Kick off the conference with Diana Marshall, Executive Vice President and Chief Experience Officer at Sam’s Club, as she shares how the company is redefining member engagement through innovation, intentional design, and personalization—driving toward its ambitious goal of becoming the world’s best club retailer.

Overseeing Membership, Product & Design, Marketing & Personalization, the Member Access Platform (retail media), Financial Services, and Data & Business Insights, Diana leads a newly formed Experience organization with a bold vision: to create effortless, personal experiences that bring joy and foster community.

From AI-powered scan-and-go technology to cashierless clubs and uniquely omni-enabled shopping in the club channel, discover how Sam’s Club is building deeper, smarter member relationships at scale. It’s about earning trust, delivering delight, and ensuring that membership is a clear, compelling choice.

Moderated by Jason “Retailgeek” Goldberg, this dynamic opening session will explore what it takes to build loyalty in a tech-driven world—where every touchpoint is a chance to connect.

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, connecting authentically with Gen Z and Gen Alpha demands visionary leadership and seamless collaboration between brand and tech. Pacsun CEO Brieane Olson and Chief Digital and Information Officer Shirley Gao will share how they align on strategy to unlock growth through digital innovation and cultural relevance. This session explores how tech-forward tactics—like augmented reality, virtual influencers, and innovation in the digital space—intersect with bold marketing moves and micro-influencer engagement to reach next-gen consumers where they are. Attendees will gain a firsthand look at how executive alignment fuels campaigns that blend physical and digital realms, driving meaningful engagement in an increasingly competitive market.

In today’s rapidly evolving retail landscape, traditional tech stacks are no longer enough to keep pace with shifting consumer expectations and the demand for agility. This session explores how forward-thinking retailers are reimagining their technology ecosystems — flipping the traditional stack upside down to prioritize data, flexibility, and speed. By moving from rigid, siloed systems to composable architectures powered by real-time data and intelligent automation, brands can unlock new levels of personalization, operational efficiency, and innovation. Learn how leading retailers are restructuring their platforms to adapt faster, optimize experiences across every channel, and turn data into a competitive advantage. Walk away with strategies to future-proof your tech investments and build a foundation for continuous innovation and growth.

Next-gen loyalty isn’t a program – it’s a fully integrated, data-driven strategy that makes customers feel known, valued, and connected to the brand at every touchpoint. Today’s leading retailers are moving beyond transactional rewards and designing loyalty ecosystems that blend personalization, experiential perks, and community engagement – all powered by real-time data and predictive insights. This session will explore how Sephora, Liquid Death and American Express have evolved from static points programs to dynamic, customer-first strategies that foster emotional loyalty, strengthen retention, and unlock new revenue opportunities. Learn how these industry leaders are leveraging AI, omnichannel data, and strategic partnerships to create seamless, values-driven loyalty experiences that resonate with modern shoppers. Walk away with a blueprint for building customer connections that last long after the first purchase — and drive sustainable growth for your brand

For today’s retail executives, the ability to make fast, data-driven decisions is critical to staying ahead in a constantly evolving marketplace. Agentic AI — autonomous AI agents that analyze vast datasets, predict market trends, and recommend real-time actions — is emerging as a transformative force in retail strategy. This session explores how forward-thinking leaders are using agentic AI to unify omnichannel shopping experiences, scale hyper-personalization, and unlock the full potential of their data. Discover how these intelligent agents help retailers work smarter with partners, accelerate supply chain agility, and optimize both margins and growth. Through real-world scenarios and practical use cases, attendees will see how agentic AI solves complex retail challenges — empowering the C-suite to move faster, act smarter, and lead with confidence in a competitive landscape.

In today's rapidly evolving retail landscape, clear organizational design is critical to achieving strategic goals and operational efficiency. Join Dr. Janet Sherlock, former Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Ralph Lauren, as she moderates a panel of retail leaders from technology, digital/e-commerce, and marketing sectors. Drawing from her extensive research and experience, Dr. Sherlock emphasizes that structure should follow work, not individuals, to avoid organizational drift and inefficiencies. Panelists will discuss practical approaches to defining specialized functions, establishing optimal structures, and creating roles that align with strategic objectives. Attendees will gain insights into avoiding common pitfalls such as overlapping roles and unclear accountabilities, and learn how to implement a work-first approach to organizational design for enhanced productivity and profitability.​

Everyone is under pressure to either discount less – or make promotions more profitable. New advances in AI technology give retailers new levers to drive results, impacting both the top and bottom line. In this conversation, Session AI CMO Jason Seeba sits down with a leading retailer to discuss how they are transforming their digital promotional strategy with AI. They’ll explore how to target anonymous site visitors effectively, maximize both top- and bottom-line impact with AI, and boost ROI with AI-driven offers and experiences.

Taco Bell is leading the way in restaurant innovation – serving up smarter, faster, and more connected experiences through cutting-edge digital tools. In this session, Dane Mathews, Taco Bell’s Chief Digital & Technology Officer, will share how the brand is leveraging AI-driven platforms like Byte by Yum! to transform everything from order accuracy and pricing agility to delivery, team member satisfaction, and operational efficiency.

Discover how Taco Bell is using technology to streamline operations, boost real-time decision-making, and create crave-worthy experiences that match the speed and expectations of today’s consumer – while staying true to the bold, innovative spirit of the brand.

Retailers continue to implement improvements to the customer experience across multiple shopping channels. With so many consumer touchpoints, how can brands deliver reduced friction for shoppers all along the buyer’s journey and deliver truly seamless commerce experiences? In this session, you’ll learn how retailers are using the cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver personalized recommendations and help consumers confidently discover, find, and purchase items.

Join renowned technology analyst Benedict Evans as he examines how artificial intelligence, including GenAI and agentic AI, is transforming the retail industry. In this session, Evans explores how AI drives innovation in digital marketing, ecommerce and consumer engagement, presenting new opportunities and challenges to enhance the customer experience and optimize operations. Learn how AI enables personalized marketing, predictive analytics for smarter inventory management and advanced consumer behavior insights. Evans will also address key challenges, including balancing data privacy with personalization and preparing the workforce for an AI-driven future. Don’t miss this chance to gain critical insights into the technologies reshaping the future of retail.