Retail Operations Leaders’
Velocity Summit 2026
- Agenda -

8.30

Doors open: refreshments served

9.00

Welcome address by Kieran Boyce and Mick Bunt

The evolution of the 2030 operations leader: assessing the trajectory of progress

9.45

The New Rules of Retail Operations

Leading operations at a relentless pace of change

- Erica Berchtold, CEO, David Jones

10.15

Fireside discussion: The End of Business as Usual - what every ops leader must wake up to

- Guy Nappa, COO, Oz Hair and Beauty

10.50

Morning tea and networking

11.15

Panel: Operations Is the Brand Now

• Efficiency is Dead. Intelligence Wins.
• The Retailers Pulling Away From the Pack
• Stop Optimising Yesterday’s Business

- Hakan Steele, Partnership & Sales Manager, StarShipIT
- Joel Randal, Operations Director, Culture Kings

12.00

Fireside chat: The Kulani Kinis growth journey: from Australian swimwear brand to global brand, and what international expansion means for the business today

- Lou Milicevic, Managing Director, Asendia
- Alexander Babich, Managing Director, Kulani Kinis

12.30

Open interactive group session: The Operations Advantage Nobody Can Replicate - what’s yours?

An interactive and candid discussion on operational advantage this year. What’s your path to differentiation.

13.00

Lunch and networking

13:45

Panel: The Operating Model of the Next Decade

• Efficiency is Dead. Intelligence Wins.
• The Retailers Pulling Away From the Pack
• Stop Optimising Yesterday’s Business

- Toni Baston, Head of Seller, Woolworths MarketPlus
- Mick Bunt, Director, 3PO
- Kieran Boyce, Retail Fulfillment & Digital Operations Lead, MECCA

14.15

Spotlight discussion: The next generation of ops leaders - how to cultivate a best in class team

- Carlos Varela, Ecommerce Supply Chain Manager, Colgate - Palmolive

14.45

The Anatomy of a Smarter Supply Chain

- Adrian Araujo, Regional Vice President, Snowflake
- Sanjay Prakash, AI Practice Lead APAC, Microsoft
- Michael Jackson, CEO & Director, NARTA

15:15

Open interactive group discussion. Sustaining relevance in the next 18 months in amongst heightened global forces.

16.00

Wrap Up

Breakout Session 1

Tech leaders’ discovery workshop

A fast-paced interactive session exploring the pipeline new tech that looks set to carve advantage across ANZ retail: expect live demos, peer led tech debates and a peer group sense check on the essential investments this year

Designed for tech leaders across key functions

Breakout Session 2

CMO Masterclass: Leading in zero interface retail

This workshop explores how marketing leaders will adapt to Gen AI-driven discovery, agent-led search and board-level measurement shifts

Designed for Marketing and Brand Leaders across retail

Breakout Session 3

Price Wars, Promotions & Profitability in the Age of Gen AI

This interactive session explores how retailers are moving beyond reactive discounting toward AI-informed pricing and promotion strategies that protect profitability while driving growth. We’ll examine where Gen AI genuinely adds value, where it’s overhyped, and what foundations must be established to unlock measurable impact.

Designed for Merchandising, Operations and Commercial Leaders across Retail

16.15

Industry drinks reception

16.45

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Retail Operations Leaders’ Velocity Summit 2026- Agenda -

Breakout Session 1

Breakout Session 2

Breakout Session 3

16.15

16.45

Retail Operations Leaders’
Velocity Summit 2026
- Agenda -