The 2026 Programme

Chair’s Welcome Address

Darren Sanderson-Williams, Specsavers

Registration

Retail Opening Address: Strategy with purpose – retail tech adapting to a volatile and unpredictable world

Our opening keynote speaker will explore how retail leaders are navigating macroeconomic pressures, balancing cost and innovation, and shifting from survival mode to growth through smarter, more purposeful technology and digital investment strategies.

• Macro pressures, cost management, and resilience
• From survival to growth: leadership priorities
• Hybrid models and smarter digital investment

Russell Danks, Chief Innovation & Comms Officer, PureGym

Retail Insights Panel: Relevance, loyalty, and the new commercial logic for digital growth

Our expert panel of speakers will examine how retailers are redefining loyalty and relevance in a rapidly evolving market, including the role of AI in personalisation, customer acquisition and retention, and why traditional brand loyalty can no longer be taken for granted.

• Loyalty isn’t dead – kill or cure?
• AI in digital marketing: acquisition, personalisation, retention
• Why brand loyalty can no longer be assumed

Nick King, Insight Director, Auto Trader

Shetal Bhatt, Group Global Head of Digital Marketing, Loyalty & Consumer Engagement, Costa Coffee

Kate Murray, Digital Director, Nobody's Child

Janis Thomas, Chief Marketing Officer, Clothes Doctor

Morning Coffee & Networking

Retail Experts Panel: International expansion strategy – growth, grit, and global vision

This session explores how retailers are scaling internationally, balancing global ambition with local nuance, and using technology, marketplaces and AI to drive sustainable growth in new markets.

• Scaling internationally with local nuance
• Marketplace strategies for global growth
• Tech and AI to drive marketplace scale

Preeya Ogier, Founder, Curl Jar

Retail Mega Panel: Partnerships & new revenue models under margin pressure

A deep dive into how retailers are unlocking new revenue streams through partnerships, retail media and data collaboration, while navigating tightening margins and evolving commercial ecosystems.

• Retail media evolution and 'non-traditional' formats
• Data collaboration and commerce media opportunity
• Partner ecosystems: brands, retailers, agencies

Susannah Schofield OBE, Director General, Direct Selling Association

Retail Fireside Chat: The CFO perspective – building the tech investment business case

This practical discussion from a finance lens, will explore how to articulate the value of technology investments, manage operational realities and successfully build the business case for innovation.

• Communicating value to finance
• Inventory pressures and operational realities
• Navigating peak season challenges

Ed Duggan, Financial & Commercial Director, Fishpools

Lunch & Networking

Retail Spotlight: Bridging stores and systems – unified commerce in action

This session brings unified commerce to life, showcasing how retailers are connecting physical and digital operations to create seamless customer journeys and more agile, integrated business models.

• Transitioning to unified commerce
• Connecting digital and physical retail strategies

Retail Showcase Panel: Retail tech meets human reality - empowering colleagues

This discussion will be an exploration of how technology is being embedded into retail organisations, focusing on empowering store teams, balancing automation with human connection and ensuring successful adoption at every level.

• Embedding AI into organisations and culture
• Empowering store teams with technology
• Balancing automation with human connection

Afternoon Coffee & Networking

Retail Fireside Chat: AI, people, and the future operating model

This session examines how AI is reshaping operating models, from workforce transformation to organisational design, and why investing in people is critical to unlocking the full potential of AI.

• Agentic AI and workforce transformation
• AI-enabled teams and organisational design
• Investing in people to accelerate adoption

Pim Vellenga, Head of Operations, BatchLDN

Retail Insights Panel: AI tech execution - turning retail tech strategy into measurable ROI

Our panel of speakers explore how to translate strategy into tangible outcomes, with insights on smart digital investment, employee engagement and delivering customer experiences that drive measurable.

• Smart digital investments that deliver results
• Employee engagement and frontline feedback loops
• Customer experience - why basics still win

John Magill, former European Head of Store Design & Merchandising, Sky; Founder
IconiQ

Chair’s Closing Summary