Retail Summit 2024 Program

25–⁠27 / 3 / 2024 - Prague Congress Centre

Prolog

Monday - 25 / 3 / 2024

14:00-20:00

Registration

14:40-18:15

Specialized Workshops

14:40-17:00

The Best of Czech Promotion Summit

14:40-17:00

The Best of Czech Promotion Summit

What will it be about?

This is a workshop for all those who are looking for inspiration and at the same time for less theory and more practice. Learn how technology can change the world. How to write, create, and think better thanks to AI? You may also reconsider your view of the young generation and its purchasing power. And last but not least, the new case study bikero.cz you will show how important the brand content is and how it can influence the brand growth. Good experiences guaranteed.

Speakers
16:00-18:00

AI in self-service store 24/7

16:00-18:00

AI in self-service store 24/7

What will it be about?

What are the foreign trends in self-service checkouts? What does the experience and data from more than fifty 24/7 transactions in the Czech Republic and Slovakia show? How does AI help in preventing losses and reducing crime? Learn about new features such as holographic self-checkout and much more.

Moderation
Foreign speaker - introductory presentation in English
Speakers

16:30-18:15

How to get ready for the new deposit-return system

16:30-18:15

How to get ready for the new deposit-return system

What will it be about?

A state-controlled deposit system for PET bottles and cans could be launched in the Czech Republic soon. What exactly does this step towards circular packaging mean for retailers, manufacturers and customers?

What phase of system preparation are we currently in and what does the most convenient collection of these packages entail? What can we learn from abroad? Come and discuss with the movers and shakers of this change. 

Moderator
Speakers
  • Daniel Buryš, CEO, Kofola ČeskoSlovensko
  • Filip Kasana, Vice-Chairman of the Board, COOP Jednota Slovensko
  • Roman Postl, VP, Head of Business Unit East Central Europe, TOMRA Collection
  • Anna Sapota, VP Governmental Affairs Eastern Europe North, TOMRA
  • Ivan Tučník, Sustainability Manager, Plzeňský Prazdroj
17:00-21:00

Get-Together

Space for networking
19:00

CEO Dinner

For SOCR ČR guests only
First Day

Tuesday - 26 / 3 / 2024

08:00-09:00

Registration

09:00-11:00

Part A: Opening Minds

Moderation
Martin Veselovský , moderator, DVTV
The future of retail in the Czech Republic
Tomáš Prouza
Tomáš Prouza president, SOCR ČR and vicepresident, EuroCommerce
09:00-11:00

The future of retail in the Czech Republic

What will it be about?

Czech retail is facing big changes – new concepts, digitization, pressure for greater sustainability. What should we focus on, where we get the people to do it, and how much will it cost? And will our customers respond to the changes?

Tomáš Prouza

Tomáš Prouza

president, SOCR ČR and vicepresident, EuroCommerce

He studied economics, diplomacy, and journalism. In 2004–2006 he was a Deputy Minister of Finance of the Czech Republic. He then worked at the World Bank, first as an expert for financial services in Prague, and later at the World Bank headquarters in Washington. In 2014–2017 he worked as a State Secretary for European Affairs at the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic and as a coordinator of the Digital Agenda of the Czech Republic. In 2018 he was elected President of the Confederation of Commerce and Tourism in the Czech Republic and in 2019 he became Vice-President of the European Association EuroCommerce. Since 2020, he has been the Vice-President of the Czech Chamber of Commerce.

Hidden debts: How much is a country worth for the 21st century?
David Marek
David Marek Chief Economist, Deloitte
09:00-11:00

Hidden debts: How much is a country worth for the 21st century?

What will it be about?

Together, we will uncover the hidden economic and financial challenges facing the country in the 21st century. We will go through not only official debt, but also hidden aspects such as modernization of transport infrastructure and energy, changes in education and R&D, demographic changes and technological challenges. How to prepare for the future?

David Marek

David Marek

Chief Economist, Deloitte

He works at Deloitte as Chief Economist and Director in the Clients & Markets department. He provides client services in areas using economic analyses, such as valuation, impact studies, economic and statistical analyses, M&A and restructuring consultancy. Previously, he worked as an economist at the Czech National Bank, Česká spořitelna and as the Chief Economist and a member of the Board of Directors at Patria Finance. He is a member of the Czech Economic Society, the Scientific Council of the Czech Banking Association and an advisor to the Czech Chamber of Commerce.

How is our work changing under the influence of AI
Josef Holý
Josef Holý co-author of the podcast Canaries in the Network
09:00-11:00

How is our work changing under the influence of AI

What will it be about?

Digital technologies have been changing the way companies work and operate for 40 years, but we are still at the beginning. Last year, we entered the final phase of this transformation, which will be defined by Artificial Intelligence. This necessitates changes in our understanding of the norms of value creation, quality, work, and its organization, as well as our social relations. How to rise to this challenge? And will machines really replace us?

Josef Holý

Josef Holý

co-author of the podcast Canaries in the Network

He has gained experience in both corporate and start-up environments. He has worked as a Software Developer, UX Designer and Product Manager for companies such as Sun Microsystems (now Oracle), MSD, Avast and Semantic Visions. From the risks of artificial intelligence, in recent years he has moved to the broader topic of digital manipulation, computer propaganda and disinformation, about which he co-creates the Czech podcast „Canaries in the Network“ and lectures in the university course "Hacking the mind". At the Retail Summit, he will demonstrate that we do not have to worry about AI if we implement it correctly and how to do it.

Keynote Speaker
The Illusion of Efficiency – How to solve hidden costs of retail
JP Castlin
JP Castlin Globally Renowned Expert in Strategy
09:00-11:00

The Illusion of Efficiency – How to solve hidden costs of retail

What will it be about?

Modern retail firms looking for sources of growth face a challenge: changing customer behavior. Whatever the reason – shifts to online consumption, bargain hunting in a tougher global and local economic climate, a combination, or neither – new financial pressures have been added. Alleviating them requires commercial creativity; an understanding of the realities of the present and a vision of the potential of the future, visible in full only to those who open their minds to new possibilities. In this thought-provoking keynote, JP Castlin breaks down the strategic implications of new ways of doing business, and outlines a path forward that we may all take tomorrow.

JP Castlin

JP Castlin

Globally Renowned Expert in Strategy
More about JP Castlin here

He has been dubbed as one of the industry’s most important voices. His career began as a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) before moving into the world of corporate governance and ultimately strategy. He is the author of The Gravity of e-Commerce, Strategy in Polemy, and What do Do When You Don’t Know What to Do.

How to keep mind & markets open
Duel between the retailer and the manufacturer is moderated by:
11:00-11:30

Coffee Break

11:30-13:15

Part B: Opening Markets

Moderation:
Martin Veselovský , moderator, DVTV
Mastercard Retailer of the Year 2023 – Audience Award for the Innovation of the Year

Robotic warehouse and smart shipping in pharmacies | Jan Žák, CEO, Dr.Max

Czech Field Initiative | Jan Jindra, Offer Management Director, Makro Cash & Carry ČR

SuperZoo: Self-service shop 24/7  | Luboš Rejchrt, COO, Plaček Pet Products

The competition of the three nominated projects will be presented by Martin Dolejš, Business Development Director CZ/SK, Mastercard.

At the end, the participants will vote for the winner of the category.

11:30-13:15

Mastercard Retailer of the Year 2023 – Audience Award for the Innovation of the Year

What will it be about?

Robotic warehouse and smart dispatch in pharmacies | Jan Žák, CEO, Dr.Max

This year, the Dr. Max network began installing robots in its branches (Roudnice, Brno, Šumperk, Chomutov) to streamline receiving, warehouse management and dispensing medicines. Stocking is contactless, the records of medicines are absolutely accurate and when dispensing them, the pharmacist does not have to waste time looking for the item in the background, because he only needs to reach into the feeder behind him to pack. The pharmacist does not move away from the counter; therefore he keeps direct contact with the patient throughout the expedition. Dr. Max was the first network in the Czech Republic to introduce a robotic warehouse and shipping. The installation does not mean just the commissioning of the supplied device, but also includes construction modifications, changes in the supplier regime, a significant upgrade of the pharmacy software used, new work procedures associated with the training of staff who had to abandon several ingrained stereotypes. The installation of one robot requires costs in the order of millions of crowns. In 2024, Dr. Max plans to launch a robotic warehouse and smart shipping in at least ten pharmacies in the Czech Republic.

Czech Field Initiative | Jan Jindra, Offer Management Director, Makro Cash & Carry ČR

ČESKÉ POLE is an initiative of the Makro ČR wholesaler, which aims to support and develop traditional products of Czech agriculture and thus jointly strive for their place in Czech culture and gastronomy. During the first year of operation, the initiative managed to successfully support Czech potatoes, horseradish and garlic. The initiative seeks to replace imported raw materials with Czech ones. The initiative is intended to positively influence the development of food culture in the Czech Republic. During the year of its operation, the Initiative has expanded the cultivation of the Agria potato variety to french fries and increased the area on which these potatoes are grown in the Czech Republic. In restaurants, bistros and fast food outlets, the 90-tonne harvest replaced French fries imported from the Netherlands. At the same time, it revived the cultivation of Czech horseradish and started the renaissance of genuine Czech garlic in the form of original Czech varieties. In January 2023, Czech French fries potatoes accounted for only 10 % of total sales, currently it is more than half (56 %). In total, customers bought 28 % more potatoes for french fries in 5 months than in the same period last year. The initiative has also ensured higher production and sales of Czech horseradish.

SuperZoo: 24/7 Self-Service Shop | Luboš Rejchrt, COO, Plaček Pet Products

Plaček has opened three self-service stores within one year, which allow customers to shop outside the standard opening hours 24/7. Super Zoo was not only the first pet store with this concept in the Czech Republic, but also in the whole of Europe. Thanks to this innovation, Super Zoo is able to increase customer experience and improve customer service. A relatively small initial investment and simple technology (entry via bank identity) allows for a significant benefit for both customers and the merchant, who saves labour costs by shortening the standard opening hours. The plan is to open similar stores in units per year. In addition, Super Zoo will open these stores in a smaller format of around 150 m2 and plans to penetrate the center of larger cities or street retail, where it is not yet present.

Moving past the permacrisis: customer trends from change to growth
Lenneke Schils
Lenneke Schils Global Insight Director, Consumer Panel Services GfK
How to manage expansion into new markets?
Jozef Škorvánek
Jozef Škorvánek CEO & Founder, A3 Soft
Petr Kraus
Petr Kraus CIO, Sportisimo
11:30-13:15

How to manage expansion into new markets?

What will it be about?

You will be introduced to an intelligent omnichannel platform designed for retail brands that facilitates business connectivity between countries and systems.

Jozef Škorvánek

Jozef Škorvánek

CEO & Founder, A3 Soft

20 years ago, he founded the company A3 Soft, which successfully develops comprehensive payment and fiscal solutions under the FiskalPRO brand and operates in 7 European countries. He currently holds the position of CEO. On the Slovak market, he has managed to grow the company into a technological leader, while at the same time setting trends in the field of POS system solutions.

Petr Kraus

Petr Kraus

CIO, Sportisimo

He has been working for six years as an IT director in a retail chain of sports equipment with branches throughout Europe. Prior to that, he worked as an IT manager at Linet for 12 years.

How to Open Your Business to Innovation and Customers
Adriana Jahňáková
Adriana Jahňáková VP Global Marketing, The LEGO Group
11:30-13:15

How to Open Your Business to Innovation and Customers

What will it be about?

How does Lego manage to grow thanks to its openness to new technologies and customers. How to enforce this mindset in the company? In a company whose business has literally risen from the ashes twice, they know more than enough about it. Lego has managed to create a culture that learns from mistakes and is able to overcome several crises. This is all thanks to the "mindset" for change within teams and the role of their leaders. You will also learn why there is a need to constantly innovate products and what markets Lego has recently opened.

Adriana Jahňáková

Adriana Jahňáková

VP Global Marketing, The LEGO Group

She serves as the Vice President of Global Marketing for the LEGO Group with focus on Preschool and Entertainment products. She has been working in the company for eight years, led marketing in the REEMEA region. For more than three years managed the Lego business in the Czech Republic and Slovakia as the General Manager. She gained experience working in management positions at home and abroad, for example in Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola or Plzeňský Prazdroj. At the Retail Summit, she will talk about how Lego manages to grow thanks to its openness to new technologies and customers and how to promote this mindset in the company.

13:15-14:30

Business Lunch

14:30-16:00

Part C: Make it Happen

Moderation
Jan Patera , Partner, Blue Events
AI in retail? It won't be without work
Petr Kavánek
Petr Kavánek CEO, Quant Retail
14:30-16:00

AI in retail? It won't be without work

What will it be about?

As with any new technology, the adoption of artificial intelligence in business is sometimes associated with unrealistic expectations. How we would like AI to do everything instead of us soon! In retail, it turns out that such an easy path does not often lead to success, it must be worked for. AI is already helping us to refine demand planning and improve the quality of goods display, but it must be "fed" with quality data. So how do you implement AI in retail to make it meaningful? And what must be always decided by a human being?

Petr Kavánek

Petr Kavánek

CEO, Quant Retail

For more than 20 years, he has been developing Quant, a platform for intelligent retail. This cloud-based solution includes management of retail space, planograms, shelf labels, automatic replenishment, and store photo documentation. Quant clients draw and manage the floor plans of thousands of stores and publish hundreds of thousands of planograms every year all over the World.

Automated Stores 24/7 – from dreams to real numbers
Pavel Březina
Pavel Březina Chairman of the Board, COOP Group
Radek Nachtmann
Radek Nachtmann CEO, P.V.A. systems
14:30-16:00

Automated Stores 24/7 – from dreams to real numbers

What will it be about?

A store where you could shop after closing time without the need for staff to be present seemed like the music of the future a few years ago. Thanks to the interconnection of modern technologies, this model is not only a reality, but is also becoming more and more accessible for smaller stores and makes economic sense even in small municipalities. Based on dozens of implementations and data obtained from them, you will see how these innovations have been accepted by Czech customers, as well as the first ROI models and, finally, the view of the future of automatic stores.

Pavel Březina

Pavel Březina

Chairman of the Board, COOP Group

After graduation from economics and regional development at J.E. Purkyně University and Masaryk University, he has been working in consumer cooperatives since 2004.  Since 2016 he has been the chairman of the Union of Czech and Moravian Consumer Cooperatives. He also works in the Confederation of Employers' and Entrepreneurs' Unions, the Confederation of Commerce and Tourism, the Chamber of Commerce, the Cooperative Association and the Association of Czech Traditional Trade. One of the main topics of his professional career, is the issue of rural retail services.

Radek Nachtmann

Radek Nachtmann

CEO, P.V.A. systems

He graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. Since 1996 he has been dealing with the issue of the circulation of goods in warehouses and stores. He is one of the founders and executives of P.V.A. systems, which manufactures and supplies retail and cash register systems for retail and wholesale. He has an extensive experience in the management of retail chains in terms of processes and IT.

How to open up to future generations thanks to data, technology and creativity?
Zuzana Moudrá
Zuzana Moudrá Strategist –⁠⁠⁠⁠ Samsung, Shoptect, Cheil
14:30-16:00

How to open up to future generations thanks to data, technology and creativity?

What will it be about?

To truly understand the customer, we must first understand the path they are on. The digital transformation that is emerging across industries is proceeding at an extreme pace. Changes that would have taken decades in the past are now occurring in a matter of months. But which of these trends will persist? What impact will they have on retail? How to reach the youngest generations? How to approach the interconnection of digital and physical commerce?

Zuzana Moudrá

Zuzana Moudrá

Strategist –⁠⁠⁠⁠ Samsung, Shoptect, Cheil

She started her career at Sara Lee Corp., where she spent nine years managing the marketing department of textile brands in the CEE region. For four years, she has been developing marketing strategies for CPI shopping centres. After that, she started to devote herself to consulting, inspiration, and innovation within the Contagious platform. Zuzana now works mainly on marketing and communication strategies, for example for Samsung, and the development of the Cheil/Shoptect retail division in Europe.

How do consumers and leaders of the Czech retail industry see 2024?
Lucie Zajícová
Lucie Zajícová Customer Success Leader, Retail Services CZ&SK, NIQ
14:30-16:00

How do consumers and leaders of the Czech retail industry see 2024?

What will it be about?

What impact did the period of high inflation have on the FMCG sector? How has this been reflected in changes in the shopping behavior of Czechs? Are you wondering what trends and strategies will dominate in 2024, when inflation is expected to fall? Discover with us how market dynamics are changing. Are sales supported by promotions still increasing? Is the share of private labels growing? This presentation will not only offer the latest NIQ and GfK data but will also present the expected development from the perspective of both consumers themselves and the leaders of the Czech retail market. These possible scenarios of future development in the Czech FMCG will provide you with unique and valuable information for your decision-making and strategies.

Lucie Zajícová

Lucie Zajícová

Customer Success Leader, Retail Services CZ&SK, NIQ

Last year, it celebrated its 10th anniversary at NIQ, taking care of manufacturer clients for most of its operation. Last year, she moved "to the other side" and leads a team of analysts who meet the daily needs of retail chains and provide them with analytical services and recommendations. In this way, he helps clients achieve their ambitious goals.

16:00-16:45

Tea / Coffee and Refreshment Break

16:45-18:30

Part D: Parallel program sessions

D1: Are you ready for retail transformation?
Moderators
Speakers

What will retail look like in 10 years if current trends are maintained and extrapolated? What will be the impact of these trends on the customer experience? How will the retail business model change and what are its possibilities? Will the future bring completely new requirements for leadership and corporate culture? How not to be caught off guard and be as prepared as possible for this change? Let's take a look at the vision of the future of retail and the subsequent panel discussion with industry experts.

The whole program is in English.

D2: Open marketing
Moderator
Speakers

What are the subconscious reasons of customers when choosing a store? Which advertising scores best in neurotests? Using data from 150 campaigns from the last 3 years we will show how to help small and medium-sized brands in marketing in spite of not having tens of millions budget. You will also learn how to revive a traditional brand. Come and discuss with us.

18:30-19:30

Networking & Welcome Dinner

19:30-23:00

Gala evening

The evening is hosted by
Simona Babčáková , actress and moderator

Hosted by Simona Babčáková, actress and moderator 

Special guest: Jana Kirschner

The first lady of Slovak pop. She gained popularity in 1999 with the album V cudzom meste, for which she won the Music Academy Award in two categories: Artist of the Year and Album of the Year. This year she is releasing the album Obyčajnosti.

During the evening, we will announce the winners of:
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jana_nova_web.jpg
Second Day

Wednesday - 27 / 3 / 2024

09:00-10:45

Blok E: Parallel program blocks

E1: E-commerce: New Rules of the Game
Moderator
Speakers

The rapid development of technological innovation and the changing shopping habits of customers make e-commerce the most dynamic and variable part of the retail sector.  The originally very fragmented market with tens of thousands of e-shops is consolidating, many retailers are cooperating, more traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are entering the online market. Customers are increasing the pressure on the speed and accuracy of delivery. How to adapt an omnichannel strategy in the whirlwind of these changes?

E2: Retailers of the Future
Moderator
Speakers

Whether you are big or small, make your customer feel special. What technologies will help you become the retailer of the future? What tools to use for measuring and analysing goods and customers? How to integrate them into standard shop equipment? What is the real experience of running a 24/7 self-service store and how much does it cost? Who doesn't want to use unattended retail and why? How to automate on-boarding and make omnichannel more attractive? Does hyper-personalization affect customer loyalty? How to use prediction to reduce waste? What went wrong and how did we deal with it?

E3: Agriculture in the Spotlight
Moderator
Speakers

Not only thanks to European legislation, but also to the interest of customers, processes related to food cultivation are increasingly coming to the attention of producers and retailers. Together, they are building an ever-shortening chain along which food travels to our tables. It is not only the local origin and quality of food that is addressed, but also the protection of soil and the promotion of biodiversity for its future use and self-sufficiency. Come and be inspired by examples how the cooperation of retails and farmers on this path can look like.

10:45-11:30

Coffee Break

11:30-13:15

Part F: Parallel program sessions

F1: Promotion or emotion?
Moderator
Speakers

In times of inflation and declining purchasing power, the share of goods sold in discounts  is again increasing. But what to do when the 62% share of sales in promotions in the Czech Republic is already the world's top? Let's rely on the fact that up to 90% of purchasing decisions are made subconsciously, based on sensory perceptions and emotions. And let´s  use the customer data and technological tools we have to support emotional decision-making.

F2: Efficient Supply Chain
Moderator
Speakers

Constantly changing input conditions, fluctuations in supplies, poorly predictable demand.... in a sense, persistent uncertainty. All of this creates high demands on company flexibility, organizational structure, and ability to respond dynamically and form resilient supply chains. What to focus on in terms of procurement and logistics management? How can modern technologies help us in effective cooperation with suppliers? Discussion of solutions that can enlarge companies' competitiveness and sustainability in the long term.

F3: Future of People in Retail
Moderator
Speakers

Technology is helping retailers to be more efficient, but the demand for people still persists. As well as the long-term challenge of how to make this segment more attractive to employees. Together with the panelists, we will discuss how to motivate people in retail and offer a clear vision of their position in it and in the future, where artificial intelligence will play new cards. We will also tackle the issue of Generation Z and how to integrate young people into work teams successfully.

13:15

Concluding Lunch