Program of the Retail Summit 2014 published: 117 speakers and panellists will help to resist the uncertainty
Published 12/12/2013

Prague, 12th Dec 2013 – A record number of 117 speakers and panellists, who represent different types of players, forming the Czech retail market will take part in 20th year of the Retail Summit in Clarion Congress Hotel on Feb 4-5, 2014. Participants will be also inspired by the examples of successful solutions from a range of personalities from abroad and "from elsewhere". The Program, which has just been published, will focus on finding ways to succeed in times that are really not simple and stable.

We live in turbulent times, full of changes and can only agree with the famous mathematician John A. Paulos saying: "uncertainty is the only certainty, what we have and to be able to live with it, is our only salvation." The ambition of the organizers of the 20th Year of the Retail Summit is to help Czech retail scene to get used to and cope with this uncertainty. Therefore, the entire two-day programme of this top meeting will focus on finding ways to succeed in times that are far from being simple and stable.

These days the Summit invitation is circulated bringing very interesting impulses for fight with uncertainty. On February 4-5 2014, Clarion Congress Hotel in Prague will host a record number of 117 speakers and panellists, representing different types of players forming the Czech retail trade market, in the first place representatives of retailers, FMCG and non-food categories, both from brick & mortar and Internet trade. In addition to classic presentations and discussion sections Summit 2014 puts an emphasis on 2 large panels in the main program, specifically the Retail CEO panel, and the discussion with Retailer of the year award holders about the recipes for success.

However, Retail Summit program is certainly not filled with just the retailers. The organizers invited a range of personalities outside the Czech trade sector, bringing inspiration "from elsewhere", whether from Europe (Christian Verschueren of EUROCOMMERCE and Tony Lewins of EY), from neighbouring Slovakia (Pavol Konštiak from Slovak Association of Commerce) or from the manufacturers (Paolo Lanzarotti of Plzeňský Prazdroj, Torben Emborg of Nestlé or Peter Müller of Mondeléz International). A huge dose of inspiration comes also from representatives of technology companies (O2, IBM) and experts (Nielsen, TNS AISA, GfK, Delloite).

All parts of the program will draw inspiration from both large international companies, as well as from independent domestic entrepreneurs. And it is not only about the stars of the Czech business like the Kofola CEO Jannis Samaras, but also about other successful local players that have not been at the Retail Summit yet (for example, Klara Dubska of CBA, Ivo Plšek from JIP Východočeská, Daniel Večeřa from HP TRONIC, Oldrich Bajer from Zoot or David Kukla of Sklizeno).

The Summit is held with the support of a wide range of partners headed by the Platinum partners - ČSOB, Pilsner Urquell and Telefónica CR, as well as the partner of the gala evening MasterCard. News from the preparation of the Summit and its program are available on the Internet at http://www.retail21.cz/en, where you can also register to participate. The delegates, who will make payments untill Dec 31, 2013, have the opportunity to take advantage of the favourable conditions for "Early Birds". For more information about Retail Summit 2014 contact Barbora Krasna (barbora.krasna@blueevents.eu)

When: 4. - 5. 2. 2014 (Add to your diary)
Where: Clarion Congress Hotel Prague
Organizers: Czech Confederation of Commerce, Vysoká škola ekonomická Praha and agency Blue Events
Web: www.retail21.cz/en

Contact for media
Aneta Zímová, Blue Events
Tel.: +420 730 184 505, e-mail: aneta.zimova@blueevents.eu