The 2026 Programme

REGISTRATION & NETWORKING

Chair's welcome and opening comments

Darren Sanderson-Williams, General Manager, Specsavers

Retail Opening Address: The role retail can play in delivering economic growth the UK needs - practical implementation of the Employment Rights Act

Retail is Britain’s largest private sector employer and a vital gateway into work, with around 780,000 jobs held by 16-25-year-olds. A key part of that role is providing the flexible and entry-level jobs that help people take their first steps into the world of work. Rising employment costs are forcing difficult decisions on hiring, hours and investment. With youth unemployment at record levels, unclear or overly rigid rules risks slowing recruitment further - hitting those trying to get a foot on the ladder. Gen Z and the increasing cost of employing them is a fragile risk to the business.

• The conditions retailers need to create jobs and invest to strengthen high streets and local economies
• Practical preparation for the employment changes to protect yourself as a business
• Motivating teams in a business where’s there’s limited growth
• The impact on colleagues of retail crime and how the industry is rising to the challenge to protect employees
• The mental health crisis and tension between Gen Z and workplace expectations

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive, British Retail Consortium
Chris Brook-Carter, Chief Executive, The Retail Trust

Retail Insights Panel: Preparing for the retail workforce of the future – using tech as a retention driver and talent acquisition tool

There is a generational trust gap leaders can't ignore. Engagement rates among employees under 35 are declining, and 40 percent of HR leaders don't feel ready to hire Gen-Z talent. Can the smartest cyber tools be undone by the cultural habits and organisational signals that shape everyday decisions.

• Workforce planning vs. unpredictable demand
• Why data integrity is crucial - how to ensure AI-driven workforce planning delivers real value
• Effective workforce management and talent development - how can HR utilise AI?
• Using tech to identify current and future skill gaps across the organisation

Retail Spotlight on HR Operations: The future retail organisation - building agile, human-centred businesses

If organisation design and workforce planning become core business disciplines rather than occasional HR activities, are we developing these capabilities deeply enough within our own HR teams, or are we still largely organised around yesterday’s priorities?  

• What will the polymorphic retail organisation of the future look like?
• How do retailers build agility as an enduring capability?
• Why are organisation design and strategic workforce planning becoming critical leadership and HR capabilities?
• What do HR leaders need to do differently to stay ahead and successfully steer the future organisation?
• Ensuring growth through people and operations are functioning together efficiently

Liz Jewitt-Cross, Founder & Advisory Partner, Future HR & The Coaching Solution
Kate O’Hara, Human Resources Business Partner, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
Heather Weaver, Workload Manager, The Midcounties Co-operative
Venessa Okonkwo, Head of People & Culture, Dock & Bay
Simon Wells, former People / Human Resources Director, Poundland & Dealz
Steven Frost, Founder & CEO, WorkBuzz

NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK

Retail Strategy Panel: The future of retail digital transformation - the impact of AI on culture

While AI is transforming how organisations operate, many are not currently capitalising on the potential of human-centric cultures to unlock its power. This session will discuss how your organisation is already using AI, how your colleagues are responding and the steps you’re taking to keep culture human while still embracing technology.

• Implementing a new HR system in a business which isn’t tech savvy
• Engagement with HR / ATS systems
• How to harness your HCM data and enhance the employee experience
• How AI can help enrich retail jobs and act as a staff retention driver
• Why organisations should prioritise AI as augmentation, not automation
• Utilising technologies to streamline certain functions and ensuring successful roll out

Jo Causon, Chief Executive, The Institute of Customer Service

Peter Tully, Head of Colleague Engagement and Experience, First Bus

Morven West, People Lead, Saint + Sofia

Tom Bailey, Global Talent & Leadership Lead - People and Organisation, Specsavers

Retail Futures Discussion: Does retail as a career path need a rebrand?

Employees need to deliver what customers want: move away from set job titles, more focus on skills, younger / more mobile workforce, older generation and their expertise, what skills does the business need.

• Why is the sector often overlooked as a desirable and long-term career path?
• Retail as a career – why the leadership team need to build a system that delivers
• The need to focus on early talent - careers for 16-24 year olds
• How to promote and sell retail as a valuable and credible career
• Attracting and engaging retail store professionals - now and in the future
• How to ensure retail employees are proud to work in stores

Deborah Ormondroyd, Retail and People Director, Bird & Blend Tea
Joanna Bracegirdle, Head of People, Bravissimo
Jane Clifford, People Director, Brewers Decorator Centres
Ryan Cheyne, Interim Group Head of People, VetPartners

LUNCH & NETWORKING

Retail Revelation Panels: Engagement to thrive at work

Part 1: Leadership development in fast-paced retail environments

Leadership retention is a big issue at SLT and a huge cost to the retail industry. The ethos of developing passionate, hardworking mindsets with a strong work ethic is essential to driving a thriving business – with the purpose and execution in doing so to ensure a leadership pipeline.

• Building store-level leadership that drives engagement and performance
• Successfully developing internal talent pipelines and embedding strong leadership cultures
• Transformation and line manager capability - simplifying policies for line managers
• store level
• Ensuring managers are equipped with the right skills and consistently applying them to drive performance and engagement

Mathew Dutton, Chief People Officer, Space NK
Jane Howkins, Head of Talent, Resourcing, Comms & Reward, Moto Hospitality
Richard Watts, People Operations Analyst, Next
Dan Jenkins, Head of Group Colleague Development, Timpson
Una O’Reilly, Chief People Officer - People & Culture Lead, UOR People Consultancy

Part 2: Talent and succession – what are the career paths vs innovative ways businesses use to optimise career paths?

For a lot of retailers, it’s not always practical to promote - so how do you reframe employees’ careers to keep them engaged?

• Retention - meeting the expectations of new and great talent
• What specific strategies can organisations implement to retain staff?
• Decreasing the level of staff turnover - particularly at store level
• Upskilling the workforce – driving internal mobility through re-skilling and continuous learning

Louisa Devine, HR Business Partner, Shiseido UKI
David Hippolite, Senior People Partner, Victoria and Albert Museum
Ashley Marsh, Senior Talent Business Partner - UK Retail, On Running
Sarah Day, former Chief People Officer, Stella McCartney

Retail Revelations Panel: Driving internal engagement in a purpose led culture

How businesses operate to foster purpose, values alignment, and employee-centred growth is paramount. This session will examine the role of HR in creating a high-performance culture and where the opportunities are to invest in HR to support the business to become even better.

• How can you become purpose led with a community focus?
• Culture an engagement across multi-site operations
• Driving accountability and performance culture at all levels

Peter Collyer, former Chief People Officer, Ted Baker
Richard Small, former Director of People & Culture, Radley
Ella Dillon, Senior Comms & Engagement Manager, The White Company
Marc Whittingham, Head of Internal Communications & Engagement, Holland & Barrett
Rhianon Plews, Head of HRBPs & Talent, Watches of Switzerland Group
Victoria Evans, Head of Benefits, Wellbeing & Recognition, Boots UK

NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK

Retail Legal Deep Dive: Employment Tribunals - an Employment Tribunal Judge’s view

Our speaker will be joined by an Employment Judge for a fireside chat to share their thoughts and reflections on Employment Tribunal claims and the Employment Tribunal system. They will share their views on everything from:

• How to plead
• What makes a good witness
• What really persuades an Employment Judge
• Whether costs awards are ever made
• What really I going on with the Employment Tribunal system

Stephen Wyeth, Employment Judge & Barrister, 3PB Chambers

Stuart Lawrenson, Partner & Head of Solent Office, Shoosmiths

Retail Fireside Chat: How sustainability and community strategies can increase wellbeing and engagement

From ambition to action, strategy to results - be a business that wants to give, this session will give practical guidance to HR leaders.

• ESG strategies - engaging a workforce with benefits beyond reward
• Approaches to creating a community giving programme that delivers lasting social value

Maxine Granville, HR Director UK & Ireland, KIKO Milano
Jo Tyler, Head of People Experience, The Perfume Shop

Chair's summary and closing remarks