The 2024 Programme

Registration and networking

Chair's welcome and opening comments

Darren Williams, General Manager, Specsavers

Opening Keynote Address & Panel: Approaches to retail innovation and automation in a human-centric environment

People are the backbone of any organisation. Retailers are realising more and more the importance of head office colleagues making time to visit their stores, in order to interact with customers and colleagues to experience first-hand the business' store challenges - an essential element of an holistic strategic vision for successful retail. With a special keynote address from a senior retail leader about the impact on their business of putting people first, this will be followed by a wider discussion regarding the importance of the 'human touch'.

• Exploring the future of modern retail considering brand partnerships to amplify your value
• Constant transformation and re-invention will define retail - what it takes to get team buy-in for this mindset shift
• Optimising digital solutions while preserving the essential human connection that customers crave
• Empowering retail staff and to allow them to share their knowledge with online shoppers

George McNeil, Managing Director - Retail Division, Johnstons of Elgin Cashmere
Kevin Duffy, Centre Director, centre:mk Milton Keynes
Scott Taylor, Executive Director of Marketing, American Golf

Panel: The future of the high street - going back to strategic basics to future proof retail

The past few years has had a dramatic impact on the retail landscape, we bring together a highly experienced panel who will discuss the challenges that lie ahead. With a special introduction from Steven Hubbard on ‘strengthening conventional retail’, where ‘self-reinvention’ is necessary - embracing a new hybrid retail-model between brick-and-mortar shops and web shops come into play - and where the premier tool is live shopping.

• Expanding the role of the department store to created new, memorable experiences for customers
• Retail space finding its place in post-pandemic world
• Thinking beyond the traditional model - the challenges and opportunities in moving beyond bricks and mortar
• It’s about how all channels to market can complement one another to acquire new customers

Tony Brown, CEO, Beales Department Store & CEO, Bodycare Stores
Rowland Gee, CEO, The Shocklite Company; Director, AromaChimie
Andrew Goodacre, Chief Executive Officer, British Independent Retailers Association
Ryan Llewellyn-Pace, Founder & Chairman, Hay Life Clothing

Networking Break

Panel: Digitising the high street - can retail technology can deliver on ‘store of the future’

In the digital age, it is vital not to lose the direct interaction and relationships a store can offer. What if you can’t afford to implement latest technologies to re-engage with your customers and encourage them to return to the High Street. This session will explore how the store of the future will go beyond retail and be a hybrid, flexible, experiential space that keeps local communities coming back for more. With a special introduction from Steven Kainth on how spatial computing and AI are changing the way consumers discover products and the impact shopper behaviour will have on the business models and formats of traditional retailing.

• How technology can ease and improve the customer experience - finding new life for physical retail concepts
• What are the priorities for technological innovation now and in the future?
• Digital integrations in physical stores are becoming increasingly common
• Deciding to invest in a retail space planning technology
• What are the benefits of digitizing store environments and where do you see the evolution going?
• How retailers are using their in-store tech to create a more informed and engaged customer

Dan Saunders, Head of Performance Marketing, Evergreen Finance London
Luke Phillips, IT Director, Townhouse
Chris Noice, Director Of Communications, Association of Convenience Stores
Giles Smith, Board Member. MACH Alliance

Panel: Understanding consumer behaviour - insights from a collective shopping experience

By working to better understand consumer behaviour, retailers can capture consumer imagination with personalised promotions and value-added services that will deepen customer loyalty. This panel will examine leveraging key consumer insights to deliver more impactful experiences and creating greater value for the business and the audience. With a special introduction from Dr Anamika Datta talking about ‘a shopping trip in the future’ and the seamlessness required of our collective shopping experience and the technologies that make that possible for Gen Z, the customer of 2030.

• Acting as an educator to help their customers be confident with digital exploring the retail concept of the in-store experience
• Why CX needs to be a fully integrated transformative business strategy that aligns the organisation
• The use of AI in SEO for retail
• The role of ‘pop-up store’ concept - connecting with consumers on an experiential level

Maria White, Global SEO Lead, Kurt Geiger
Tim Nash, Curator, Shop Drop Daily
Sarah Buchan, Head of VM, AllSaints
Gokce Gurbuz, Industry Manager - Consumer Retail UK, Google

Networking Lunch

Opening Afternoon Address: ‘UK retail plc’ - outpacing the world of property

This session will review how the UK is over spaced, but not necessarily as you might expect - and how new models of leases are recognising the need for showrooms, transactional places (collect and return) - as well as traditional over the counter interactions. Our speakers will discuss how we recognise the need for physical space to adapt are the responsibility of investors, landlords, local and national government, as well as retailers.

• By how much is the UK over spaced, where and what types of locations?
• What are the new models to value space?
• What are the impacts of regeneration, bringing life and purpose back to towns and city centre

Claire Petricca-Riding, Head of the Planning & Environment Team, Irwin Mitchell
Daniel Parr, Board Member, REVO

Panel: Enhancing the shopping experience through seamless omnichannel - attracting shoppers back to the high street

This panel will discuss the concept of 'connected shopping' - where consumers can combine the convenience of a digital experience with the benefits of a physical store - is critical to drawing consumers back to the high street.

• Creating connections with your customers from day one through stores and events
• Why businesses looking for investment need to be showing that their brand has diversified their sales channels
• Why a blended approach of stores, marketplaces and DTC is essential for customer acquisition
• How store design can engage to drive sales - the use of visual merchandising

Aaron Chatterley, Co-founder & President, Indu

Tara Carlile-Swift, Founder & Managing Director, Freckleface Home Fragrance

Greg Tufnell, Founder, Prime Advantage Capital Partners & Advisory Board, Cabin Zero
Penny Grivea, former Managing Director, Rituals

Networking Break

Closing Keynote Address: The changing role of retail - creating an identity on the High Street to regenerate towns and cities

We close the day with our final speakers reflecting on the future of high street retail and what new strategic and commercial decisions might be needed.

 
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive, British Retail Consortium
Stuart Harris, CEO, Milligan; Board Member, REVO

Chair's closing comments