OVERVIEW
As UK retailers look ahead to 2026, the pressure on profit and productivity has rarely been greater.
The aftershocks of the chancellor’s Budget in November will be felt across the sector, with rising business rates following revaluation increasing fixed costs just as margins remain under strain. At the same time, frozen tax thresholds continue to erode real disposable income for consumers, tightening household budgets and intensifying competition for a smaller share of spend.
In this environment, growth will be harder to come by and inefficiency far more costly. Retail leaders will need to be laser-focused on how their businesses operate: from store productivity and supply chain resilience to smarter use of data, technology and labour.
This summit brings together senior retail leaders to confront these challenges head on – sharing practical insights, proven approaches and new ideas to unlock efficiency, protect profitability and build stronger, more resilient businesses for the years ahead.
08:30 am – 09:30 am | REGISTRATION & NETWORKING
09:30 am – 09:40 am | WELCOME & INTRO
Speaker:
- Sean Brierley, CEO, Retail Gazette
09:40 am – 09:50 am | EFFICIENCY CONNECT
Kicking-off the morning with 10 minutes for attendees to connect with their peers, discuss what they’d like to get from the day and report back.
09:50 am – 10:20 am | OPENING KEYNOTE
Alibaba.com, AI and the new rules of efficiency
In this opening keynote conversation, Michelle Lau, Managing Director France at Alibaba.com, will unpack how Alibaba.com is redefining retail efficiency through its evolving B2B platform and AI ecosystem.
From its roots in b2b wholesale e-commerce to the launch of advanced, AI-driven tools like Accio and the new Accio Work platform, Alibaba.com is enabling businesses to move from idea to product – and to market – faster than ever.
Michelle will share how these innovations are empowering retailers to streamline operations, unlock data-driven insights, and build more agile, scalable models. With practical examples, she will illustrate how Alibaba.com is shaping a more accessible, efficient and competitive retail landscape.
In this insight-packed discussion, you will discover:
- How Alibaba.com AI tools Accio and Accio Work are transforming sourcing, product development and go-to-market speed.
- The evolution of Alibaba.com from a sourcing platform to a full agentic business ecosystem.
- How Alibaba.com is enabling businesses to operate more efficiently and compete in a faster, data-driven market.
Host:
- Sean Brierley, CEO, Retail Gazette
Speaker:
- Michelle Lau, Managing Director, France, Alibaba.com
10.20 am – 10.30 am | TAKE 10: AUDIENCE POLL & DISCUSSION
Question: What is the biggest barrier preventing your business becoming more efficient?
Share, benchmark and break down your thoughts with those in the room with you and then vote in our interactive poll.
10:35 am – 10:55 am | IDEAS PODIUM – ROUND 1
Curated 20-minute insights into innovative tech and partnership opportunities that can boost your retail efficiency
Speaker:
- Abhay Bagai, Head of Data & AI and Senior Director, CI&T
STREAM 1 – Optimising the customer journey for today’s shopper
Join CI&T’s Global Director of Retail Strategy & Insights Melissa Minkow and Head of AI & Data Abhay Bagai for a sneak preview of the upcoming “Retail Tech Report: Agentic Commerce Edition” research.
They will discuss how today’s mission-oriented shopper mindset demands data modernisation, mapping what the ideal CX looks like and the technology behind it.
Host:
- Katie Searles, Deputy Editor, Retail Gazette
Speakers:
- Melissa Minkow, Global Director, Retail Strategy & Insights
- Abhay Bagai, Head of Data & AI and Senior Director, CI&T
STREAM 2 – Rethinking labour performance in retail
Labour strategy has become a board-level priority for UK retailers as rising wages, tighter regulation, and operational complexity place unprecedented pressure on margins.
In this session, Retail Gazette sits down with Rory Graham, VP, Customer Experience at Logile, and Rob Bate, Co-founder at Frontline XP, to explore how leading retailers are using workforce planning, forecasting, compliance-aware scheduling, and frontline execution to drive efficiency without compromising service or colleague experience.
The discussion will also highlight why technology alone is not enough – and how operational adoption and change management are critical to turning labour strategies into measurable, sustainable performance improvements at store level.
In this session, you’ll discover:
How retailers can balance rising labour costs with operational efficiency
The role of forecasting, compliance-aware scheduling, and workforce planning technology
Why frontline adoption and change management determine long-term success
Host:
- Kieran Howells, Content Director, Retail Gazette
- Rory Graham, VP for Value Realisation, Logile
- Rob Bate, Co-Founder, FrontlineXP
10:55 am – 11:30 am | NETWORKING & REFRESHMENTS
11:30 am – 11:55 am | FIRESIDE DISCUSSION
Case study: AI in action at Just Eat Takeaway
AI is reshaping businesses, but real impact comes from empowering people to use it effectively. In this fireside chat, Just Eat Takeaway’s Senior Director of AI and Data James Osborn shares how the company is driving AI adoption through its AI Ambassador programme and why involving colleagues beyond traditional tech roles has been key to success.
We’ll explore how employees are being encouraged to learn, experiment and innovate with AI, the opportunities this creates for young people entering the workforce, and the results achieved so far. We’ll also look ahead to AI’s potential to support partners and enhance customer experiences.
Host:
- James Knowles, Programme Director, Retail Gazette
Speaker:
James Osborne, Senior Director – AI and Data, Just Eat Takeaway
11:55 am – 12:05 pm | TAKE 10: AUDIENCE POLL & DISCUSSION
Question: How would you rate your organisation in terms of its current AI adoption from 1 to 10?
(1 = no current investment / 10 = used across multiple areas and already displaying results)
Share, benchmark and break down your thoughts with those in the room with you.
12:05 pm – 12:35 pm | PANEL DISCUSSION
One bold step for retail: How AI is transforming efficiency
There is a lot of content out there on AI – but just focusing on long-term vision won’t help retailers fight fires today.
What they need are practical insights into how AI’s various solutions are solving business critical issues right now.
In this panel session, a selection of the UK’s leading retailers detail how their AI strategy is enabling them to be more efficient, more creative, and more customer-focused.
In this thought-provoking and practical session, they will detail:
- How they determined priorities, allocated resources and built internal capabilities to go beyond pilot projects
- The business functions where AI has been deployed – and the outcomes in each
- AI ambitions – from crafting agent ready organisations to seamless operations, what the next wave of AI looks like and how they are preparing for it
Host:
- Katie Searles, Deputy Editor, Retail Gazette
Speakers:
- Alex Salden, Managing Director, The Sofa Delivery Company
- Mei Pang, Principal Applied AI Strategist, Satalia
- Simon Ellis, Head of AI Transformation and Enterprise Architecture, Pets at Home
- Pete Lockey, Investor and NED, Need It For Tonight
12:40 pm – 1:00 pm | IDEAS PODIUM – ROUND 2
Curated 20-minute insights into innovative tech and partnership opportunities that can boost your retail efficiency
STREAM 1 – Efficiency wins – from proof of concept to store transformation
Efficiency is essential for survival in retail. With rising costs, increasing customer expectations, and stretched store teams, every moment counts. The challenge? Turning technology, data and operational insight into meaningful, measurable impact on the shop floor.
In this session, David Beer, CRO of Vista Technology Support will explore how retailers and hospitality businesses can unlock greater efficiency by combining innovative technology, trusted partnerships, and expert teams. He’ll share real-world case studies that highlight how Vista Technology Support helps retailers enhance customer experiences, deliver smarter staff solutions, and more streamlines operations. He will also spotlight the latest technologies transforming the in-store experience.
In this session, you’ll learn how to turn ideas into impact – from proof of concept through to full-scale store transformation, including:
- Practical ways to reduce downtime and protect margin in high-pressure environments
- Approaches to solve real operational challenges through structured problem management
- The latest in-store technologies transforming retail and hospitality – and how to apply them effectively
- How to empower store teams with smarter tools and support
Host:
- Katie Searles, Deputy Editor, Retail Gazette
Speakers:
- David Beer, Chief Revenue Officer, Vista Technology Support
STREAM 2 – Operations, supply chain & logistics
Profit meets purpose: The potential of ESG to be an efficiency and growth driver
Sustainability is rapidly shifting from a compliance requirement to a core driver of efficiency and growth in retail.
In this session, Christian Jermyn, Director of ESG at Seasalt Director of – one of the UK’s leading B Corp fashion retailers – will share how embedding sustainability across the value chain is delivering operational efficiencies and long-term value.
From pioneering organic cotton to setting science-based targets and advancing circular design, Seasalt’s journey shows how smarter material choices, reduced waste, and a full lifecycle approach can strengthen supply chains and improve performance.
Seasalt will be joined by a retail technology solution supplier, who will highlight how digital tools and data are enabling retailers to measure impact, optimise operations, and scale sustainable practices effectively.
In this session, you’ll learn:
- How sustainability can reduce waste and unlock efficiency across supply chains and operations
- How technology enables better visibility, measurement, and optimisation of ESG initiatives
- How circular approaches – design, repair, resale, and recycling – can drive both cost savings and growth
Host:
- Kieran Howells, Content Director, Retail Gazette
Speakers:
- Christian Jermyn, Director of ESG, Seasalt Cornwall
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | LUNCH & REFRESHMENTS
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | SPONSORED LUNCH
An interactive workshop lunch.
Host:
- Sean Brierley, CEO, Retail Gazette
1.00 pm – 2.00 pm | SPONSORED LUNCH
An interactive workshop lunch, brought to you by Retail Gazette and Quinyx.
Host:
- Kieran Howells, head of commercial content, Retail Gazette
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm | PANEL DISCUSSION
Customer strategy 101: Innovating CX
Innovation and investment are the keys that unlock growth and drive profit. They also help retailers differentiate and elevate their offer, boosting customer lifetime value and propelling customer acquisition.
However, in a tough market where budgets are already creaking under the strain, backing the right investments is crucial to remain efficient.
So, how do you spot them?
In this session Retail Gazette interviews a panel of leading retailers and experts, to discuss how they are creating a market-leading customer proposition.
They will cover:
- Who their customer is and how their wants and needs are developing
- How this customer obsession is driving their innovation and investment strategy
- The key tech investments they have activated and what the results have been
- How they achieved cross-function support
- What they are forecasting for the future of CX
Host:
- Katie Searles, Deputy Editor, Retail Gazette
Speakers:
- Muktar Mahama, Head of Digital Product, The Very Group
- Lucy Grimes, Head of Operations, EE
- Sara Shomstein, Vice President of UK Merchant Services, American Express
- Katie Hanlon, Global Category Lead – Health & Beauty, Just Eat Takeaway
2:30 pm – 2:40 pm | POWER-TALK
What if retail has been thinking about efficiency all wrong?
Drawing on his experience with major high-street retailers, Dr Tom Wormald, Managing Partner at Yonder Consulting, will explore why a model built purely on extracting value is out of step with the realities of modern customer relationships. In a market crowded by sameness, the brands that stand out will be those that understand their role in the customer’s world; easing decision-making, reducing friction and creating value that feels shared rather than one-sided.
In this session, he will cover:
- Why traditional ideas of retail efficiency no longer reflect what customers actually value
- How brands can build trust by understanding the realities of customers’ lives
- What it takes to reduce friction and create more reciprocal relationships that benefit of both customers and retailers
- Why a more human-centred approach can unlock stronger loyalty and sustainable commercial growth – both topline and bottom line
Speaker:
- Dr Tom Wormald, Managing Partner, Yonder Consulting
2:45 pm – 3:05 pm | IDEAS PODIUM – ROUND 3
Curated 20-minute insights into innovative tech and partnership opportunities that can boost your retail efficiency
STREAM 1 – The future of efficiency in retail media
As retail media continues to mature into a critical growth engine, retailers face increasing pressure to drive greater efficiency, effectiveness and return on investment.
This session will explore how retailers can transform their retail media operations through advanced data strategies, AI-powered decision-making and greater automation. From harnessing the power of first-party data to delivering more relevant customer experiences and improving campaign performance, we will examine the technologies, capabilities and partnerships shaping the next generation of retail media.
Join us to discuss how efficiency can unlock both commercial growth and stronger customer engagement in an increasingly competitive landscape:
- AI-powered retail media: How artificial intelligence is optimising campaign planning, audience targeting, measurement and real-time decision-making to improve performance and reduce operational complexity.
- Unlocking the value of first-party data: Strategies for leveraging customer insights to create more personalised experiences, strengthen advertiser propositions and drive higher returns.
- Building the efficient retail media ecosystem: The role of automation, clean rooms, measurement innovation and cross-functional collaboration in scaling retail media profitably and sustainably.
- James Knowles, Programme Director, Retail Gazette
- Dr Gareth Menton, Head of Product – Retail Media, Carwow
STREAM 2 – The Ex-Files: Deep-dive insights from the other side
Efficiency is a priority for every retailer, but the most successful businesses know that cutting costs and improving productivity cannot come at the expense of customer experience.
Drawing on nearly 30 years in senior commercial roles, including as Global Commercial Director at The Body Shop, Hilary McNair shares the lessons she learned inside major retail organisations and the new perspectives she’s gained as founder of The Profit Coach. From optimising customer funnels and improving commercial decision-making to leveraging AI and identifying hidden profit opportunities, this candid fireside chat will explore how retail leaders can build leaner, smarter and more profitable businesses without losing sight of what matters most: the customer.
This session will cover:
- How to identify efficiency opportunities that improve profitability without damaging customer experience
- Why retailers should optimise conversion, retention and operational effectiveness before investing in customer acquisition
- Practical lessons on data, AI and commercial decision-making from both a global retail brand and the wider retail sector
Host:
- Kieran Howells, Content Director, Retail Gazette
Speaker:
- Hilary McNair, The Profit Coach and former Global Commercial Director, The Body Shop
3:05 pm – 3:35 pm | NETWORKING & REFRESHMENTS
3:35 pm – 4:10 pm | PANEL DISCUSSION
People power: Optimising the retail workforce to unlock productivity
Behind every great retailer is an exceptional team – and happy teams, where staff feel valued, motivated and there is the right work life balance – drive better outcomes.
To achieve this forward-facing culture, retailers need to find smarter ways of working.
In this session a panel of retailers and a leading resourcing tech provider will discuss how to drive greater value from retail’s greatest asset by:
- Redesigning roles and opening up new opportunities for retails changing needs
- The efficiency wins that come from using smart tools such as data-led scheduling and digitised task prioritisation
- The power of virtual comms, to drive culture, training and development
- Using AI to reduce low-value tasks to free colleagues up to focus on more creative, high-value activities
Host:
- Kieran Howells, Content Director, Retail Gazette
Speakers:
- Ned Gammell, VP of Sales UK, Quinyx
- Chris Finch, Head of Retail, White Stuff
- Spencer Craig, Founder and CEO, Pure
4:10 pm – 4:40 pm | CLOSING KEYNOTE – FIRESIDE DISCUSSION
Global to Local: How to successfully adapt to new markets
What does it take to successfully translate a global retail model into a high-performing local operation?
In this closing fireside discussion Corinne Facey, Managing Director at Reserved, sits down with Retail Gazette CEO Sean Brierley to discuss the lessons she learnt from launching the Polish fashion retailer in the UK – from scaling, to adapting, and operating across markets.
In the discussion, she will detail how a more locally empowered, trust-based model has helped improve performance, efficiency, and long-term growth.
Host:
- Sean Brierley, CEO, Retail Gazette
Speaker:
- Corinne Facey, Managing Director, Reserved
4:40 pm – 4:50 pm | HOST’S CLOSING COMMENTS
Speaker:
- Sean Brierley, CEO, Retail Gazette
4:50 pm – 6:00 pm | JOIN US FOR DRINKS
2026 Partners
