The Philippine Retailers Association has invited six of the world’s top industry experts to speak at the 28th National Retail Conference & Expo and provide guidance to local retailers as they navigate the difficult path towards a full recovery from the impact of the pandemic.
Taking place on-site August 11-12 at the SMX Convention Center, this year’s NRCE, the nation’s largest and most important retail industry event, is themed “Retail: Ready, Re/set/Grow!
PRA President and Wilcon Depot COO Rosemarie Bosch Ong said the 28th NRCE is a giant step towards creating a roadmap for a better retail industry.
“We need to equip our fellow retailers and suppliers to help them grow their respective brands and businesses,” she said.
Tom Oliver, consultant to top Fortune 500 companies, will deliver the keynote on the first day of the event. He founded the Tom Oliver Group, a strategy and management consulting group that is now a trusted advisor to many of the world’s most influential family businesses, market leaders and global conglomerates.
He has been dubbed the “mentor to the giants” and a “world-renowned management consultant” as he has worked successfully with brands including Pepsi, Johnson & Johnson and Google.
Don Rae, Group Leader and Senior Advisor at Globe Business, will discuss advanced profiling through data analytics and streamlining e-commerce operations. Rae is a telecommunications veteran, having worked in the industry for 25 years. Apart from his position at Globe, he is also Chairman of Yondu, a holding company of Globe Group.
Cathy Ileto, Vice President of Corporate Communications at SM Retail, has decades of experience in strategic communications. She has created a positive impact across various industries, including broadcast media, telecommunications, technology and retail, through relevant and meaningful stories.
She is in charge of the overall health of the company’s brand. His mandate also includes creating a well-organized employee experience and an extensive sustainability communications campaign.
Edric Mendoza, president of Homeschool Global, is an agent of change. It focuses on personal finance, entrepreneurship and innovative learning. He is a registered financial planner, a presenter of PlusNetwork’s FUNDamentals and a former presenter of ANC’s On The Money.
He is the managing director of The ONE School entrepreneurship college and president of Homeschool Global. Her desire is to change the world, one family at a time.
The second day of the conference will feature Edwin Hawson, Chairman of Central Marketing Group of Central Group of Companies Thailand, Thailand’s largest retailer, who will deliver the keynote address.
CMG is the exclusive distributor and licensee of many iconic brands such as Casio, Dyson, Guess, Calvin Klein Jeans and many other leading retail brands in the country. As a retail business, the Central Group of Companies has been responsible for various investments in retail, property development, brand management, hospitality, food and beverages and digital lifestyle.
Other speakers on NRCE Day 2 include Georg Platzer, Ikea Philippines Store Manager, who will talk about the Ikea experience. The Ikano Group was started by the founder of Ikea but has since created its own identity as a solution provider for various types of businesses around the world.
The remainder of Day Two will have featured speakers addressing topics such as building supply chain resilience, reinventing businesses for a new reality, and catering to a new generation of Filipino consumers during the pandemic.
The NRCE is the nation’s largest and oldest retail industry event. It’s where top retailers and suppliers meet in one place to share knowledge, build camaraderie, and find new ways to accelerate the growth of their respective careers and businesses.
The 28th NRCE is made possible by the following sponsors: Globe Business (Premium Platinum); The SM Store, Wilcon Depot, PLDT Enterprise, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, ETP Group, Unilab (Platinum); Robinsons Malls, Bayer Philippines, Araneta City (gold); CMG Retail Inc., Bench (Bronze); Entrego (exhibition sponsor), Mediacast Digital, Sharetreats, 2Go (exhibition sponsor); Vasavah Consultancy (official IT consultant); Sportshouse, Primer Group of Companies, Mercury Drug, Shangri-La Plaza (sponsor); with media partners DOOH, Manila Times, Philippine Daily Inquirer and Retail in Asia; and its official PR partner Media Blitz Group.
