Agenda

Monday, July 15

12:30pm–1:45pm
Council Meeting

Council Lunch (by invitation only)

12:30pm–1:45pm
Council Meeting
Palos Verdes Terrace
Council Lunch (by invitation only)
By invitation only.
1:30pm–4:00pm
Council Meeting

CIO Council Meeting

1:30pm–4:00pm
Council Meeting
CIO Council Meeting
By invitation only.
1:45pm–3:15pm
Council Meeting

Digital & Marketing Executives Councils combined meeting

1:45pm–3:15pm
Council Meeting
Digital & Marketing Executives Councils combined meeting
By invitation only.
3:00pm–5:00pm
Networking

Regiception

3:00pm–5:00pm
Networking
Palos Verdes Prefunction
Regiception
Pick up your badge, grab a drink, and mingle with colleagues while enjoying the ocean view and fresh air. This isn’t just registration, but a relaxing networking opportunity (with a few fun treats), before festivities kick off.
3:15pm–4:00pm
3:15pm–4:00pmCouncil Meeting

Digital Council Meeting

3:15pm–4:00pm
Council Meeting
Digital Council Meeting
By invitation only.

Marketing Executives Council Meeting

3:15pm–4:00pm
Council Meeting
Marketing Executives Council Meeting
By invitation only.
5:00pm–5:45pm
Keynote Session

Opening keynote: Retail’s AI inflection point balancing innovation and safeguards

5:00pm–5:45pm
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
Opening keynote: Retail’s AI inflection point balancing innovation and safeguards
Session details coming soon!
5:45pm–8:00pm
Networking

California Dreamin' opening party

5:45pm–8:00pm
Networking
Palos Verdes Terrace
California Dreamin' opening party
Step back in time to the 1960s and 70s, the era of California’s vibrant surf and music scene! Enjoy a beach barbecue and signature cocktails, while grooving to live music that will transport you straight to the golden era of surf and classic rock. Ge ...
8:00pm–9:00pm
Networking

Surfer's Nightcap

8:00pm–9:00pm
Networking
Cove Terrace
Surfer's Nightcap
Keep the chill vibes rolling with music, sweet treats, and cocktails!

Tuesday, July 16

6:30am–7:30am
Networking

Sunrise yoga

6:30am–7:30am
Networking
Catalina Point
Sunrise yoga
Start your day with a boost of energy and beautiful views. Morning workout options coming soon.
7:00am–8:30am
Council Meeting

AI Working Group Meeting

7:00am–8:30am
Council Meeting
AI Working Group Meeting
By invitation only.
7:45am–8:30am
Networking

Breakfast on the terrace

7:45am–8:30am
Networking
Palos Verdes Prefunction
Breakfast on the terrace
Fuel up with coffee and a bite to eat before going out and changing the face of retail.
8:30am–9:15am
Keynote Session

Supercharging unified commerce

8:30am–9:15am
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
Supercharging unified commerce
The future of unified commerce will evolve through advanced technology, integrating AI, IoT, and data analytics for deeper customer insights and personalized experiences. Learn how the next generation of unified commerce promises to redefine shopping ...
9:15am–9:45am
Keynote Session

Consumer trends 2025 and beyond: Forward-looking consumer insights inform valuable strategies for retailers

9:15am–9:45am
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
Consumer trends 2025 and beyond: Forward-looking consumer insights inform valuable strategies for retailers
Know your consumers and stay ahead of lifestyle shifts with unrivaled insight into the way they’ll think, feel and behave for years to come. Through detailed and accurate consumer forecasts, hear how consumer behaviors, interests and tastes will shap ...
9:45am–10:30am
Networking

Networking break

9:45am–10:30am
Networking
Palos Verdes Prefunction
Networking break
Every break brings a surprise. At this event, guests look forward to breaks as much as they do the thought leadership.
10:30am–11:00am
Keynote Session

The evolution of customer engagement with GenAI

10:30am–11:00am
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
The evolution of customer engagement with GenAI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping retailers’ relationships with their customers, delivering personalized experiences at scale and driving growth. Deepen your understanding of the role of GenAI across the customer engagement lifecycle and its ...
11:00am–12:00pm
Expert-Led Think Tank

Expert-Led Think Tanks

11:00am–12:00pm
Expert-Led Think Tank
Palos Verdes Terrace
Expert-Led Think Tanks
Join our handpicked group of subject matter experts to discuss future-forward ideas. With four separate opportunities to engage, NRF’s Expert-Led Think Tanks allow attendees to dive deep into a single topic or explore three different topics for a bro ...
Poonam Goyal

Poonam Goyal

Sr Ecommerce & Retail Analyst
Bloomberg Intelligence
Brenda Higuchi

Brenda Higuchi

Senior Vice President, Analytics and Optimization
Exchange Solutions
12:00pm–12:45pm
Networking

Lunch with a view

12:00pm–12:45pm
Networking
Palos Verdes Terrace
Lunch with a view
Join your fellow retailers for lunch & casual conversation as you re-energize for this afternoon's events.
12:45pm–1:15pm
Keynote Session

AI leadership and strategies in retail

12:45pm–1:15pm
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
AI leadership and strategies in retail
The rapid advancements in AI technology over the past two years are leading to growth in potential AI use cases for retailers, supporting a variety of business functions. These new capabilities create tremendous opportunities to improve customer enga ...
Christian Beckner

Christian Beckner

Vice President, Retail Technology & Cybersecurity
National Retail Federation
1:15pm–1:45pm
Keynote Session

The role of strategic investing in guiding innovation and getting retailers into the investment game

1:15pm–1:45pm
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
The role of strategic investing in guiding innovation and getting retailers into the investment game
This panel discusses the recent trend in strategic investing wherein retailers invest in start-up businesses. It answers questions, such as: why is it that large retailers from Walmart to Dollar General and Kroger are making investments in start-ups ...
Ram Rampalli

Ram Rampalli

Vice President, New Ventures & Growth
Walmart Global Tech
1:45pm–2:45pm
Expert-Led Think Tank

Expert-Led Think Tanks

1:45pm–2:45pm
Expert-Led Think Tank
Palos Verdes Terrace
Expert-Led Think Tanks
Join our handpicked group of subject matter experts to discuss future-forward ideas. With four separate opportunities to engage, NRF’s Expert-Led Think Tanks allow attendees to dive deep into a single topic or explore three different topics for a bro ...
Christian Beckner

Christian Beckner

Vice President, Retail Technology & Cybersecurity
National Retail Federation
Chris Bach

Chris Bach

co-founder, Chief Strategy Officer
Netlify
2:45pm–3:15pm
Networking

Networking break

2:45pm–3:15pm
Networking
Palos Verdes Prefunction
Networking break
Every break brings a surprise. At this event, guests look forward to breaks as much as they do the thought leadership.
3:15pm–3:45pm
Keynote Session

Reaching consumers in a fragmented ecosystem: A conversation with Sur La Table VP & GM of Ecommerce, Rachel Frederick

3:15pm–3:45pm
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
Reaching consumers in a fragmented ecosystem: A conversation with Sur La Table VP & GM of Ecommerce, Rachel Frederick
One of the keys to great customer service is a seamless order-to-delivery experience. Find out how Sur La Table is successfully unlocking in-store inventory and reaching customers outside of its ecosystem while navigating the trade-offs between speed ...
3:45pm–4:15pm
Keynote Session

The Shrinking Divide between technology, digital, and marketing leaders

3:45pm–4:15pm
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
The Shrinking Divide between technology, digital, and marketing leaders
A notable leadership transformation is underway as information technology, digital/ecommerce, and marketing teams find themselves working together more closely, and in some respects now have overlapping roles and responsibilities. Leaders across thes ...
4:45pm–6:15pm
Networking

Choose your own adventure

4:45pm–6:15pm
Networking
Choose your own adventure
Adventures Await! Retailers just wanna have fun! After a full day of game-changing presentations and thought-provoking conversations, choose an afternoon activity that fits your mood. Specific activity details will be shared soon.
7:00pm–9:00pm
Networking

Sunset dinner

7:00pm–9:00pm
Networking
Palos Verdes Meadows
Sunset dinner
As the sunsets over the horizon, join us for a magical Sunset Glow dinner and reception, where vibrant colors and glowing lights create a tropical paradise. Enjoy upbeat tunes, delicious cocktails, tropical fare, and bright entertainment.
9:00pm–10:00pm
Networking

After-glow

9:00pm–10:00pm
Networking
Palos Verdes Terrace
After-glow
Dinner is done, the sun has set! Bring it, let’s GLOW ON! Continue the fun with cocktails and dessert.

Wednesday, July 17

6:30am–7:30am
Networking

Sunrise yoga

6:30am–7:30am
Networking
Catalina Point
Sunrise yoga
Start your day with a boost of energy and beautiful views. Morning workout options coming soon.
7:45am–8:30am
Networking

Networking breakfast

7:45am–8:30am
Networking
Palos Verdes Prefunction
Networking breakfast
Fuel up with coffee and a bite to eat before going out and changing the face of retail.
8:30am–9:00am
Keynote Session

Looking toward a post-app future: How empathic AI agents will take real-world action on consumers’ behalf

8:30am–9:00am
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
Looking toward a post-app future: How empathic AI agents will take real-world action on consumers’ behalf
Business futurist Kate Ancketill will explore the impact of AI agents on tomorrow's consumers and how their changing behavior will impact all retail channels. She'll describe scenarios to help retailers envisage pathways to adaptation in a fast-chang ...
9:00am–9:30am
Keynote Session

AI revolution at Walmart: Navigating the present and future of conversational tech in retail transformation

9:00am–9:30am
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
AI revolution at Walmart: Navigating the present and future of conversational tech in retail transformation
For years—long before it came to dominate the headlines—Walmart has been on a journey to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence. Today, AI is embedded across Walmart’s business—from how it flows its inventory across its network so it’s closer t ...
Desi Gosby

Desi Gosby

Vice President, Emerging Technology
Walmart Global Tech
9:30am–10:00am
Networking

Networking break

9:30am–10:00am
Networking
Palos Verdes Prefunction
Networking break
Every break brings a surprise. At this event, guests look forward to breaks as much as they do the thought leadership.
10:00am–11:00am
Expert-Led Think Tank

Expert-Led Think Tanks

10:00am–11:00am
Expert-Led Think Tank
Palos Verdes Terrace
Expert-Led Think Tanks
Join our handpicked group of subject matter experts to discuss future-forward ideas. With four separate opportunities to engage, NRF’s Expert-Led Think Tanks allow attendees to dive deep into a single topic or explore three different topics for a bro ...
Poonam Goyal

Poonam Goyal

Sr Ecommerce & Retail Analyst
Bloomberg Intelligence
Brenda Higuchi

Brenda Higuchi

Senior Vice President, Analytics and Optimization
Exchange Solutions
11:00am–11:30am
Keynote Session

AI transforming the retail enterprise

11:00am–11:30am
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
AI transforming the retail enterprise
AI (including GenAI) is transforming the retail enterprise internally. Understand the broad impacts AI-enabled solutions are having in areas such as product design, customer support, content development, and no-code/low-code IT development.
11:30am–12:00pm
Keynote Session

Social commerce trends and predictions

11:30am–12:00pm
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
Social commerce trends and predictions
In the near-term future, social commerce envisions the seamless integration of shopping within social media platforms, employing advanced AI for personalized recommendations and interactive experiences. Social commerce is evolving into a dynamic spac ...
Poonam Goyal

Poonam Goyal

Sr Ecommerce & Retail Analyst
Bloomberg Intelligence
12:00pm–1:00pm
Networking

Lunch with a view

12:00pm–1:00pm
Networking
Palos Verdes Terrace
Lunch with a view
Join your fellow retailers for lunch & casual conversation as you re-energize for this afternoon's events.
1:00pm–1:30pm
Keynote Session

New advances in augmented reality (AR)

1:00pm–1:30pm
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
New advances in augmented reality (AR)
Recent advancements in Augmented Reality (AR)and Virtual Reality (VR) technology have the potential to reshape the retail landscape. Enhanced AR applications enable virtual try-on experiences, allowing customers to visualize products in their environ ...
1:30pm–2:00pm
Keynote Session

The state of commerce: Key trends and future predictions

1:30pm–2:00pm
Keynote Session
Palos Verdes Ballroom
The state of commerce: Key trends and future predictions
The retail industry has undergone significant changes in recent years, with the rise of e-commerce, mobile commerce, and social commerce disrupting traditional retail models. In this session, Publicis Chief Commerce Officer, Jason “Retailgeek” Goldbe ...
2:00pm–3:00pm
Expert-Led Think Tank

Expert-Led Think Tanks

2:00pm–3:00pm
Expert-Led Think Tank
Palos Verdes Terrace
Expert-Led Think Tanks
Join our handpicked group of subject matter experts to discuss future-forward ideas. With four separate opportunities to engage, NRF’s Expert-Led Think Tanks allow attendees to dive deep into a single topic or explore three different topics for a bro ...
Poonam Goyal

Poonam Goyal

Sr Ecommerce & Retail Analyst
Bloomberg Intelligence
3:30pm–5:30pm
Networking

Choose your own adventure

3:30pm–5:30pm
Networking
Choose your own adventure
Adventures Await! Retailers just wanna have fun! After a full day of game-changing presentations and thought-provoking conversations, choose an afternoon activity that fits your mood. Specific activity details will be shared soon.
6:00pm–8:00pm
Networking

Bon voyage dinner

6:00pm–8:00pm
Networking
Sunset Bluff
Bon voyage dinner
Before we say our final good-bye, we will celebrate new and old friends, new partnerships and continued innovation in retail.