ideology of businesses putting their people first every time. Companies that embrace progressive values, champion change, promote diversity and create dynamic teams are succeeding in and defining the modern retail world. Seminal sessions of this pillar include Diversity, Inclusivity And Sustainability With An African Twist; What Women Want: Driving Gender Diversity In Retail; The Competition For Retail Talent and Smells Like Team Spirit: The Power Of Sticking To Your Core Values.

The fourth and final pillar is all about creating a brand identity that evokes positive connections and carves out a unique position in a crowded, hyper-competitive sector. During these sessions, some of the world’s most revered retailer leaders will share cutting-edge thinking around prominent issues such as communicating in an authentic voice and differentiating your brand in increasingly commoditised markets. Sessions include: Building on a Legacy and Remaining Relevant to a New Age; The World’s Oldest Start-Up: The Evolution Of A Heritage Brand and Cultural Credibility: The New Battleground For Retail Relevance.

Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President & CEO of Dubai Chambers: “Driven by e-commerce, the retail sector is one of the main contributors to Dubai’s economy. The value of the UAE’s e-commerce market is expected to reach US$9.2 billion in 2026, and Dubai Chambers’ support for The Retail Summit is instrumental in ensuring that the sector continues to thrive. Bringing in new retailers and companies to Dubai is in line with one of our strategic priorities of attracting foreign investments and international companies to the Emirate.”

Gary Thatcher, CEO and Co-Founder of The Retail Summit, shares, “The Retail Summit is proud to be back to host trailblazers and leading industry giants who will take centre stage to share their pioneering stories. We welcome attendees to a front-row seat to come together to learn, connect and debate through a bespoke itinerary and a series of networking events at two iconic locations in Dubai.”