Retail Asia 2018 RA September.October 2018 (Online) | Page 64

REVIEW
Retail reinvention strategies
Latest reports on the current retail
landscape and the future of the
industry were discussed during the
two-day conference with inputs from
global research companies Kantar
Millward Brown, which shared tips on
achieving brand growth and resilience
through meaningful disruptions, and
Euromonitor International, which
contributed its take on the drivers of new
consumer trends and mindset.
An insightful talk on sustainability
was discussed by H&M Singapore
sustainability manager Xin Yi Wong,
who shared the global fashion brand in
leading and changing into a circular and
renewable fashion brand’s efforts while
being a fair and equal company.
Homegrown telecommunications
and digital services giants PLDT
Enterprise, and Globe Business inspired
retailers with their presentations on
how to be Fearless in the Mobile Retail
Era and Enabling Retail Transformation
respectively.
While Business Works’ consultant
and stylist, Nika Diwa, provided tips on
how companies can build their brands
and tell their story, artist and Dream
Big CEO Juan de Lascurain gave an
inspiring talk on dreaming big and
following one’s dream.
Amazon Web Services’ Santanu
Dutt shared innovations at Amazon,
while JDA Software’s Lee Gill talked
about the global perspective of retail
transformation. IT service management
company TaskUs also shared their
company’s culture and their goal of
delivering the best customer service.
Two lively and inspiring panel
discussions also took place on Day
1, focusing on the role of leisure and
entertainment in transforming the
retail landscape in the country, with
panellists including some of the country’s
biggest entertainment providers such as
giant TV network ABS-CBN, family
amusement arcade centre Timezone,
Viu Philippines which offers Korean
dramas, variety shows and other Asian
programmes through its website and
app, and indoor play city for kids
Kidzania.
The second day featured successful
women in retail including home building
supplies retailer Wilcon Depot president
and CEO Lorraine Belo-Cincochan;
retailer AllValue president Camille Villar;
spa products provider Oryspa CEO
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Retail Asia September/October 2018
Philippine Senator Grace Poe (sixth from left), together with the PRA Board of Directors led
by president Rosemarie Ong (to her right), led the opening ceremony of the Stores Asia Expo
2018, said to be the only focused retail suppliers expo in the country. Others in the picture
are (from left): PRA vice-chairman Mars C Chua; PRA vice-chairman Jorge T Mendiola; PRA
Vice Chairman Roberto S Claudio, PRA Chairman Emeritus Samie Lim, PRA Chairman Paul A
Santos; PRA vice-chairman Lorenzo C Formoso and PRA vice-president Arthur G Coronel.
Sherill Quintana; healthcare products
distributor DMark Beauty CEO Nikki
Tang; and eco-friendly store Echostore
Sustainable Lifestyle and marketing
advocacy company Great Women co-
founder Jeannie Javelosa, who shared
their insights and experience as women
in retail leadership.
Highlights on retail
innovations
Due to its success last year, the NRCE
had brought back the breakout session
on Supermarket Track, which again
received a wide audience this year.
Topics covered included megatrends in
supermarket, unmanned supermarket
Bingobox, retail transformation in
Europe, and digital transformation real-
world example.
New this year was the Digital
Transformation Track, which also
received great interest from NRCE
delegates. Presentations included
topics on using social media to drive
e-commerce conversions, analytics for
retail, creating new experiences through
design thinking, customer service in
digital world, and newest technology
and concepts from Singapore’s real estate
company Capitaland.
To complement the conference,
the Stores Asia Expo featured “tools for
global retailing” from more than 100
exhibitors offering products and solutions
for the retail industry such as retail
solutions, e-commerce & m-commerce,
shop fittings & store design, digital
marketing, commercial and real estate
developers, Web developers, non-
traditional advertising, financial services,
storage and distribution, HR solutions,
and billboard locations, among others.
According to the organiser, the Stores
Asia Expo, the expo counterpart of the
NRCE, is one of the longest running
retail suppliers’ expo in Asia. It has drawn
more than 3,000 visitors and decision
makers from the retail and related
industries showcasing the latest tools for
global retailing. Additionally, talks on the
latest innovations in retail also took place
at the Retail Learning Lab inside the
Expo Hall.
“We hope that you take both the
conference and the expo as opportunities
for you to grow your business allies
and networks as well as build valuable
partnerships in the industry,” 25th NRCE
overall chairman and PRA vice-chairman
Frederick Go said during the opening
programme.
The NRCE is organised annually
by the PRA, the largest organisation
of retailers and retail suppliers in the
Philippines. ra