Retail Week Digital Summit - 8 May 2025

Digital innovation across the value chain is helping to turbocharge retailers’ growth. Embrace the opportunities and overcome the challenges of the latest digital trends and online transformation now and in the future at Retail Week’s annual Digital Summit. 

This free-to-attend event will help retailers and brands make savvy investment choices that hyper-personalise CX, transform operational efficiencies, lift productivity and ramp up business growth.  

When? May 8, 2025, 8.30am to 12.30pm 

Where? The Orchard, Level 8, One Great Cumberland Place, London, W1H 7AL

Join us to unlock your business’ true digital potential through content-packed sessions, insightful discussions, and unparalleled networking opportunities.  

We will uncover: 

  • The latest digital trends empowering businesses to be fit for the future  
  • The tech innovations creating the right amount of friction across the customer journey 
  • Where to invest in digital for optimum ROI and how to clinch board buy-in 
  • How to leverage data and analytics to unlock AI’s true potential and next-level personalisation  

Apply for a place

Places are exclusive to retailers and brands only, and spaces are limited.

Event space at x+why

Agenda 

8.30am-9.00am 

Breakfast and networking  

9am-9.05am 

Welcome from Retail Week Head of Commercial Content Kate Doherty

9.05am-9.20am 

Keynote: Proven tech transformation and digital-driven strategies to supercharge CX 

Kicking off the Digital Summit, we hear from a dynamic retailer about how their strategy across multiple digital touchpoints is driving next-level CX.   

Kirsty Glenne, Managing Director of British travel brand Antler, will share her insight on how the 100-year-old brand has been reimagined to make it one of the fastest-growing UK retail brands.

As she talks about how Antler has entered a new digital-first era, Kirsty will reveal:

  • How a digital mindset has driven the brand’s turnaround
  • How digital transformation has elevated the customer and employee experience
  • Where to invest in digital for the best ROI
  • The brand’s approach to personalisation and how it has paid off

9.20am-9.45am 

AI beyond the wow factor – can your business thrive without it?  

Panel

Powering superior search functionality and product development, AI is undoubtedly bringing the wow factor to many retailers’ digital strategies but how has it evolved to become business-critical?  

This panel will explore whether businesses that shun AI are stunting their growth and how the latest AI developments are packing a punch across operations, from CX to improved productivity levels and behind-the-scenes efficiency. 

Join Retail Week, two digital transformers and an industry expert as we discuss:  

  • From chatbots to product development, AI is more than just a fad, but what new uses are making it critical to success?  
  • How can businesses ensure employee buy-in to AI implementations and what productivity gains will follow? 
  • Where to invest in AI for optimum impact and profit-boosting results 

Speakers include:

  • Vidya Laxman, Technology Director, Tesco
  • Sharon Meadows, MD of Commercial, EE
  • Chloe Mills, Reporter, Retail Week (moderator)

9.45am-10.10am

The new technologies empowering blended retail  

In conversation

For channel-agnostic consumers, retail is more blended than ever and the ongoing store resurgence arguably gives omnichannel models an edge. With that in mind, what will stores of the future look like? And what role will ecommerce play? 

The session will explore how retailers’ expanding ecosystems – combining retail and services – are rife with opportunities and challenges. It will ask which innovations are being used in-store and online to take the friction out of cross-channel shopping and service engagement. 

Retail Week will be joined by an industry expert and a retail innovator to discuss: 

  • How have shopping channels become hyper-blended and which new technologies are supporting frictionless shopping? 
  • What opportunities and challenges are resulting from retailers’ expanding ecosystems?  
  • Which technology is nice to have and which is a must-have for an optimum cross-channel shopping experience?  

Speakers include:

  • Chris Blatchford, Chief Technology Officer, Kingfisher
  • Ellis Hawthorne, Features Editor, Retail Week (moderator)

10.10am-10.40am 

Coffee and networking  

10.40am-11.10am  

Loyalty reinvented: Winning tactics to turn fickle shoppers into brand advocates 

Panel 

Customer loyalty is harder to come by as consumers chase price and convenience. But access to swathes of data enables retailers to think differently about loyalty as they maximise digital innovations to impact brand strategy. 

Join a panel of loyalty leaders as we unlock the digital innovations shaping retailers’ evolving approach to customer loyalty. 

We will uncover: 

  • How digitally driven loyalty and rewards have evolved to win consumers’ repeat spend 
  • How digital is being used to reinforce retailers’ narratives and authenticity, helping turn consumers into brand advocates   
  • The true value of data in driving highly personalised, loyalty-winning customer experiences in-store and online   

Speakers include:

  • Cherie Amner, Director of Digital and CRM, L’Occitane
  • Paul Canavan, Digital Director, Wickes
  • Emma Simmonds, VP of Consumer, Deliveroo
  • Rebecca Taylor, Commercial Content Editor, Retail Week (moderator)

11.10am-11.35am 

How to make smart digital investments for game-changing ROI  

Panel

From advances in warehouse robotics to fully integrated management solutions, there is a tsunami of technology at retailers’ fingertips, helping revolutionise every aspect of operations. But with so much choice available, how do leaders make the best investment decisions that will win board buy-in and positively impact the bottom line?  

Join an industry expert and two retail leaders to hear how a customer-centric approach to tech and digital decisions can bring tangible efficiency impacts, cost-saving benefits and KPI improvements.  

The panel will discuss: 

  • Small wins and longer-term digital innovations that add value across the supply chain and deliver optimum CX impact and ROI 
  • How to turn the challenges associated with upgrading tech stacks into profit-boosting opportunities 
  • Tips and tactics to help clinch colleague, stakeholder and board support for tech investment and changes 

Speakers include:

  • Michelle Howchin, Ecommerce Delivery Director
  • Leon Shepherd, Chief Technology Officer, Castore
  • Laura Heywood, Head of Commercial Content Operations, Retail Week (moderator)

11.35am-12pm

Cutting through the noise: What’s new in digital marketing? 

Panel

With computers at their fingertips 24/7, consumers are contactable anytime, anywhere, creating huge digital marketing opportunities for brands. But in a fiercely competitive market, getting the timing, messaging and method of communication right can make or break consumer perceptions of a brand.

This panel will explore cutting-edge strategies in data-driven digital marketing – from hyper-personalised, AI-enhanced video to real-time behavioural targeting and predictive marketing – and how these innovations are transforming the way consumers shop and engage with retail brands.

We will explore:

  • Why 64% of consumers are more likely to purchase after watching a video – and how brands can turn this into a powerful sales advantage
  • How to leverage user-generated video content that resonates with your audience for intense brand amplification
  • The secret to ensuring your brand stands out on social media
  • How traditional digital marketing methods, such as email, are evolving – and the new innovations redefining communication with consumers
  • Whether social commerce is worth the investment

Speakers include:

  • Jessica Nesbitt, Chief Growth Officer, Notonthehighstreet
  • Charlie Ungaschick, Chief Marketing Officer, Vimeo 
  • Amy Wisniewski, Head of Ecommerce and Digital, Lucky Saint
  • Stephen Eddie, Managing Editor, Retail Week (moderator)

12pm-12.25pm

Unleashing next-level CX: How Very is using data to enhance the customer experience

Fireside chat

In a fiercely competitive market shaped by evolving customer expectations, brands must find new and exciting ways to stand out. Through its unique combination of personal, shopping and financial insights, online retailer Very has hundreds of data points for each and every customer, helping bolster its understanding of shopping behaviour.

Talking on a range of topics, from personalised search results and offers, to enhanced creative campaigns and how the retailer is harnessing AI, The Very Group’s Senior Marketing Lead Joseph Howman will join digital advertising and technology services company Brave Bison’s Chief Commercial Officer Geoff Griffiths to share insights on how the digital retailer is harnessing data to enrich the customer journey.

Speakers include:

  • Geoff Griffiths, Chief Commercial Officer, Brave Bison
  • Joseph Howman, Senior Marketing Lead, The Very Group

12.25pm-12.30pm

Closing remarks from Retail Week

Kirsty Glenne

Kirsty Glenne

Kirsty Glenne

Vidya Laxman

Vidya Laxman

Vidya Laxman

Michelle Howchin

Michelle Howchin

Michelle Howchin

Paul Canavan

Paul Canavan

Paul Canavan

Chris Blatchford

Chris Blatchford

Chris Blatchford

Jessica Nesbitt

Jessica Nesbitt

Jessica Nesbitt

Emma Simmonds

Emma Simmonds

Emma Simmonds

Amy Wisniewski

Amy Wisniewski

Amy Wisniewski

Sharon Meadows

Sharon Meadows

Sharon Meadows

Joseph Howman

Joseph Howman

Joseph Howman

Charlie Ungashick

Charlie Ungashick

Charlie Ungashick

Geoff Griffiths

Geoff Griffiths

Geoff Griffiths

Speakers 

Kirsty Glenne, Managing Director, Antler 

Kirsty Glenne is a brand growth and transformation leader, with a career spanning global luxury brands such as Alexander McQueen and Dr Barbara Sturm. Currently serving as Managing Director of Antler, the British travel brand, she has reimagined the 100-year-old brand, achieving two consecutive years of triple and double-digit growth.  

Vidya Laxman, Technology Director, Tesco 

Vidya Laxman is a prominent figure in the technology sector, currently serving as the Director of Tesco Technology for Retail and Store Platform across UK, Central Europe and Republic of Ireland.  

Vidya's career path is marked by significant achievements and leadership roles. Vidya's career further progressed when she became the Chief Operating Officer at ThoughtWorks Studios from 2011 to 2014. In 2014, she joined Tesco Technology, where she has held various roles, including Head of Retail and Store Platform for all Channels and Global IT Transformation Leader.  

In her current role as the Director of Tesco Technology, Vidya is responsible for overseeing the technology operations across Tesco's retail and store platforms. She plays a crucial role in strategic planning, building high-performing teams, and driving innovation within the organisation. Vidya's leadership extends beyond her immediate responsibilities, as she is also the Global Sponsor of Diversity across Tesco's operations in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, UK, and India. 

Michelle Howchin, Ecommerce Delivery Director

With 25 years of technology-enabled transformation experience, Michelle has led complex technology divestitures, worked in a big-four management consultancy and has enterprise-wide business knowledge and a love for supply chains. Most recently, Michelle has most expanded her skills with personal and executive coaching qualifications that she applies to assist in creating high-performing teams and aid smoother transformation delivery. Michelle is also a mum of two under seven and has worked closely with her husband to share the pressures of parenting while maintaining a career. A motto of “and” not “or” drives her to get the right balance. 

Paul Canavan, Digital Director, Wickes

Paul is the Digital Director at Wickes, joining in 2018 to help lead the growth of Wickes' digitally led service-enabled business. Paul is responsible for the continuous development and improvement of Wickes' digital offer and is currently responsible for digital marketing, ecommerce, digital product development, digital experience and Wickes' market-leading CRM programmes. Prior to Paul's role with Wickes, he held similar digital roles in retail and hospitality for brands such as Whitbread, Homebase and Bunnings UK. 

Chris Blatchford, Chief Technology Officer, Kingfisher

Chris is Chief Technology Officer at Kingfisher, leading the development and delivery of the group’s technology strategy as part of the retailer’s ongoing digital transformation. Chris joined Kingfisher from RELX Elsevier where he was Chief Technology Officer. Prior to that, he held a variety of technology roles at Thomson Reuters, including Head of Enterprise Technology, and was Head of Professional Services, Europe, at CPA Global. 

Jessica Nesbitt, Chief Growth Officer, Notonthehighstreet 

Jessica is an experienced leader with a strong background in both customer and marketing disciplines, as well as a deep understanding of commercial strategy. Specialising in the scale-up phase of high-growth businesses, she has developed expertise across marketplaces, luxury fashion, beauty and retail. With a track record of driving commercial success, Jessica has held senior roles at leading brands, including Debenhams, Net-a-Porter Group, and spent over eight years as VP of Customer Marketing at Farfetch, where she played a pivotal role in driving customer engagement and business growth. Currently, Jessica leads the marketing (brand, acquisition, retention, customer) and commercial (range, merchandising, trading, partner and customer service) functions at Notonthehighstreet. With a deep understanding of how marketing and commercial strategies complement each other, she drives integrated, innovative solutions that deliver business impact. Jessica has been instrumental in evolving the brand's proposition, shifting from a ‘gifting-first’ focus to a broader ‘lifestyle’ brand. 

Emma Simmonds, VP of Consumer, Deliveroo

Emma joined Deliveroo in 2018. During that time, she has held senior leadership positions in communications and policy, operations and consumer organisations. Currently, Emma is Deliveroo Vice President, Consumer, and is responsible for customer insights, pricing and loyalty. Prior to joining Deliveroo, Emma worked at the Treasury where she had a number of roles, including Speechwriter and Private Secretary to the Chancellor. 

Amy Wisniewski, Head of Digital and Ecommerce, Lucky Saint

Amy Wisniewski is Head of Digital and Ecommerce at Lucky Saint, “the UK's number-one dedicated alcohol-free beer brand, on a mission to inspire the world to drink better, finally rewarding those who choose not to drink with the beer they deserve”. Amy joined Lucky Saint in 2022 after previously working for the subscription brand Freddie’s Flowers.

Sharon Meadows, MD of Commercial, EE

Sharon Meadows has over two decades of experience in the telecoms sector, delivering successful propositions and acquisition strategies designed to grow and retain customers across Orange, EE and BT Group. As the Managing Director of Commercial, Sharon provides high-level insight into translating customer needs into tangible solutions through experiential retail and digital experiences. Since the launch of EE’s new retail strategy, Sharon’s commercial insight has been integral to translating how AI and emerging technologies can improve customer and colleague experience.  

Joseph Howman, Senior Marketing Lead, The Very Group

As Senior Marketing Lead for organic growth at The Very Group, which operates digital retailers Very and Littlewoods, Joseph leads the strategy for organic search, onsite optimisation and content across the brands. With over 15 years of experience, Joseph combines brand and digital experience into an enthusiasm for delivering strategies that enhance the customer journey. Having worked across brand and digital teams, he’s a strong believer in the power of channel integration and focusing on being helpful to the customer at all stages of the journey. Before joining The Very Group in 2020, Joseph worked across a variety of marketing roles at Virgin Money.  

Charlie Ungaschick, Chief Marketing Officer, Vimeo 

Charlie Ungashick joined Vimeo as Chief Marketing Officer in 2024. His career spans over 20 years leading global marketing teams at several high-growth, category-leading tech companies, including WorkHuman, Applause (acquired by Vista Equity Partners) and PTC. In his most recent role, Charlie served as CMO and Head of Product at Applause, a market leader in crowdsourced software testing for apps, payments, websites, and smart devices. Charlie also served as an adviser at Gem, a talent engagement platform backed by Iconiq, Greylock, and Accel. Earlier in his career, Charlie held product, sales engineering and IT roles at AIG, Novell and SilverStream Software. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University and a diploma with honours in economics from the Université de Paris Sorbonne. 

Geoff Griffiths, Chief Commercial Officer, Brave Bison

Geoff is Chief Commercial Officer at Brave Bison, where he plays a key role in shaping the company’s commercial strategy across its Performance and Commerce practice. He joined Brave Bison following the acquisition of Builtvisible, the independent SEO, content, and digital PR agency he led as CEO and owner since 2019. 

Under Geoff’s leadership, Builtvisible became one of the UK’s leading organic performance agencies, delivering measurable impact for clients including Aviva, Specsavers, Superdrug, and The Very Group. Known for his value-led approach and commercial acumen, Geoff now works across Brave Bison’s specialist teams to help clients stay ahead of the evolving search and digital landscape, unlocking new growth opportunities through connected thinking and scaled innovation. 

Kate Doherty, Acting Head of Commercial Content, Retail Week

Having started her career as a business journalist 20 years ago and worked extensively as an editor and retail analyst, Kate Doherty is experienced in communicating retail-focused insight and analysis on market performance and industry trends.  

As acting head of commercial content at Retail Week, Kate works with brands to create and deliver thought leadership and actionable insights via diverse campaign formats, ranging from reports to live events, helping businesses build connections and grow. 

Laura Heywood, Head of Commercial Content Operations, Retail Week

Laura leads the implementation of Retail Week Connect's growth strategy and oversees the operational management of new product launches and existing inventory, while also managing the business’ P&L. She frequently chairs industry conferences and panel discussions, specialising in legal, marketing, and technology. 

Before taking on operational leadership at Connect, Laura served as Head of the Diversity Programme, where she played a key role in evolving Retail Week Be Inspired, the UK’s premier inclusion, diversity, and equity initiative for retail. Laura joined Retail Week in 2013, following a career as a journalist in the wine and spirits industry. 

Rebecca Taylor, Commerical Content Editor, Retail Week

Rebecca Taylor is Retail Week’s Commercial Content Editor. She is responsible for helping to grow and deliver bespoke reports and events across themes from stores and the consumer to supply chains and tech.  Rebecca has been recognised by the Professional Publishers Association (PPA) and Conference News with their respective 30 Under 30 awards and sits on the PPA’s Next Gen Board, which aims to encourage inclusivity of younger voices across the special interest media sector. 

Ellis Hawthorne, Features Editor, Retail Week

Ellis Hawthorne is features editor at Retail Week. She was previously digital and social editor at The Grocer.

Chloe Mills, Senior Reporter, Retail Week

Chloe Mills is a senior reporter at Retail Week. She joined Retail Week in 2023 and covers all things fashion. She was previously a writer and researcher on the celebrity desk at The Media Eye and began her career as a features writer at luxury lifestyle magazine Aspire. Chloe has a BA Hons in multimedia journalism from Canterbury Christ Church University.

Stephen Eddie, Managing Editor, Retail Week

Stephen Eddie has been managing editor at Retail Week since January 2023. He was previously production editor since May 2018. Before joining Retail Week, he was senior content editor and then news manager at HSJ and a subeditor at Business Monitor International. 

Kate Doherty

Kate Doherty

Kate Doherty

Laura Heywood

Laura Heywood

Laura Heywood

Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor

Chloe Mills

Chloe Mills

Chloe Mills

Ellis Hawthorne

Ellis Hawthorne

Ellis Hawthorne

Stephen Eddie

Stephen Eddie

Stephen Eddie

Adem London products

Adem London

Adem London

Showcase 

We are hosting a small selection of burgeoning retailers and brands created with the consumer at their core as part of our Digital Summit Showcase. These innovative businesses will be at the 2025 event with samples, information and representatives on hand to provide insight and inspiration.  

More showcase partners will be announced soon.

Adem London

Adem Oygur is an award-winning hair stylist and Belgravia salon owner as well as a master hair sculptor with a loyal client list ranging from film actresses to TV stars and celebrities. His years of cutting, colouring and crafting the perfect hair style in the industry have helped him to become an established name, and to launch his own haircare brand. 

Adem London focuses on organic ingredients, sustainability and looking after hair with no harmful chemicals. One of the key ingredients of the Adem London haircare range, which is perfect for men and women, is hazelnut oil which nourishes, strengthens and moisturises the hair for a luxury feel and healthier styling. 

Get involved 

Can you help retailers and brands take the next step in their digital journey? 

The Digital Summit 2025 provides exclusive speaking opportunities, targeted lead generation and brand awareness among a captive audience. Share your insights with retailers and position yourself as a thought leader in the tech and digital space. 

Contact Retail Week’s Commercial Content Director Nicola Harrison to find out more: nicola.harrison@retail-week.com.

Alternatively, if you are a retailer or brand with a great story to tell and would like to speak at the summit, contact Retail Week’s Head of Commercial Content Kate Doherty: kate.doherty@retail-week.com