Placing Customer Centricity at the Heart of your Commerce Strategies
Welcome Address
TRACK CHAIR: Kate Nightingale, Chief Behavioural Officer & Founder, HUMANISING BRANDS
Want to stay ahead of the curve and capture the hearts (and wallets) of tomorrow’s consumers? Join Carla Buzasi, CEO of WGSN, at FUTR Europe for an exclusive deep dive into the trends shaping industries in 2027. Discover the strategies to capture attention, build loyalty and gain market share.
Carla Buzasi, CEO, WGSN
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
Want to learn the secret behind Anthropologie’s 100% engagement surge? In this session, Emily MacKinnon, Senior Brand Strategist at Dash Social, and Paige Anthony, Senior Social Media Manager at Anthropologie, will pull back the curtain on how a community-first content strategy, powered by employee generated content, became Anthropologie’s most effective growth engine.
In this session you will learn:
How people-led storytelling is transforming social media success
Why creator content outperforms polished campaigns
How your brand can turn its social community into a powerful driver of business results
Emily MacKinnon, Senior Brand Strategist, DASH SOCIAL
Paige Anthony, Senior Social Media Manager, ANTHROPOLOGIE EUROPE
MODERATOR: Kate Nightingale, Chief Behavioural Officer & Founder, HUMANISING BRANDS
SPONSORED KEYNOTE
In the dynamic world of retail, where customer expectations evolve rapidly, fostering lasting relationships has become the cornerstone of sustained success. This session will explore how placing communities at the centre of your customer engagement strategy can drive increased customer lifetime value (CLV).
20 MIN KEYNOTE
Mike Cadden, Chief Technology Officer, MARIE CURIE
• How are brands and retailers tracking, segmenting and forecasting consumer behaviour?
• How to successfully place community building and customer centricity at the heart of your commercial strategy?
• How to turn your customer into brand ambassadors?
• What macro trends (like health and wellness) are shaping consumer preferences and what opportunities do they present for product development?
Debbie Epstein, Marketing Director, THIS
Caroline Orange-Northey, Director, Retail UK, PINTEREST
Irene Sibaja, Director of Global Partnerships, TREASURE DATA
MODERATOR: Claire Hennah, CEO / Founder, THE ILLUMINATE ALCHEMY
45 MINUTE PANEL
TRACK CHAIR: Amy Hendry, Manager, UK & Europe, FUTURE SNOOPS
TRACK CHAIR: Lee Kenny, Editor, MARKETING BEAT
TRACK CHAIR: Kate Nightingale, Chief Behavioural Officer & Founder, HUMANISING BRANDS
In this talk, Giuseppe Baidoo, Founder of Gusto Snacks, will share how he turned an idea to save unwanted fruit into a snack brand now sold in Selfridges, WHSmith, and offices across the UK, while preparing to launch in leading high street retailers.
Giuseppe will explain the steps he took to grow the business with little money, how he got the attention of big retailers, and why telling your story in the right way really matters. He’ll also talk about the lessons he’s learned from selling in new markets and building a strong community of customers.
What you’ll learn:
– How small brands can get noticed by big retailers
– Tips for growing a loyal customer base
– What to think about when selling in new countries
– Why direct-to-consumer sales are so important
– How to turn your mission into a strong business
This session is for anyone building a brand and looking for real, practical advice on how to grow with purpose.
Giuseppe Baidoo, CEO, GUSTO SNACKS
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
A full-scale tech stack transformation may not be feasible this year — often due to the challenge of securing organizational buy-in. Instead, consider addressing immediate needs with targeted solutions.
This session will explore how leveraging real-time data and adopting agile methodologies can significantly enhance marketing effectiveness. Look at how a focused approach on the right initiatives can streamline operations and deliver measurable results — including doubling your ROAS after campaign deployment.
Aaron Smedley, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer, LE CHAMEAU
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
This session will deep dive into how Digital Commerce is evolving to become consumer’s new forefront and going way beyond just shopping.
We will also deep dive in some of the quick wins in digital commerce and how AI and Automation will make it simpler to execute at scale.
We will also do blue sky thinking of what will Digital Comerce evolve to in near future.
Swagat Choudhury, Global Digital Commerce Director, MARS WRIGLEY
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
In 2025, innovative eCommerce retailers like PetSmart and WHOOP are replacing traditional email calendars and rule-based journeys with AI-driven agents that autonomously test, learn, and personalize campaigns at scale. Join Adam Greco to discover how these AI innovators are driving cross-category purchases and incremental sales through owned channels like email, push, and SMS.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:
How to personalize at scale with AI agents & reinforcement learning – Learn how retailers use AI Decisioning to deliver the right message at the right time—without relying on static calendars or rigid customer journeys.
How to break the boundaries of traditional A/B testing – Explore how AI-driven continuous experimentation enables faster learning and deeper personalization than ever before.
How to measure the sales impact of your AI system – Get practical guidance on moving beyond vanity metrics to measure AI’s true impact on loyalty, retention, and incremental sales.
Adam Greco, Product Evangelist, HIGHTOUCH
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
Stjepan Zelić, CEO, HYPEFY
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
We all know that customer centricity is essential for driving results in retail, and that AI is a given in that equation. This talk will explore how AI powered Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) enable retailers to unify fragmented customer data to create a comprehensive and actionable view of each customer. By combining customer data with the latest AI advancements in predictive analytics, personalized content generation, and real-time recommendations, retailers can deliver hyperpersonalized, real-time experiences that foster customer loyalty and growth.
ATTENDEES WILL:
Learn how a CDP is the central nervous system for your martech stack
See techniques to boost BOPIS order value with orchestrated ads, emails and push notifications
Observe strategies to improve targeted cross-sell campaigns and improve ROAS
Acknowledge the ethical considerations and data privacy considerations of leveraging AI
Through relatable stories and real-world examples, we will showcase the transformative power of customer data and AI together in enabling personalized, engaging, and efficient customer experiences.
Irene Sibaja, Director of Global Partnerships, TREASURE DATA
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
• What different approaches are there to ESG business models?
• What would help sustainable brands scale sustainably?
• What are the tech platforms that can help them do this?
• What are the commercial realities behind running a sustainable brand?
• What are the challenges they face and what support do they need from retailers?
• As an independent sustainable brand, how do you think about customer centricity?
Freya Rose Archer, Founder, Designer & CEO, , FREYA ROSE
Georgia Crossley, Founder & CEO, GEE GEE COLLECTION
Claudia Simms Abram, Chief Brand Officer, DEPLOY
HOST: Anahita Pradhan, COO, CULT MIA
40 MINUTE PANEL
• How to utilise social platforms on the consumer journey?
• How to tie social media content into the brand and sales strategy?
• What social commerce and live shopping platforms are available and how do they integrate with other tech within the business such as CRM, inventory management?
• What tools and technologies are available in the tech stack for making social commerce work?
Mila Hrisimova, Head of Social, LASTMINUTE.COM
David Kelly, Ecommerce & Pureplay Lead, Growth Markets, PZ CUSSONS
Siobhan Mulcahy, Social Media Associate Director, SAVILLS
Emily MacKinnon, Senior Brand Strategist, DASH SOCIAL
MODERATOR: Charlotte Greenman, Social Media Director, BAUER MEDIA GROUP
40 MINUTE PANEL
• What are the latest developments in the Retail Media Network landscape? Technological capabilities, tech stack integration, market players
• In a quickly expanding landscape of RMN providers, how can brands use retail media effectively?
• How to structure a successful retail media strategy and build data capabilities to prevent silos?
• How does retail media integrate with other ad channels?
• What additional opportunities does the data generated by RMN offer brands and retailers beyond advertisement? i.e. benchmarking, deep customer insights.
• How can first data generated by customer retention strategies such as loyalty programs be linked up with retail media?
Jess Cooke, Director of Media and Loyalty, STONEGATE GROUP
Elton Ollerhead, Director – ASOS Media Group, ASOS
Paul Wright, Head of Uber Advertising International, UBER
MODERATOR: Desi Reuben-Sealey, Head of UX/Senior Manager, VICTORINOX
40 MINUTE PANEL
Discover how Flying Tiger Copenhagen, a globally loved Danish brand with over 1000+ stores across 35 countries, is successfully merging the vibrant in-store experience with seamless digital engagement. Learn how they navigate today’s evolving retail landscape by turning shopping into both an enjoyable exploration and a frictionless convenience.
In this session, we will explore:
• Strategies to enhance customer engagement across multiple touchpoints.
• How to effectively leverage omnichannel solutions like Click & Collect, social commerce, and delivery apps.
• Methods to boost customer lifetime value through an intelligence-driven marketing approach.
• Gain valuable insights into creating unified customer journeys that drive growth, increase store traffic, and build brand loyalty.
Join the conversation and redefine your omnichannel strategy!
Speaker, TBC
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
One of the ultimate pioneers of brand purpose, iconic British brand The Body Shop has actionism in its DNA. But what does brand purpose really mean for retail in 2025 – with audiences overwhelmed by eco-anxiety, suspicious of corporations and fatigued by fleeting commitment to social causes.
Together, Katie Baron (trends director at Stylus) and Penny Brook (CMO at The Body Shop) will grapple with the future of brand purpose in an increasingly complex consumer landscape.
In this session we’ll discuss:
Cause-Driven Commerce Needs You. Why cause-driven commerce matters more than ever (including why ethical consumption needn’t be an oxymoron).
Priority Values and Hidden Sentiments. What consumer values and social causes The Body Shop will be prioritising as it continues its bounce back?
Compassion vs. Activism. Navigating Purpose in a Divided Political Landscape. How to parlay brand purpose into a commercially sustainable retail mission amid a complex political landscape… and just how much brands should take a stand?
The Great Art of Marketing a Mission. From ad campaigns to interactive digital initiatives, what are the most successful new modes and styles of communicating to counter purpose fatigue and rally emotional engagement? And how do you hit the right spot across multiple generations?
Purpose without Preaching.
Hitching Heritage to a Future-Facing mindset. How do you marry a revolutionary founder legacy with clear pathways to a prosperous future (ensuring a beloved history doesn’t hold you back)?
Katie Baron, Trends & Foresight Director, STYLUS
Penny Brook, CMO, BODY SHOP
20 MINUTE FIRESIDE CHAT
Where conversion rates have long been the north star of retail performance, a crucial narrative remains untold. This session will challenge traditional retail analytics, revealing how the ‘non-converting’ journey offers profound insights into user behaviour, strategy, and potential value beyond the immediate sale.
Victoria Knight, Site Trading Director, NET-A-PORTER & MR PORTER
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
Explore how evolving customer experience expectations are transforming UK retail for Gen Z. Tinuiti, one of the largest independent full-funnel marketing agencies, will guide you on adapting your strategies to connect with this crucial demographic. Learn how to seamlessly bridge online and offline experiences and leverage media-driven consumer behavior to your advantage. We’ll delve into how brands must transform their customer experience strategies to meet Gen Z’s evolving needs in the rapidly changing UK retail landscape.
Aurora Loader, Director, Strategic Planning, TINUITI
20 MINUTE PRESENTATION
Where automation and AI have dramatically increased the volume of messaging consumers face daily, the ability to stand out has never been more valuable. This session will unpack how to ensure your content is truly “smoking hot” in an oversaturated market. A fast-paced conversation exploring the fundamentals of great content, the impact of AI on creative development, and proven methods to measure and improve creative effectiveness in real time.
Dan Best, SVP, Dan Best, SVP, DAIVID
Richard Warren, Director Brand, Marketing and Corporate Affairs, NATIONWIDE BUILDING SOCIETY
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
An overview of Retailer market concerns, the challenges they face and how they plan to address them in the future based on recent UK Retailer and Consumer research. Over the past 12 months, UK retailers have navigated a complex environment shaped by shifting consumer behaviour, rising costs, technological disruption and geopolitical pressures. Enterprise and mid-market retailers are facing distinct but overlapping challenges, with efficiency, logistics, customer retention and technology investment their focus.
Gavin Murphy, CMO, SCURRI
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
How to use technologies such as AI to track and convert footfall into sales?
• Expanding your physical footprint: where to invest and how much?
• How to ensure global brand strategies are efficiently and consistently executed in store designs?
• How to create hybridized retail experiences?
• How to delight the customer through instore experiences?
• How to maximize customer spend from Sofa to Store? • Building instore experiences for the mobile first generation
Lycia Lobo, Chief Operating Officer, THE DESIGN MUSEUM
Grace Charge, Director of Brand Experience and Partnerships, Europe, WESTFIELD RISE
Rob Edwards, Head of Media & Digital, ARLA FOODS
MODERATOR: Joe McDonnell, Director of Consumer, Marketing and Retail Forecasting, WGSN
40 MINUTE PANEL
• Understanding the power of incorporating purpose driven brand strategy
• Implementing brand accessibility and DEI across brand, product and retail strategy
• What will ESG look like in the future?
• Driving brand love/ affinity in light of rising inflation and decreasing purchasing power of consumers’ wallets
• Balancing brand building and long-term sales or performance marketing for short term
Anna Valle, Co-Founder, SEEDS OF COLOUR
Laura Rudoe, founder and CEO, EVOLVE ORGANIC BEAUTY
Charlotte Aytan, Managing Director, TLC SPORT
MODERATOR: James Hirst, Founder, THE INTELLIGENT BRIEF
40 MINUTE PANEL
• How to do customer centricity within UX and CX development well?
• Understanding the eCommerce customer decision journey
• Using the data generated by customer service teams to improve customer experience, develop products and services and identify commercial opportunities for the business
• Personalisation of post puchase customer experience
Desi Reuben-Sealey, Head of UX/Senior Manager, VICTORINOX
Lex Deak, CEO, BASKET
Daragh Burke, Product Director, VIRGIN MEDIA O2
MODERATOR: Aaron Block, Venture Principal, IAG LOYALTY
40 MINUTE PANEL
Retail is stuck in the “Age of Average”—where efficiency reigns, but creativity suffers. With consumer journeys optimized and assortments based on past wins, sameness has taken over. Inspired by our white paper The Creative Unflattening, this presentation argues that the biggest risk today is playing it safe. To thrive, retail must reset—not just with tech or process upgrades, but through bold imagination. It’s time to move beyond trends and reclaim a human-centered, culturally attuned vision. The future of retail lies not in predictability, but in the power of possibility.
Robbie Sinclair, Director of Youth, FUTURE SNOOPS
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
Social media growth isn’t just about luck—it’s about strategy. After analyzing over 1.3 million accounts, we uncovered the patterns behind the most successful brands. This session breaks down the latest trends, platform insights, and real-world tactics to help you accelerate growth and outpace your competitors.
Lea Sindel, PR & Communications Specialist Europe, METRICOOL
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
Kate Nightingale, Chief Behavioural Officer & Founder, HUMANISING BRANDS
20 MINUTE KEYNOTE
• What strategies are brands and retailers adopting to attract and retain customers?
• How to engage with your customers online? What innovations and technologies are they looking for?
• Speed and convenience are winning over brand loyalty, how are brands and retailers adjusting their strategies?
• What role can digital services play in enhancing consumer experience and how can brands and retailers create digital services to offer better and enhanced experiences to consumers?
Bruno J Mendy, Managing Director Contract Sales & International Business, OFFICE DEPOT
Rob Manning, Head of ECommerce, BIOTIFUL GUT HEALTH
Myles Ejegi-Memeh, Director of Operations & E-commerce, RICHARD JAMES SAVILE ROW & HARRYS OF LONDON
Stjepan Zelić, CEO, HYPEFY
MODERATOR: Marine Pajot, Business Development & Strategy Director, MANIFESTO GROWTH
40 MINUTE PANEL
• What circular business model (repair, rental, resale) offers the biggest commercial opportunity for brands?
• How can brands and retailers incrementally facilitate a shift to a more circular pattern in consumption without alienating consumers and losing revenue?
• What part can technology play in this?
• How to make it work commercially and operationally?
Layla Sargent, Founder & CEO, THE SEAM
Antonia Johnstone, CEO & Re-Owner, SIGN OF THE TIMES
Sophie Wyatt, Co-Founder, LIBRARY OF THINGS
MODERATOR: Lyndsay Mason, Founder & CEO, FOR THE CREATORS
40 MINUTE PANEL
• Creating customer journeys to keep up with online shopping habits and expectations from digital first generations
• How to create demand for your product on saturated marketplaces?
• How to manage inventories and fulfilment across different ecommerce platforms?
• How to create personalised and targeted marketing messages across different marketplaces?
Daniel Baker, Head Of Ecommerce, BLUE VANILLA CLOTHING
Spencer Saunders, Marketplace Director, MONEY CRUNCHER
Ines Clark, Head of Group Strategy, NED, Advisor, EX-FARFETCH
MODERATOR: Gregor Murray, VP of Strategy & Chief ’So What?’ Officer, DIGITAL COMMERCE GLOBAL
40 MINUTE PANEL
• How an exploratory mindset toward AI uncovers opportunities that traditional approaches might miss
• How AI-driven feedback analysis is shaping hyper-personalised strategies
• Practical use cases of in-store AI to optimise customer engagement and experience
• Strategies for building an AI-ready culture
Jad Freiha, Head of Analytics & Insights, SWEATY BETTY
20 MINUTE CLOSING KEYNOTE