IFA Retail Leaders Summit

Unlocking growth – Getting Ahead of Economic Trends and Consumer Demand 

The consumer electronics industry is facing a rapidly evolving landscape marked by economic shifts, technological advancements, and shifting consumer preferences. This opening keynote and panel will explore how companies can navigate these challenges while positioning themselves for growth and competitive advantage.

• Navigating economic shifts: Inflation, supply chain disruptions, and changing global trade policies have created both challenges and opportunities in the consumer electronics market. Experts will discuss how companies are adapting to these shifts, optimizing their supply chains, and planning for resilience in an unpredictable global environment. 

• Anticipating consumer demand: The ability to predict consumer demand has never been more critical. We explore how data analytics, AI, and advanced market research tools are helping companies forecast trends, understand consumer behaviour, and develop products that meet emerging needs.

• Innovating for competitive advantage: Innovation in sustainability, smart technologies, and ecosystem integration will be key to staying ahead. We share how leveraging these innovations, alongside cutting-edge software and hardware, can drive future growth and improve market positioning in a competitive landscape.

AI is no longer an experiment. It is here and transforming industries rapidly. Frank Azor, CVP, Consumer and Gaming Marketing at AMD, will share how AI is reshaping retail with smarter supply chains, adaptive operations, and more personal customer experiences. He will highlight how AMD uses AI internally and showcase how AMD’s local AI platforms are helping retail businesses innovate and grow.

The session will conclude with a forward-looking view of the AI in retail market, and how retailers can scale confidently by deploying AI locally, at the edge, where speed, privacy, and reliability matter most.

In this high-impact panel, leaders from Avanade and Microsoft will bring insightful case studies and lessons from the front line whilst exploring how Agentic AI, cloud computing, and data-driven strategies are reshaping retail operations and customer engagement—ushering in a new era of intelligent, personalized, and agile commerce.

• Learnings from the front line: Discover real-world use cases where avatars, virtual agents, and conversational AI are redefining customer engagement. Hear how leading retailers are pushing the boundaries of immersive and intelligent experiences.
• AI-Driven Retail Innovation: From predictive analytics to autonomous agents, AI is revolutionizing how retailers manage inventory, tailor shopping experiences, and drive customer loyalty. Panellists will share how they see AI being used to increase sales, enhance operational efficiency and deliver personalization at scale.
• Becoming We: Humans and Agents in Harmony: A look ahead at how generative AI, predictive data models, and autonomous systems will shape the future of supply chains, product design, and consumer interaction. Learn about the emerging technologies already fuelling next-generation innovation in retail.
• The Customer is the only Channel: The customer is no longer on or in a channel, they're in every channel, asynchronously. As such, they are the channel. “Life centricity” becomes the key consideration and intelligent agents will play a transformative role in driving seamless, context-aware, and hyper-personalized customer journeys.

In today’s fragmented retail landscape, delivering a seamless, unified customer experience across digital and physical channels is no longer optional—it’s essential. This session dives into what it takes to become a best-in-class omni-channel retailer, combining data-driven insights, integrated platforms, and customer-centric strategies. We'll explore key omni-channel trends—from real-time inventory visibility to hyper-personalized marketing—and unpack go-to-market strategies that bridge the gap between online and in-store. Learn how leading brands are building resilient, agile models that meet customers wherever they are—and wherever they're going.

Key Takeaways:

• Identify the latest omni-channel trends, including unified commerce, mobile-first strategies, and AI-driven personalization
• Learn go-to-market strategies for aligning digital and physical touchpoints to improve loyalty and conversion
• Discover tools and best practices for streamlining operations, from inventory synchronization to cross-channel fulfillment

1. Mastering Omni-Channel: (NIQ/GfK): What are the key challenges and opportunities for Retailers and Industry with Omni-Channel
2. DTC - Taking consumer activation to the next level – digital, social and interactive (Oliver Wyman): How do the winners in consumer electronics set themselves apart from everybody else, winning in mature markets
3. AI & Data-Driven Retail: Personalization, Automation, and the Next Generation of Shopping Experiences (Avanade / Microsoft): How are retailers using AI and analytics to improve personalised customer experience and improving staff engagement at the point of sale
4. How will AI influence future buying behaviour? (AMD): How are technology advancements influencing buyer behaviour and driving new business models
5. From Excess to Opportunity: Sustainable & Circular Strategies in Consumer Electronics (Kleinanzeigen): · Explore how retailers and manufacturers can tackle excess inventory, reduce e-waste, extend product lifecycles, repurpose unsold stock, and build circular business models that turn sustainability into a competitive advantage.

This session offers a forward-looking vision for a sustainable and circular consumer electronics industry, grounded in the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) research. We'll explore what a truly circular economy demands in terms of product design, resource use, and supply chain transformation. Attendees will gain insight into current industry initiatives, the systemic shifts required to close material loops, and the role of political frameworks in enabling scalable change.

As consumer behaviour evolves in the digital age, go-to-market strategies for brands and retailers in home and consumer tech must transform to stay competitive. This session explores what’s driving the change, from demand for personalization to the rise of omnichannel experiences—and how brands can respond with agility and innovation.

Key Takeaways:

• What innovation is required to meet future consumer needs?
• Understand the latest shifts in consumer expectations and tech buying journeys
• Explore how data, AI, and digital experiences are reshaping retail strategies
• Learn practical steps to future-proof your brand for the next generation of shoppers

As consumer demand for home and consumer electronics evolves, manufacturing brands must strike the right balance between traditional retail partnerships, eCommerce, and direct-to-consumer (DTC) models. This session will examine how leading brands are adapting their go-to-market strategies to drive growth, increase margins, and deliver a consistent brand experience across every channel.

• Channel Integration for Electronics Brands: How top manufacturers are aligning in-store retail, online marketplaces, and DTC platforms to expand reach and maintain control over brand and pricing.
• Future-Proofing Sales Strategies: Navigating rapid technological innovation, shifting consumer habits, and competitive pressure with flexible, omnichannel strategies tailored for the electronics market.
• Smart Use of Data & Technology: Harnessing AI, predictive analytics, and real-time data to fine-tune product availability, dynamic pricing, and personalized consumer engagement across channels.

Speakers:

• Moderator: Head of Customer Success, NiQ/ GfK
• Group Director DACH, Meta 
  

Retail in Home & Consumer Tech is at a turning point—where shifting customer expectations, emerging technologies, and market pressures demand bold, future-ready strategies. But reinvention doesn't need to start from scratch. This panel brings together technology leaders from other industries to share how they’ve transformed personalization, agility, loyalty, and customer identity. From AI-driven engagement and immersive commerce to predictive supply chains and connected experiences, discover what forward-thinking retailers can adopt today to lead the next wave of digital transformation.

• Borrow, Adapt, Leap: How retailers can borrow transformation strategies from other sectors and adapt them to leap ahead—without the burden of legacy systems slowing them down.
• From Products to Platforms: What retail can learn from industries like automotive and tech about moving from selling products to delivering connected experiences and value-added ecosystems.
  
• Future-Proofing Through Agility: Examples of how to build resilience and responsiveness—and what retail must do to match their agility in personalization, supply chain, and customer intelligence.

1. Understanding Consumer Demand: How to Stay Ahead of Economic & Market Trends (WGSN):
   What data sources and methodologies can brands use to anticipate shifts in consumer behaviour?
2. The Future of Consumer Electronics Retail: Balancing In-Store, eCommerce & DTC (NiQ / GfK):
   How can brands optimize their omnichannel strategy to meet evolving consumer expectations?
3. Sustainability & Circular Economy in Consumer Electronics (Cradle-to-Cradle):
   How can manufacturers and retailers work together to drive the transformation of home and consumer electronics towards a true circular economy?