CREATING a better roadmap for the retail industry in the post-pandemic era is one of the highlights for this year’s retail conference and expo.
Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) president and senior executive vice president-chief operating officer of Wilcon Depot Rosemarie Ong said retail players would need to harness innovation as the country gears up for more buying activities starting this year.
The PRA hopes to see more “retail action” this year as physical events have gradually returned two years since the national lockdown.
“The 28th National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo (NRCE) is creating a roadmap to a better retail industry. Hence, we must equip fellow retailers and supplier industries to help them expand their respective brands and businesses by providing transformative and actionable strategies as well as harness innovation to achieve global competitiveness,” Ong said in a statement.
The PRA announced that it is bringing back the NRCE, the country’s biggest retail industry event, to the physical stage next month.
Slated on Aug. 11 to 12, 2022, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, this year’s NRCE will carry the theme: “Retail: Ready, Re/set/ GROW!”
The event will enable retailers to learn from the top industry leaders to better prepare their businesses for the new normal during the two-day conference and exhibition, that is packed with activities to be held face-to-face.
“As retailers and allied industries begin to turn a new leaf, the PRA believes it is time to look for novel and innovative ways to ready businesses for the future, reset the retail ecosystem by adopting new skills and mindsets that cater to the changing needs of the consumers, and grow amid new market conditions and forces,” the group said.
NRCE 2022 overall chairman and president of Rustan Commercial Corp. Donnie Tantoco said it is vital at this point in time to showcase more extensive learning sessions face-to-face among retailers and their allied industries as everyone directs their path to recovery.
The NRCE Committee will also launch a new segment called the NRCE Retail Mentorship Program designed to provide an exclusive two-way learning setup where mentor and mentee pairs can have a healthy exchange of ideas and experiences to cultivate an open discussion that can advance their respective careers and businesses.
The event will feature the cream of the crop of the industry both at the local and international levels such as Tom Oliver, consultant to top Fortune 500 companies, Edwin Hawson of Central Marketing Group, Don Rae of Globe Business, and many more.
There will be three stages throughout the event, serving as a venue for over 30 industry experts to share insights and experiences that will help businesses bounce back from setbacks caused by the pandemic. They will touch on topics such as social commerce, global talent trends, the metaverse as a blueprint for businesses, and other exclusive talks over the span of two days.
Fresh, valuable insights
On choosing the experts for the event, Tantoco shared that together with the NRCE Conference chairmen Sam Gregory Lim, vice president of Blims Lifestyle Group and Bryan Liu, vice president for Strategy and Operations of Penshoppe Group with the PRA board of directors, they put emphasis on selecting leaders they were sure could provide fresh and valuable insights to the attendees.
“The times are now changing, so the industry needs new knowledge and strategies as well,” he stressed.
Moreover, a Stores Asia Expo will also be mounted during the conference, which will showcase new and cutting-edge technologies to provide solutions that fit business needs and can be of help to the growth of companies. The expo also serves as a hub to like-minded retailers and suppliers to build strong relationships through collaboration opportunities.
For the past 28 years, the NRCE has been the event for like-minded businessmen in the country to uncover valuable trends, developments, and innovations in the retail arena.
It is the biggest and longest-running retail industry event in the country where top retailers and suppliers converge in one venue. It provides retailers with fresh insights, new perspectives, as well as actionable strategies from industry leaders to help accelerate the growth of businesses in the country.
Interested retailers can still register to attend the event at the NRCE website (www.nrce-ph.com/register).