Efficiency Debate Agenda
Wednesday 25 September 2024 | Courthouse Hotel, Shoreditch, London
11:30AM – 12:30PM | REGISTRATION & BRUNCH
12:30 – 12:35PM | WELCOME FROM RETAIL GAZETTE
Delivered by Gemma Goldfingle, editor, Retail Gazette
12:35 – 1:10PM | KEYNOTE FIRESIDE CHAT
Join us for a candid chat with Manju into the steps she took at Harvey Nichols to make the business more efficient, including refining the supply chain. She’ll outline how she kept transparency at the core of communications with stakeholders about the company’s ambitions, and reflect on a more personal leadership journey of what it takes to stay motivated and drive growth in the face of adversity.
In conversation with: Manju Malhotra, former CEO, Harvey Nichols
1:10 -1:40PM | STRATEGY FOCUS
Top-down efficiencies: short-term costs, long-term goals
With the retail industry hinting at increasing board-level support for longer-term, efficiency-led technology, supply chain and ESG transformation, how can your business shape a smarter view around the partnerships and relationships that will enable this? Uncover the challenges and opportunities of looking through the lenses of growth, innovation and efficiency, and the tough decision-making inherent in driving change. Gain an insight into the process of shaping a slicker, more streamlined, cost-efficient retail business for the long-term.
Hear from: Simon Geale, executive vice president, procurement, Proxima – part of Bain & Company
1:40 – 1:45PM | LIVE AUDIENCE VOTE
Benchmark against peers: are your ESG initiatives being sidelined due to cost challenges?
1:45 – 2:25PM | PANEL DISCUSSION
Shaping collaborative, cross-functional retail efficiency: transformation via test-and-learn
– Exploring what a successful approach to retail efficiency entails: removing silos; pulling together across different functions; and the team ingredients needed to deliver transformation
– Culture and workforce efficiencies: building a clear proposition and strategy, and shaping and empowering teams to make that work
– Embedding clear cross-functional metrics: what will help you save costs, streamline and drive growth at every step of the journey?
– Supporting a test and learn business mindset: seek out areas of demand and resilience, learn from failures quickly, and avoid wasting time on solutions that don’t work
Panellists include:
Rob Kesterton, head of transformation design, Co-op Group
Alfie Meekings, former director of transformation and change, Selfridges
Lisa Widdison, group change and operations director, Holland & Barrett
2:25 – 2:55PM | NETWORKING & REFRESHMENTS
2:55 – 3:45PM | IDEAS PODIUMS: Choose your focus
Hard-hitting snapshot sessions focusing on innovative tech and partnership opportunities that can boost efficiency.
Stream 1: Operations & Logistics
3:00-3:20PM | Unifying warehouse operations and building in long-term efficiencies
Reassessing your approach to inventory and fulfilment can eliminate silos and streamline in-house operations. Explore how retailers have shaped a unified, automated warehouse strategy to remove duplication and enable cost and energy savings.
Simon Jones, senior sales executive UK, Exotec
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3:25-3:45PM | Less is more: streamlining systems, from supply chain to store
With current cost challenges, all eyes are on improving margins via efficiencies. Responding to consumer feedback and threading subsequent changes across the whole business can do exactly that. From overstocked, over-ranged, overwhelming stores, to a successful pilot offering 30% fewer SKUs and margin growth, join us to explore how Holland & Barrett have worked to integrate efficiency, from supply chain to store.
Andrew Davidson, head of retail practice, 4C
Stream 2: Procurement & Finance
3:00-3:20PM | Unlocking hidden value: mastering end-to-end profitability in retail
Winning retailers will be those who move beyond functional silos and master the intricacies of end-to-end profitability. By understanding the complex interplay of factors affecting your bottom line, you can make better strategic trade-offs and uncover hidden value. Discover current retailer use cases on how to navigate these complexities to make effective decisions that drive sustainable, end-to end profitability.
Ashley Rolls, director retail and consumer markets, KPMG
Alex Appleton, associate director strategy and value creation, KPMG
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3:25-3:45PM | Maximise payment efficiency in-store and online
Explore how retailers are enhancing customer experiences by streamlining payments. Learn how Tap on Any Device technology integrates with existing devices to reduce queues and create seamless, endless aisle experiences for shoppers. Discover practical insights to boost efficiency and optimise payment processes across both in-store and online channels.
Ryan Lane, head of ISVs and partnerships UK, Viva.com
Stream 3: Tech & Innovation
3:00-3:20PM | Scalable security innovation: aligning efficiency and growth
From footfall accuracy to loss prevention, identify how embedding scalable security tech can validify stores, convert and boost sales and drive cross-team efficiency for improved retail operations.
Brett Parker, property director, Gail’s Bakery
Caroline Woods, regional sales lead, Verkada
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3:25-3:45PM | Transforming inventory control through RFID: accuracy, efficiency and profitability
Driving operational excellence and boosting profitability is key in today’s retail market. Dive into game-changing RFID innovation that enhances inventory control: benefit from automated ID and real-time data insights, via seamless integration with existing systems and software.
Luke Kosman, global director of RFID, Datascan
Aimee Charlton, loss prevention industry expert
3:45 – 4:15PM | NETWORKING & REFRESHMENTS
4:15 – 4:45PM | INDUSTRY DEBATE: Defining efficiency: cost-cutting, culture or change?
In an economic climate where maintaining margins is an increasing challenge, two industry leaders debate what efficiency means to retail.
Viewpoint 1. Efficiency = a culture shift | Hear from: Helen Dickinson, CEO, British Retail Consortium
Viewpoint 2. Efficiency = growing profit | Hear from: Vineta Bajaj, CFO, Rohlik Group
4:45PM | LIVE AUDIENCE VOTE
Vote as we take the pulse of the room: where do your priorities around efficiencies lie?
4:50 – 5:30PM | PANEL DEBATE
Investing in operational efficiencies; implementing technologies; maintaining experiences
– Better planning, better visibility, better customer experience: exploring how to align consumer demands for speed, availability and convenience with business objectives for costs
– Investing in the areas that make people shop: identifying emerging technologies and AI-led ways of streamlining services
– Exploring the ever-evolving role that data and analytics play in reducing consumer touchpoints and offering personalised services: building in efficiencies without losing experience
Panellists include:
Sarah Ashby, CFO, Mamas & Papas
Graham Dixon, chief technology officer, x-hoppers
Donna Moore, country digital and transformation lead, Ikea UK&I
Supriya Mundra, former director of strategy and transformation, Holland & Barrett
5:30PM | CLOSING REMARKS
Delivered by Gemma Goldfingle, editor, Retail Gazette
5:35PM | DRINKS & NETWORKING