Agenda

Monday, July 15

12:30pm1:45pm
1:30pm4:00pm

CIO Council Meeting

1:30pm4:00pm
Palos Verdes 8
By invitation only.
3:00pm4:45pm

Regiception

3:00pm4:45pm
Palos Verdes Prefunction
Pick up your badge, grab a drink, and mingle with colleagues while enjoying the ocean view and fresh air. This isn’t just registration, but a relaxing networking opportunity (with a few fun treats) before festivities kick off.
5:00pm5:45pm

The AI Playbook: How to capitalize on machine learning

5:00pm5:45pm
American Express Theatre
View the presentation slides here. The greatest tool is often the hardest to use. Machine learning is the world’s most important general-purpose technology – but it’s notoriously difficult to launch. Outside of Big Tech and a handful of other leading ...
Eric Siegel

Eric Siegel

Founder/CEO of Gooder AI and Founder of Machine Learning Week
Gooder AI
5:45pm8:00pm

California Dreamin' opening party

5:45pm8:00pm
Palos Verdes Terrace
Step back in time to the 1960s and 70s, the era of California’s vibrant surf and music scene! Enjoy a beach barbecue and signature cocktails, while grooving to live music that will transport you straight to the golden era of surf and classic rock. Ge ...
8:00pm9:00pm

Surfer's Nightcap

8:00pm9:00pm
Cove Terrace
Keep the chill vibes rolling with music, sweet treats, and cocktails!

Tuesday, July 16

6:30am7:30am

Sunrise yoga

6:30am7:30am
Catalina Point
Begin the day overlooking the ocean, engaging in mindful breathing, gentle stretching, and yoga crafted to harmonize your mind, body, and spirit. Yoga mats provided.
7:45am8:30am

Breakfast on the terrace

7:45am8:30am
Palos Verdes Terrace
Fuel up with coffee and a bite to eat before going out and changing the face of retail.
7:45am3:15pm

Coffee bar

7:45am3:15pm
Palos Verdes Prefunction
Whether you’re an early riser or need a midday pick-me-up, our coffee station has you covered.
8:30am9:15am

The state of commerce: Key trends and future predictions

8:30am9:15am
American Express Theatre
View the presentation slides here. The retail industry has undergone significant changes in recent years, with the rise of e-commerce, mobile commerce, and social commerce disrupting traditional retail models. In this session, Publicis Chief Commerce ...
9:15am9:45am

Consumer trends 2025 and beyond: Consumer insights inform valuable strategies for retailers

9:15am9:45am
American Express Theatre
Know your consumers and stay ahead of lifestyle and purchasing shifts with unrivaled insight into the way they’ll think, feel and behave for years to come. Join American Express’s SVP, Global Analytics, Data & Marketing, Jacob King and Levi Strau ...
Katherine Cullen

Katherine Cullen

Vice President, Industry and Consumer Insights
National Retail Federation
Jacob King

Jacob King

SVP, Global Analytics, Data and Marketing
American Express
9:45am10:30am

Networking break

9:45am10:30am
Palos Verdes Prefunction
Every break brings a surprise. At this event, guests look forward to breaks as much as they do the thought leadership.
10:30am11:00am

The evolution of customer engagement with GenAI

10:30am11:00am
American Express Theatre
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping retailers’ relationships with their customers, delivering personalized experiences at scale and driving growth. Deepen your understanding of the role of GenAI across the customer engagement lifecycle and its ...
Meera Bhatia

Meera Bhatia

President, TechStyleOS and COO, Fabletics
TechStyleOS, Fabletics
11:00am12:00pm

Expert-Led Think Tanks

11:00am12:00pm
Palos Verdes Terrace
Join our handpicked group of subject matter experts to discuss future-forward ideas. With four separate opportunities to engage, NRF’s Expert-Led Think Tanks allow attendees to dive deep into a single topic or explore three different topics for a bro ...
Brenda Higuchi

Brenda Higuchi

Senior Vice President, Analytics and Optimization
Exchange Solutions
Rick Lockton

Rick Lockton

Sr. Vice President, eComm, Digital & Master Data
Tractor Supply Company
12:00pm12:45pm

Lunch with a view

12:00pm12:45pm
Palos Verdes Terrace
Join your fellow retailers for lunch & casual conversation as you re-energize for this afternoon's events.
12:45pm1:15pm

AI leadership and strategies in retail

12:45pm1:15pm
American Express Theatre
The rapid advancements in AI technology over the past two years are leading to growth in potential AI use cases for retailers, supporting a variety of business functions. These new capabilities create tremendous opportunities to improve customer enga ...
Glenn Allison

Glenn Allison

Vice President, IT Applications Development
Tractor Supply Company
Christian Beckner

Christian Beckner

Vice President, Retail Technology & Cybersecurity
National Retail Federation
1:15pm1:45pm

The role of strategic investing in guiding innovation and getting retailers into the investment game

1:15pm1:45pm
American Express Theatre
This panel discusses the recent trend in strategic investing wherein retailers invest in start-up businesses. It answers questions, such as: why is it that large retailers from Walmart to Dollar General and Kroger are making investments in start-ups ...
Ram Rampalli

Ram Rampalli

Vice President, New Ventures & Growth
Walmart Global Tech
1:45pm2:45pm

Expert-Led Think Tanks

1:45pm2:45pm
Palos Verdes Terrace
Join our handpicked group of subject matter experts to discuss future-forward ideas. With four separate opportunities to engage, NRF’s Expert-Led Think Tanks allow attendees to dive deep into a single topic or explore three different topics for a bro ...
Katherine Cullen

Katherine Cullen

Vice President, Industry and Consumer Insights
National Retail Federation
Miranda An

Miranda An

Director of Retail & Media
Plug and Play Ventures
Rick Lockton

Rick Lockton

Sr. Vice President, eComm, Digital & Master Data
Tractor Supply Company
Dan Hight

Dan Hight

VP, Advertising and Media Partnerships
Placer.ai
2:45pm3:15pm

Networking break

2:45pm3:15pm
Palos Verdes Prefunction
Every break brings a surprise. At this event, guests look forward to breaks as much as they do the thought leadership.
3:15pm3:45pm

Reaching consumers in a fragmented ecosystem: A conversation with Sur La Table VP & GM of Ecommerce, Rachel Frederick

3:15pm3:45pm
American Express Theatre
One of the keys to great customer service is a seamless order-to-delivery experience. Find out how Sur La Table is successfully unlocking in-store inventory and reaching customers outside of its ecosystem while navigating the trade-offs between speed ...
3:45pm4:15pm

The Shrinking Divide between technology, digital, and marketing leaders

3:45pm4:15pm
American Express Theatre
A notable leadership transformation is underway as information technology, digital/ecommerce, and marketing teams find themselves working together more closely, and in some respects now have overlapping roles and responsibilities. Leaders across thes ...
4:45pm6:15pm

Choose your vibe

4:45pm6:15pm
Various locations
Unwind and recharge! After a day of game-changing presentations and thought-provoking conversations, select your afternoon activity based on your mood. Choose between:Sip & Stretch Join Eli Walker, founder of the Uplift Experience, for a lively ...
7:00pm9:00pm

Sunset glow dinner

7:00pm9:00pm
Palos Verdes Meadows
As the sunsets over the horizon, join us for a magical Sunset Glow dinner and reception, where vibrant colors and glowing lights create a tropical paradise. Enjoy upbeat tunes, delicious cocktails, and bright entertainment. The party takes place on t ...
9:00pm10:00pm

AfterGlow

9:00pm10:00pm
Cove Terrace
Dinner is done, the sun has set! Bring it, let’s GLOW ON! Continue the fun with cocktails and dessert.

Wednesday, July 17

6:30am7:30am

Sunrise yoga

6:30am7:30am
Catalina Point
Begin the day overlooking the ocean, engaging in mindful breathing, gentle stretching, and yoga crafted to harmonize your mind, body, and spirit. Yoga mats provided.
7:45am8:30am

Networking breakfast

7:45am8:30am
Palos Verdes Terrace
Fuel up with coffee and a bite to eat before going out and changing the face of retail.
7:45am3:30pm

Coffee bar

7:45am3:30pm
Palos Verdes Prefunction
Whether you’re an early riser or need a midday pick-me-up, our coffee station has you covered.
8:30am9:00am

Looking toward a post-app future: How empathic AI agents will take real-world action on consumers’ behalf

8:30am9:00am
American Express Theatre
Business futurist Kate Ancketill will explore the impact of AI agents on tomorrow's consumers and how their changing behavior will impact all retail channels. She'll describe scenarios to help retailers envisage pathways to adaptation in a fast-chang ...
9:00am9:30am

AI revolution at Walmart: Navigating the present and future of conversational tech in retail transformation

9:00am9:30am
American Express Theatre
For years—long before it came to dominate the headlines—Walmart has been on a journey to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence. Today, AI is embedded across Walmart’s business—from how it flows its inventory across its network so it’s closer t ...
Desi Gosby

Desi Gosby

Vice President, Emerging Technology
Walmart Global Tech
9:30am10:00am

Networking break

9:30am10:00am
Palos Verdes Prefunction
Every break brings a surprise. At this event, guests look forward to breaks as much as they do the thought leadership.
10:00am11:00am

Expert-Led Think Tanks

10:00am11:00am
Palos Verdes Terrace
Join our handpicked group of subject matter experts to discuss future-forward ideas. With four separate opportunities to engage, NRF’s Expert-Led Think Tanks allow attendees to dive deep into a single topic or explore three different topics for a bro ...
Mark Mathews

Mark Mathews

Executive Director, Research
National Retail Federation
Christian Beckner

Christian Beckner

Vice President, Retail Technology & Cybersecurity
National Retail Federation
Poonam Goyal

Poonam Goyal

Sr Ecommerce & Retail Analyst
Bloomberg Intelligence
Brenda Higuchi

Brenda Higuchi

Senior Vice President, Analytics and Optimization
Exchange Solutions
11:00am11:30am

Too Many Chiefs? How overlapping C-suite roles & functions are undermining productivity, transformation, & profitability

11:00am11:30am
American Express Theatre
A new study reveals the detrimental impacts on organizations and employees from overlapping C-Suite roles, departments, and functions. Lack of clarity in responsibilities and decision-making authority are causing alarming levels of frustration and ha ...
11:30am12:00pm

Social commerce trends and predictions

11:30am12:00pm
American Express Theatre
In the near-term future, social commerce envisions the seamless integration of shopping within social media platforms, employing advanced AI for personalized recommendations and interactive experiences. Social commerce is evolving into a dynamic spac ...
Poonam Goyal

Poonam Goyal

Sr Ecommerce & Retail Analyst
Bloomberg Intelligence
12:00pm1:00pm

Lunch with a view

12:00pm1:00pm
Palos Verdes Terrace
Join your fellow retailers for lunch & casual conversation as you re-energize for this afternoon's events.
1:00pm1:30pm

Balancing innovation and ethics: Navigating responsible AI in retail

1:00pm1:30pm
American Express Theatre
Retail is undergoing a transformative shift driven by AI and Data. In this session we will review how ethical AI lays the foundation for successfully navigating this shift.
Kathy Baxter

Kathy Baxter

Principal Architect, Ethical AI Practice
Salesforce
1:30pm2:00pm

Retail revolution: Enhancing customer experiences through digital channel optimization

1:30pm2:00pm
American Express Theatre
In today's competitive retail environment, optimizing digital channels is crucial for growth and customer retention. This panel will bring together retailers and retail experts to discuss the latest trends and effective strategies in digital channel ...
2:00pm3:00pm

Expert-Led Think Tanks

2:00pm3:00pm
Palos Verdes Terrace
Join our handpicked group of subject matter experts to discuss future-forward ideas. With four separate opportunities to engage, NRF’s Expert-Led Think Tanks allow attendees to dive deep into a single topic or explore three different topics for a bro ...
Poonam Goyal

Poonam Goyal

Sr Ecommerce & Retail Analyst
Bloomberg Intelligence
3:30pm5:30pm

Choose your vibe

3:30pm5:30pm
Various locations
Unwind and recharge! After a day of game-changing presentations and thought-provoking conversations, select your afternoon activity based on your mood. Choose between:Sip & Stretch Join Eli Walker, founder of the Uplift Experience, for a lively ...
6:00pm8:00pm

Bon voyage dinner

6:00pm8:00pm
Sunset Bluff
Before we say our final good-bye, we will celebrate new and old friends, new partnerships and continued innovation in retail.