The Retailer Winter Edition 2022

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We’re talking about small intimate groups with exclusive access to iconic CEOs.” ‘‘ The objective of the program is simply to expose the delegates to thought leaders on the topics that are impacting their business and which they’re having to address when looking at their next strategic cycle. The only way you can do that is by having a world-class panel of guest speakers and experts. Why have you opted for a blended approach? Why not all online? Our hand was forced last year, and we had to have an entirely online programme. Although people thought the programme was outstand ing last year, the one thing that they did want to do was meet people face-to-face. So why have we not done the whole programme face-to-face? Given all the challenges retail has faced recently, we want to control the overall cost implications and make this experience accessible for all retailers. To cut down on cost, we’re putting a lot of work in behind the scenes, scheduling and planning online sessions so they are executed to a high standard. A face-to-face session that I’m looking forward to is our Wednesday night speaker, Jon Colley, who’ll be sharing his leadership journey. Last year this was Catherine Poulter and honestly, I wish that we’d all been together in the room because you could have heard a pin drop. She told an unbelievable story; it would just have been amazing to be in the room with her. You’ve mentioned a few times the fantastic speakers that the BRC can attract, what kind of guest speakers and experts arewe talking about here? Delegates hear from a broad range of retailers, SMEs, commentators and industry analysts. We’ve also got industry reporters from Retail Week and The Times because they’ve got an overall view ofn key megatrends, the winners and losers – that sort of stuff.

Something that caught my eye is the tagline ‘future-proof your business’. What does this mean and how can the Retail Masters help delegates to do this? It’s understanding the trends and issues that are going to hit your busi ness like a steam train. A great example is sustainability and the growing demand from customers to buy sustainable products. The Retail Masters is the perfect opportunity to hear from people who are already finding practical and creative ways of overcoming this and other challenges. It’s a chance to discuss and debate amongst your peers, which in turn gives you a range of alternative solutions to a problem that you already have, thus potentially future proofing your business.

For more information about the BRC Retail Masters, or to register your interest for the 2022 cohort, visit our website or contact our Learning Team.