The World Retail Congress, sister brand to Retail Week and Retail Week Live, is launching a virtual Congress that will be streamed live on September 15-17.

The 2020 Congress was forced to postpone from April to October due to the Covid-19 crisis, and will not not take place until April 27-29, 2021, in Rome.

But given the pace of accelerating change facing the retail industry around the world, the Congress has decided to meet virtually, and has launched World Retail Congress Connected.

The focus and agenda of the event have been built on the experiences of retailers around the world, from the US to Australia, and will feature more than 60 speakers from some of biggest brands on the planet. 

Chairman of World Retail Congress Ian McGarrigle said: “What is clear from talking to retailers around the world is that none of the trends we are seeing over these last few months are new but they have been accelerated forward by several years in just a matter of weeks which in turn has created unprecedented challenges for leadership teams.”

Key challenges and issues including how to win in the new retail world, the rapid switch to ecommerce, changing consumer behaviours and the renewed relevance of sustainability and brand values will all be tackled during the three-day virtual event.  

Speakers at World Retail Congress Connected include: 

  • Tommy Hilfiger
  • Chip Bergh, CEO, Levi Strauss
  • Jason Tarry, CEO, Tesco UK and ROI
  • Zyda Rylands, CEO, Woolworths South Africa
  • Farhan Siddiqi, Chief Digital Officer, Ahold Delhaize
  • Mindy Grossman, CEO, WW
  • Dr Carsten Keller, VP of Direct to Consumer, Zalando
  • BS Nagesh, Chairman, Shoppers Stop
  • Sabrina Fung, Group Managing Director, Fung Retail
  • Kiri Hannifin, Director, Countdown New Zealand

To register to view World Retail Congress Connected live and on demand, click here. 

The Retail World 2020: Retailing in a time of crisis

Retailers across the globe are facing their greatest-ever challenge as the pandemic grips every country. How are retailers coping and responding to the needs of their customers, communities and the business itself?

Hear from retailers and experts from around the world in World Retail Congress’ latest report, which is available to download in full here.

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