We’re just weeks away from the only UK retail event in your calendar that really matters.
Now a collaboration between Retail Week and The Grocer, this year our festival of content is bigger than ever before. LIVE covers every corner of retail, with sessions on everything from supply chain to CX and everything in between.
Retail Week editor-in-chief Charlotte Hardie says: “We’re delighted about this collaboration under our new ownership of William Reed. Last year, Retail Week Live welcomed nearly 1,000 retailers through its doors over two days. This partnership with The Grocer will mean an even bigger and more impactful LIVE 2024, with content from two power brands that covers the entire industry from source to shopper.
“More insight, more collaboration, more networking, with speakers from some of the biggest brands in the sector. It’s a really exciting new event launch that we believe will really meet the collective needs of the retail and FMCG industries.”
Here’s just a taste of what to expect from this year’s sessions. To see the full two-day programme, click here.
The top leaders from the biggest retailers
LIVE always guarantees a stellar line-up of UK retail’s finest leaders, and this year is no exception. We’ll kick off the 2024 show with a keynote from Amazon’s UK country manager John Boumphrey who will be sharing how AI is impacting the ecommerce giant’s operations, and the areas where he thinks it won’t.
Top bosses from Primark, Co-op and more will take to the stage to talk about plans for their brands and share their secrets to staying sharp in the market.
And should you desire to get into the mindset of a chief exec yourself, the CEOs of Matalan, Loaf and Pentland Brands (Berghaus, Lacoste, Speedo) will spend a session taking our audience through what’s keeping them busy during the day – and awake at night.
Cutting-edge digital content
TikTok, Uber and Google are just some of the world’s biggest names in tech set to join the show this year, ready to share the latest tools, techniques and strategies coming through to retail.
Among a host of digitally-led content you’ll learn about the advancements in AI from every angle, how to nail gamification, and experience a live shopping demo from Sprii to see just how the ‘see now, buy now’ mentality impacts shoppers.
And retailers will be offering up their tech learnings too, with Very Group CFO Ben Fletcher leading a session about the ecommerce brand’s digital transformation, while Pretty Little Thing head of social Beckie Turnbull will reveal why she convinced her bosses to invest in TikTok Shop.
Personalised networking
Over 1,000 like-minded attendees are expected to flood through the doors of LIVE this year, so to help you take part in the right conversations, the show floor is zoned for different specialisms:
- Tech & Digital – This zone is dedicated to the biggest digital transformation trends, and features immersive pods showcasing groundbreaking technologies
- People & Wellbeing – Here you’ll learn how you can create and lead people-focused businesses that attract the very best talent, with advice from the culture gurus of the industry
- Consumer – Devoted to consumer trends, this zone will explore changes in the shopper journey and reveal the latest solutions to meet their needs
- Future Leaders – Content in this zone is designed exclusively for the leaders of tomorrow
- Boardroom (invite only) with off-record boardroom debates and private speaker Q&As, this is a unique space for c-suite leaders to network, sense-check and debate strategy.
The big issues
It’s important to look at the path ahead, but that’s not to say there isn’t plenty of content planned to address the here and now. Retail legend and JD Sports chair Andy Higginson will be joined by BRC CEO Helen Dickinson to tackle business rates, retail crime and planning policy during their session, and we’ll get tips on surviving a permacrisis.
In the boardroom zone we’ll have an off-the-record debate about the UK’s lacklustre economy and what can be done about it. We’ll also hear from the journalist who broke the news of the Post Office Horizon saga, and the lessons to learn from one of the biggest corporate scandals of our lifetime.
The future of influencers
Day two will see the return of the Morning of Young Minds – back and bigger than ever for 2024.
This year, 10 young leaders will take on the (often polarising) subject of influencers and their power in retail. In recent years we’ve seen big retailers pull back on their influencer marketing budgets, and some have even cut ties with the influencers on their payroll, but these social stars have undeniable sway when it comes to building communities and spreading brand messaging.
So what does the path ahead look like for these types of retail relationships? And who better than to discuss it than experts from the age group who are online the most –Gen Z.
The menopause aisle
Millions of people in the UK are going through menopause, so why are hardly any menopause-friendly products marketed towards them? That’s the question Gen M is exploring with the world’s first menopause concept store, which will be open to interact with throughout the show.
If perusing the aisle piques your interest, Gen M co-founders Sam Simister and Heather Jackson will be joined by Boots CMO Pete Markey to discuss the ways retailers and brands can better serve this neglected demographic.
Entrepreneurs
Retail would be nothing without trailblazing founders, and you’ll find plenty of them at LIVE this year sharing their wisdom.
Trailblazers in sustainability joining us to lead sessions include Girl Meets Dress founder Anna Bance and Charity Super.Mkt co-founder Maria Chenoweth, while enormously popular challenger brand founders Jenna Meek of Refy and Jamie Laing of Candy Kittens will take on sessions about humanity in leadership and the power of celebrity brands, respectively.
Entrepreneurs in attendance will also benefit from a host of content geared to leading the most engaged teams and attracting the finest talent, from the likes of the Retail Trust, Scoutess and Kingfisher.
This is just a slither of the feast of content on offer at LIVE. To see more and book your place, click here.
1 Reader's comment