9 must-see sessions at NRF’s Big Show 2016

We’re delighted to once again be organising the European break-out session speaker line-up and feel January 2016 will be better than ever!

More than 33,000 of retail’s biggest power players attended in 2015, when we secured sessions with globally-renowned brands including Cath Kidston, Harrods, John Lewis, New Look and Debenhams.

For NRF’s Big Show 2016 we’re delighted to be showcasing some of the biggest trends and challenges in international retail. Key discussion topics range from emerging markets to building a globally consistent brand. We’re thrilled to be welcoming some of the leading personalities in retail – below are some of the must-see sessions we’ve organised:

Retail’s Power Players – Who to Watch in 2016
Sunday 10:15 –10:45am Hall A, 1A 10
Speaker: Dr. Ira Kalish, Chief Global Economist – Deloitte Research
Who will be retail’s movers and shakers in 2016? Dr. Ira Kalish, Chief Global Economist at Deloitte, predicts the industry’s biggest global influencers and which markets to watch.
Sharing insights from Deloitte’s 19th annual “Global Powers of Retailing” report, Dr. Kalish will explore the leading retailers by geography and product sector, fastest-growing firms and e-commerce pace-setters. He will also provide a global economic outlook, forecasting which trends will drive retail growth and disruption over the next 12 months.

How to Drive Loyalty Without Spending Dollars on Marketing
Sunday 10:15-10:45 Hall A, 1A 06
Speaker: Mark Palmer, Marketing Director, Pret A Manger
Don’t invest your dollars in advertising and marketing; instead, hear how Pret A Manger is investing in a different strategy to build loyalty. By building engaging stores, focusing on creative promotions over conventional advertising, incentivizing their employees and placing a strong emphasis on being local, this global brand is delivering great customer experiences. Hear how this strategy is working for Pret and what has been learned from its implementation.

How to Conquer the World: Overcoming Market Entry Challenges
Sunday 11:00 –11:30am Hall A, 1A 10
Speaker: Bruce Harsh, Dir., Distribution and Supply Chain – U.S. Department of Commerce
Becoming a truly global retailer doesn’t have to be fraught with challenges – if you have the right resources behind you. Bruce Harsh of the Distribution and Supply Chain Team of the Office of Service Industries at the U.S. Department of Commerce, breaks down the barriers to market entry in this must-see session. Product adaptation, branding, packaging, regulations, distribution and financing are among the issues that will be explored, as Harsh outlines the potential risks of international expansion and how to manage the core challenges that every global retailer must overcome.

Putting the customer first: how House of Fraser reinvented its business core around radically changing shopper demands
Sunday 2:30–3:00pm Hall A, 1A 06
Speakers include: Andy Harding , Chief Customer Officer, Sarah Baillie, Head of Digital Product & Elaine Smith, Head of Projects – House of Fraser
European department store chain House of Fraser is blazing a trail–completely reconfiguring its business infrastructure with a customer insight team at the heart of all its decision making. In this session, House of Fraser executives will discuss how the chain has reinvented its business core around radically changing shopper demands, share insights on their pioneering infrastructure reforms and explain why other retailers should stop talking the talk and start walking the walk when it comes to always putting the customer first.

All the World’s a Catwalk: How to Do Global Fashion Retail
Sunday 3:15 –4:00pm Hall A, 1A 10
Modertor:: Ian Jindal, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief – InternetRetailing Media
Speakers include: Joëlle Grünberg, President and CEO – Lacoste North America,  Speaker: Jose Gomez, Vice President International Development – ETAM Group
Running a business across multiple markets is a challenge in and of itself, but regional variations in style and culture make fashion retail a particularly tall order. Join key strategists from successful international fashion brands including Lacoste – to talk about building a global customer base, as experts from both brands share the unique stories behind their international successes. Internet Retailing’s Editor-in-Chief, Ian Jindal, will also present exclusive research into what makes certain brands great performers on the world stage.

Global Shopper Behavior: Key Trends
Monday 1:30 –2:00pm Hall E, 1E 14
Speaker: David Roth, CEO, The Store – WPP
Delve beneath the surface of global shopping trends and explore how consumer activity differs across key markets and channels. World leader in marketing communications, WPP, will share insights from its agencies across the globe, highlighting regional variations in shopping behavior. David Roth, CEO of The Store – WPP’s global retail practice – will zone in on emerging markets, analyzing customer journeys, basket preferences and channel buying patterns. He will also provide best practice for brands looking to launch and develop their offering across key markets globally.

Golden Goals: Capturing Customers in Brazil
Monday 1:30 –2:00pm Hall A, 1A 10
Speaker: Alberto Serrentino, Founding Partner – Varese Retail
Speaker: Rodrigo Bacher, Bus. Unit Director – Paqueta Calcados Ltda
Speaker: Gustavo Fagundes, CEO – Dufry de Brasil
With Brazil hosting the 2014 World Cup and the future 2016 Olympics and Paralympics, the eyes of the world have fallen on South America – and it’s not just sportspeople sizing up this golden opportunity. With one of the fastest growing audiences–the middle class in Latin America has grown by 50 million people in the last decade–it’s no wonder leading international brands are increasing their presence and reaping the rewards, but entering this complex market without compromising global brand identity is no easy task. Varese Retail Strategy’s Alberto Serrentino will present results from a unique survey of Brazilian consumers to evaluate the impact of the 2014 World Cup and expectations regarding the Olympics next year.  Alberto will then chair a discussion on capturing commerce opportunities in South America, with insights from Dufry Brazil and Paqueta Calcados – who’ve been there, done it AND sold the t-shirt!

Managing Complex International Models
Tuesday 10:15 –10:45am Hall A, 1A 10
Speaker: Tobias Wasmuht, CEO – SPAR International
Speaker: Chris Field, Director – Fieldworks
How do you optimize your operational model for a varied and demanding global customer base? Tobias Wasmuht has been instrumental in building SPAR International’s worldwide brand identity as a multinational retail chain and franchise with approximately 12,500 stores in 35 countries worldwide. Drawing on his experiences in implementing new retail concepts across multiple markets, Wasmuht will discuss how to choose the right model for new market entry, and how to streamline an increasingly complex supply chain. He will also explain the intricacies of managing an international team in an ever-growing global retail brand.

E-Mazing – The Unstoppable Power of the Online Marketplace
Tuesday 11:00–11:30am Hall A, 1A 10
Speaker: Jordan Sweetnam, VP, Seller Experience – eBay
Speaker: Ryan Miller, VP, Global eCommerce Strategy – Rakuten
Online marketplaces aren’t just a rival to direct commerce; they’re setting new customer service standards that retailers are striving to match. In this session, senior decision makers from some of the world’s most successful online platforms outline why retailers should embrace ecommerce marketplaces as part of their global growth strategy and how. Among the expert panel will be representatives from eBay, one of the biggest online store on the planet, Japanese-based platform Rakuten, which attracts $17 billion sales annually.

NRF’s Big Show takes place at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City, on 17-19th January 2016.