Attendance is by invitation only and reserved for C-level executives, Heads of Department, and Senior Directors. If you meet the criteria, you can apply for your place via this link – please note, places are limited.

2. Where will the event take place?

The Retail Leaders Summit will be hosted in the iconic Palais building at Messe Berlin. Access is via the North Entrance.

3. Will the event follow Chatham House Rules?

Yes – after the opening keynote and panel (which are open to press and media), the summit will switch to Chatham House Rules from 10: 30 onward. This ensures all comments made by senior leaders remain off the record and confidential.

IFA Retail Leaders Summit | IFA Berlin 2026

Shaping the future of commerce

At the IFA Retail Leaders Summit, the movers and shakers of the global retail industry come together with senior executives from the world’s leading home & consumer tech brands. They’re joined by respected industry analysts and pioneering technology leaders – all ready to share insights, spark ideas, and shape the future of connected commerce.

C-level collaboration & innovation

Fostering peer-to-peer collaboration among the brightest minds in retail and tech.

Matchmaking & facilitating business

To support new connections between international retailers, manufacturers, and groundbreaking tech providers.

Leaders

· Presidents

· CEOs

· Managing Directors

Heads of Department

· Heads of Procurement / Sales / Category Management

· Heads of Retail Operations

· Heads of Supply Chain, Delivery & Fulfillment

· Heads of Technology, AI & Smart Retail

· Heads of Marketing & Go-To-Market (Omnichannel strategy)

Key Advisors & Enablers

· Senior Industry Analysts

· Technology Evangelists

· eCommerce / Social Commerce experts

· Delivery, Logistics and Supply Chain partners

What makes IFA’s Retail Leaders Summit unique?

As the world’s leading platform for home & consumer tech, the IFA Retail Leaders Summit brings together more senior retailers, industry executives and key opinion leaders than any other event.

This invite-only programme is carefully curated to meet the specific needs of senior retail and tech leaders. Each guest receives a personalised agenda, including high-level content, focused roundtables and strategic 1:1 meetings, designed to maximise time and impact.

IFA attracts 14,000+ international retailers

IFA attracts 1,800+ home & consumer tech brands

IFA attracts political, regulatory & economic leaders

Round table discussions

Join the conversation on the hottest topics in retail and tech alongside peers and the industry’s sharpest minds. Designed for honest, peer-led discussion, these sessions run under the Chatham House Rule - creating a trusted space for open, candid conversations you wouldn’t normally get.

Visionary keynotes & presentations

Hear directly from C-level and senior executives as they share their vision for the future of retail and technology.

VIP tours & invitations

Enjoy exclusive VIP experiences at IFA, from private gala dinners and behind-the-scenes tours to premium access at the IFA Sommergarten music festival.

Networking & 1:1 meetings

Meet the people and companies that will elevate your professional network and your next big opportunity.

Visionary keynotes & presentations

Hear directly from C-level and senior executives as they share their vision for the future of retail and technology.

Networking & 1:1 meetings

Meet the people and companies that will elevate your professional network and your next big opportunity.

Round table discussions

Join the conversation on the hottest topics in retail and tech alongside peers and the industry’s sharpest minds. Designed for honest, peer-led discussion, these sessions run under the Chatham House Rule - creating a trusted space for open, candid conversations you wouldn’t normally get.

VIP tours & invitations

Enjoy exclusive VIP experiences at IFA, from private gala dinners and behind-the-scenes tours to premium access at the IFA Sommergarten music festival.

IFA strategic retail partners in 2026:

IFA draws more retailers and buying groups than any other event in the sector:

Sep 3, 2026

08:45 - 18:00

Palais, Messe Berlin

Carine Chardon
Managing Director, GFU Home & Consumer Electronics GmbH

Leif Lindner
CEO, IFA Management

A brief welcome and introduction to the key themes shaping the retail landscape.

Key trends shaping retail transformation
What to expect from the day

Carine Chardon
Managing Director, GFU Home & Consumer Electronics GmbH

Martin Schulte
Partner Retail and Consumer Goods , Oliver Wyman

Global study of consumer behavior complemented by qualitative expert interviews with industry brands and retailers
Analysis of structural shifts in consumer spending, changing purchase journeys, and winning retail propositions
Implications and scenarios for retailer and manufacturers

Perry James
SVP, Global Tech & Durables, NielsenIQ

Key data and macroeconomic insights to frame the day’s discussions.

Market performance and outlook
Key economic pressures and opportunities

Tom Hickman
CEO, Nationwide Marketing Group

John Olsen
Managing Director, Euronics

Remko Rijnders
CEO CECONOMY & MediaMarktSaturn, MediaMarktSaturn

Moderators

Michael McLaughlin
Independent Analyst, Former SVP - Retail

An executive panel exploring how retailers and brands are navigating economic pressure, platform competition, and rising customer expectations—while building profitable, omnichannel growth models for the next phase of retail.

Managing cost and margin pressure
Competing in a platform-led market
Integrating omnichannel for growth

Chris Braam
CEO Business Area Europe, Electrolux Group

Enrico Hoffmann
Head of Sales and Marketing Central Europe, BSH

Moderators

Namrata Gotarne
Senior Director in Global Customer Success Thought Leadership , NielsenIQ

How brands and retailers can collaborate across pricing, data, and fulfilment to drive sustainable, shared growth.

Aligning pricing and promotion strategies
Improving data and inventory visibility
Strengthening joint commercial models

Paul Accornero
Founder, The AI Praxis

For a hundred years, retail has rested on one assumption: that the shopper is a human being. That assumption is now breaking. AI agents are starting to read, compare and buy on the customer's behalf, and they weigh evidence rather than heritage. This keynote sets out what the separation between the consumer and the algorithmic shopper does to the three pillars of retail, why loyalty is quietly transferring from the customer to the agent, and what a retail leadership team should be checking on Monday morning.

Interactive discussions focused on strategic priorities, AI adoption, unified commerce, and fulfilment network design.

1. The CEO Agenda for Retail 2030

2. Winning the Discovery-to-Checkout Economy

3. AI-Driven Retail: Prioritisation Check List

4. Retail Operating Model Transformation: Digital, Stores & Supply Chain

5. Fulfilment Networks for Omnichannel & Cross-Border Growth

Dr. Saskia Meier-Andrae
Vice President and General Manager, eBay Germany & Central Europe, eBay

Eric Millar
Managing Director at E-Square eeig, E-Square

Jörn Rehse
CEO @idealo internet GmbH, idealo internet GmbH

Tana-Maria Schächtele
Head of Marketing , TikTok Shop Europe

Moderators

Michael McLaughlin
Independent Analyst, Former SVP - Retail

As AI discovery engines, social feeds and marketplaces move commerce upstream, how leaders redesign go-to-market to win earlier in the journey and convert profitably across platforms.

Eric Zhang
Global Vice President of AliExpress, Alibaba Group, AliExpress, Alibaba Group

- Today Many Technologies Are Emerging: AI, Robotics, Agentic, Smart Devices

- Technology need to be accessible to become truly life, commerce accelerates innovations to embed them into daily lifestyle

- AliExpress is building Brand+, its new upgrade program to help innovative brands scale by providing an intergrated ecosystem to reach consumers in the innovative age.

Andreas Bicking
Founder & MD DHL Fulfillment Network, DHL Supply Chain

Andreas Müller
CEO & CO-Founder, deltatecc

Eric Zhang
Global Vice President of AliExpress, Alibaba Group, AliExpress, Alibaba Group

Moderators

Michael McLaughlin
Independent Analyst, Former SVP - Retail

Redesigning network strategy, automation investment and reverse logistics to balance the customer promise with sustainable margins.

Focused peer discussions on last-mile strategy, AI-driven commerce, fulfilment efficiency, and in-store innovation.

1. The Last-Mile Advantage: Optimising Speed, Cost & Customer Experience

2. From Discovery to Conversion: AI, Marketplaces & Retail Media in Action

3. The Intelligent Commerce Engine: Scaling AI & Data for Real-Time Decisions

4. Automation & Robotics ROI: Efficiency Across Fulfilment Networks

5. Augmenting the In-Store Experience with Intelligent Technology

Carine Chardon
Managing Director, GFU Home & Consumer Electronics GmbH

Leif Lindner
CEO, IFA Management

1. Who can attend?
Attendance is by invitation only and reserved for C-level executives, Heads of Department, and Senior Directors. If you meet the criteria, you can apply for your place via this link – please note, places are limited.
2. Where will the event take place?
The Retail Leaders Summit will be hosted in the iconic Palais building at Messe Berlin. Access is via the North Entrance.
3. Will the event follow Chatham House Rules?
Yes – after the opening keynote and panel (which are open to press and media), the summit will switch to Chatham House Rules from 10:30 onward. This ensures all comments made by senior leaders remain off the record and confidential.

Highlights from the IFA Retail Leaders Summit 2025

See how global retail and tech leaders came together at IFA Berlin to shape the future of connected commerce. From AI-driven insights to bold strategies in omnichannel and sustainability, this exclusive summit delivered fresh thinking, valuable connections and real impact.

IFA Retail Leaders Summit

Shaping the future of commerce

Key objectives of the IFA Retail Leaders Summit

Who will be invited?

What makes IFA’s Retail Leaders Summit unique?

What to expect?

Connecting the global retail landscape in home & consumer tech

IFA Retail Leaders Summit 2026

Frequently asked questions