BackDate:22 June 2012
World Retail Congress to be held in London, 19th – 21st September 2012
Over 70 leading retailers and industry experts have already been confirmed for the 2012 World Retail Congress which this year is taking place in London, one of the world’s great retail capitals.
London was the unanimous choice as host city for the 2012 World Retail Congress which will take place on September 19-21st, just days after the close of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. With the eyes of the world on London in this special year, the Congress organisers are predicting that there will be record attendance across the three day programme which includes not only the World Retail Congress but the World Retail Awards, the World Retail Hall of Fame and the Retail Futures Challenge student competition.
Some of the UK’s top retailers will be leading the welcome to London for all those attending the Congress in September and many have confirmed to participate, attend and host events. Delegates will also be given exclusive access to the very best of London retail on the study tours taking place on September 18th and 21st.
Burberry, one of the worlds’ leading and fastest growing luxury brands, will open the doors of its major flagship store on Regent Street to delegates for an exclusive reception on the evening of September 18th.
Among more than 70 speakers confirmed are:
- Philip Clarke, CEO of Tesco
- Sir Philip Green, owner of Top Shop and Arcadia
- Ian McLeod, CEO of Coles,
- Maurizio Barlotti, chairman of Printemps
- Jonathan Ramsden, CFO of Abercrombie & Fitch,
- Mickey Drexler, president and CEO of J Crew
- Rajan Mittal, vice chairman and MD of Bharti Enterprises
- Muwaffaq Jamal, CEO of Panda
- Steve Sadove, chairman and CEO of Saks Inc.
New speakers are being added each week and all will be focussed on the most important topics affecting the retail industry today including:
- The effects of the global economic crisis on retail
- How to adapt to the “omnichannel” retail world
- Understanding the future of the store
- The changing consumer, international growth and the world’s fast growing economies
- How to deliver competition-beating promotions and private label
Across the three days, the Congress will also honour and recognise some of the world’s most outstanding retailers. At London’s iconic Royal Courts of Justice, the World Retail Awards gala dinner will take place on the evening of September 20th where the winners across all categories will be announced including the Retailer of the Year.
This year’s inductees into the World Retail Hall of Fame will also be honoured at a special lunch and again at the World Retail Awards.
“Despite the enormous challenges facing retailing at this time, we have had an incredible support for the World Retail Congress’s move to London, “ said Ian McGarrigle, Chairman of the World Retail Congress. “London is without doubt one of the great retail cities and as such we anticipate seeing one of the highest levels of attendance. We are confident that everyone visiting the Congress and London will find it inspiring and of great value to their businesses.”
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Notes to Editors:The World Retail Congress was launched in 2007 to be a platform for senior retail executives to meet and discuss the most important topics affecting retailers across the world. It has been held in Barcelona (2007-9) and Berlin (2010-11) and is attended by up to 1,000 industry leaders from more than 60 countries. The programme is developed in conjunction with the Congress Advisory Board which represents retailers such as Gap, Kingfisher, Macys, Reliance Lifestyle, Myer, Alshaya, Netto, Inditex and Tesco.
The co-sponsors of the 2012 World Retail Congress are Deloitte and Mastercard.
For further information contact:
Ian McGarrigle, Chairman, World Retail Congress, +44 (0) 20 7861 1602
Kate Catchpole, Director, Pelham Bell Pottinger +44 (0) 20 7861 3874
kcatchpole@pelhambellpottinger.co.uk Lucy Frankland, Account Director, Pelham Bell Pottinger +44 (0) 20 7861 3885
lfrankland@pelhambellpottinger.co.uk