By Aira Villanueva & Mayan Sangil, PRA
Manila, Philippines – The Philippine Retailers Association (PRA), the national organization for retailers, shopping centers, and suppliers, successfully hosted the 2nd edition of the Retail Leaders Summit (RLS) on October 24, 2023, at Dusit Thani Manila in Makati City. This highly-anticipated gathering of industry players and leaders was graced by visionary leaders and captains, providing effective strategies and innovative solutions to navigate the ever-changing retail landscape.
Under the overarching theme “Retail Rewired: Leadership in a Time of Change,” the summit empowered attendees to embark on a journey to rediscover purpose, consistently craft exceptional shopping experiences, bolster strategic capabilities, and unlock new value to achieve even greater results.
The summit commenced with its opening keynote by Amina Aranaz-Alunan, the Co-Founder and Head Designer of Aranaz De Lujo and Co-Founder of the School of Fashion and the Arts (SoFA) Design Institute. Amina, one of the Philippines’ most renowned accessory designers, shed light on “Framing the Future of Leadership: Bridging the Next Phase of New-Age Design and Creative Leaders.” She shared her inspiring journey, which began with a dream, accompanied by dedication, hard work, and a deep-seated passion for Filipino Creative Design.
The summit also featured dynamic learning sessions and activities focused on customer-centricity, innovation, data-driven customer experiences, winning in the next era of retail, and capturing the hearts of consumers. Topics included transitioning to an omnichannel model, leveraging hybrid experiences for sustainable growth, visual merchandising, store innovation talks, leading in a time of change, and a CEO-to-CEO panel that highlighted strategies and lessons from founders in creating a new culture of innovation, along with pitfalls to avoid and opportunities for repurposing businesses.
Closing the summit on a high note was Christophe Renoul, the Managing Partner of La Meute Design & Communication, who provided “A Strategic Guide to Effective Brand Alignment – A Must-Have for Growth.” He emphasized the significance of considering your brand as an asset of the company and how it evolves over time. Renoul also stressed the importance of maintaining consistency across channels and the need for brands to invest in innovation to strengthen and solidify their brand.
The Retail Leaders Summit was undeniably a resounding success, delivering on its promise to provide a comprehensive learning event. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the support of its generous sponsors and partners, including Globe Business, SAP.iO, and FUJIFILM Business Innovation Philippines Corp. (Premium Partners), SM Store (Gold Partner), Mr. DIY Philippines, eCloudvalley Philippines, Lady Grace Intimates, and Potato Corner (Brand Partners), Retailgate Technologies (Technology Partner), InnovationOne, Inc., and Mayani (Program Partners), Philippine Daily Inquirer, and The Philippine Star (Media Partners), Avolution (Official LED Partner), and Media Blitz Group (PR Partner).
