Keynote Session

Tuesday
July 16
9:15 am–9:45 am
American Express Theatre

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

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 Strauss & Co. VP, U.S. Ecommerce, Priya Buening, to hear how consumer behaviors, interests and tastes will shape how they live, work, play and spend. Understand how to anticipate consumer behaviors within and between generation groups and offer products and services that meet consumer needs.
Tuesday
July 16
10:30 am–11:00 am
American Express Theatre

The evolution of customer engagement with GenAI

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 impact on how future customer experiences will be designed, delivered, and scaled. Hear real-world perspectives and practical tips from digital and tech thought leaders at Fabletics, Victoria’s Secret and Domino’s.
Tuesday
July 16
12:45 pm–1:15 pm
American Express Theatre

AI leadership and strategies in retail

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 engagement and operational efficiency, but also can lead to new risks, creating the need for consistent company-wide governance.

Tuesday
July 16
1:15 pm–1:45 pm
American Express Theatre

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

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 and tech companies? How can founders harness these opportunities as opposed to traditional venture capital? What are the benefits and downsides?

Tuesday
July 16
3:15 pm–3:45 pm
American Express Theatre

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

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, cost, and customer care. Hear how the upscale cooking wares retailer is improving its fulfillment efficiency, growing brand awareness, and ensuring high customer satisfaction across its omnichannel operations.
Tuesday
July 16
3:45 pm–4:15 pm
American Express Theatre

The Shrinking Divide between technology, digital, and marketing leaders

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 these domains need to embrace a new era of integration and collaboration to drive new growth strategies. How can leaders prepare to manage cross-functional teams that encompass tech, digital and marketing expertise?

Wednesday
July 17
9:00 am–9:30 am
American Express Theatre

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

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 to customers to increasing associate productivity via intelligent tools. Hear from Walmart Global Technology’s Emerging Tech vice president, Desiree Gosby, about how Walmart is using AI to drive growth and competitive advantage across the Walmart enterprise.
Wednesday
July 17
11:00 am–11:30 am
American Express Theatre

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

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 harming the productivity and output in organizations. The proliferation of C-suite roles, including Chief Digital Officer, Chief Data Officer, and most recently Chief AI Officer has been prevalent in the technology area for years.
Wednesday
July 17
11:30 am–12:00 pm
American Express Theatre

Social commerce trends and predictions

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 space where influencers and user-generated content drive purchasing decisions, blurring the lines between entertainment, social interaction, and e-commerce. Convenience, personalization, and community-driven shopping experiences will revolutionize how many customers discover and buy products online.
Wednesday
July 17
1:30 pm–2:00 pm
American Express Theatre

Retail revolution: Enhancing customer experiences through digital channel optimization

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 optimization. Hear how retailers can enhance customer experiences by optimizing website and mobile interfaces, implementing GenAI-driven personalization, and integrating CRM systems to create a cohesive digital strategy that enhances customer satisfaction and boosts the customer experience and engagement.