Investing for the Future

H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama

Minister of State

AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work applications, UAE

H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama was appointed as the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications in July 2020. His responsibilities include enhancing the government performance by investing in the latest technologies and tools of AI and applying them in various sectors. He is also currently the Managing Director of the World Government Summit, as well as a member of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation and Deputy Managing Director of the Foundation. In November 2017, he joined the Future of Digital Economy and Society Council at the World Economic Forum. Prior to his appointment, His Excellency worked on developing the UAE’s AI Strategy, making it the first such strategy of its kind globally. He holds a Diploma in Project Management and Excellence from the American University of Sharjah and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the American University of Dubai.

Khalid Al Tayer

CEO of Ounass & Managing Director

Al Tayer Insignia, UAE

Khalid Al Tayer is the Managing Director of Al Tayer Insignia, the retail business of Al Tayer Group, after being appointed as its CEO from 2011 till 2019. Al Tayer Insignia represents over 60 luxury, lifestyle, beauty and hospitality brands including Harvey Nichols - Dubai, Bloomingdale’s (Dubai and Kuwait), Armani, Coach, Boucheron, Kiehl’s, and Gap. Al Tayer Insignia also operates its proprietary luxury ecommerce site Ounass.com, where Khalid is the CEO. In his time at the helm of the retail business, Khalid has spearheaded Joint Venture arrangements with Kering (Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen), LVMH (Bulgari and Loro Piana), Prada Group (Prada and Miu Miu), Zegna, Brunello Cucinelli, Jimmy Choo, Thom Browne, and MCM.

Roland Armbruster

CEO

Manor, Switzerland

Roland Armbruster is a highly accomplished international executive with a successful track record in restructuring and commercial development of retail companies. With over 20 years of experience, Roland has led the transformation and growth of various renowned organizations such as Manor, COIN, Intertoys, The KaDeWe Group, Karstadt, Maxeda de Bijenkorf, and Breuninger. His strong people leadership skills and collaborative approach enable him to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, making him a valuable counterpart, coach, and mentor. Currently serving as CEO of Manor AG, the largest department store business in Switzerland, Roland is driving the company's evolution into a modern omnichannel enterprise.

Dr Nejib Ben Khedher

Divisional Senior Vice President

Skywards / Emirates, UAE

Dr Nejib Ben Khedher took over his current position at Skywards in 2015 and was before the CTO of the Emirates Group from October 2021 to May 2023. He brings a remarkable 30 years of global airline and travel experience. His extensive background includes serving as COO of a major US-based online travel retailer, leading an airline consulting practice, and managing a global delivery organization for a prominent business technology solutions provider. Throughout his career, Nejib has been instrumental in leading large-scale transformations and turnarounds. Recently, his focus has been on leveraging data for effective customer engagement in digital channels, at the intersection of customer insights, digital strategies, and analytics. He holds a PhD in Operations Research from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He also holds master's degrees in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, as well as Air Transportation, from the Aerospace Engineering and Aviation Management Schools in Toulouse, France.

Holger Blecker

CEO

Breuninger Group, Germany

Holger Blecker began his carreer at Breuninger Group in 1990 where he held various pivotal roles within the company before taking over the position of CEO in 2017. In 2012, he was appointed a member of the Executive Board and the Chief Merchandise Officer. In addition to his contributions to the Breuninger group, he is recognized as a prominent figure in the retail industry. He is a member in several esteemed advisory boards; he has been the President of the International Association of Department Stores (IADS) since 2021. He completed several management programs at Harvard Business School and INSEAD Business school.

Maurizio Borletti

Partner & Co-Founder

Borletti Group, Italy

Maurizio Borletti began his investment career with the acquisition of Christofle, a French luxury silverware brand, and successfully led its turnaround as CEO. In 2005, he co-founded Borletti Group, an investment company specializing in Private Equity and brand and retail investments. Maurizio has served on the boards of prominent organizations such as Federdistribuzione, EuroCommerce, IADS, IGDS, Comité Colbert, Altagamma, and Confindustria, as well as leading companies including la Rinascente, Printemps, Grandi Stazioni Retail, Logo International, Santa Margherita, and Confindustria. Through Borletti Group, Maurizio has been involved in the acquisitions of Rinascente and Printemps department stores, and currently has investments in companies such as Grandi Stazioni Retail, Moose Knuckles, Moorer, Zimmermann, San Marino Outlet, and Hyppocrates. Maurizio holds a degree from Bocconi University in Milan.

Datuk Alfred Cheng

Chairman, Retail Division

LTC Group, Singapore

Datuk Alfred Cheng is responsible for LTC's Investments and Operations for Retail businesses within the Group; he is also the Group Managing Director of Seibu Sogo Malaysia Retail Group. He led LTC's entry into the Retail Industry through their investments in Sogo Malaysia, which has expanded from one flagship store to three stores. A new flagship Seibu Luxury Department Store will open in November 2023 and two more are scheduled. Alfred has been actively involved in the South East Asia and China retail scene since 1987, also during his previous role as Group Managing Director of Parkson Retail Asia Ltd. and Parkson Retail Group Ltd. He was the Chairman of the Malaysia Retailers Association in 1996 and 1999 and was a member of the Executive Board of the Intercontinental Group of Department Stores in 1998 & 1999.

John Edgar

CEO

Fenwick, UK

John Edgar is a highly experienced executive in the retail industry with over 25 years of experience. He has held notable positions at renowned luxury and department stores, including Harrods, Selfridges Group, Woolworths Retail, House of Fraser, and Arcadia. Since taking on the role of CEO, John has successfully navigated Fenwick through challenging times and implemented strategies to enhance the customer experience. He has focused on curating a unique range of brands, introducing new categories and labels, and supporting emerging designers. Additionally, under his leadership, Fenwick has made significant strides in its online presence and digital services. In 2022, the sale of Fenwick's London Bond Street has led to substantial reinvestment, including a £40m investment in its flagship store in Newcastle.

Paul Frampton Calero

Global President

CvE, UK

Paul Frampton Calero is an experienced business leader and one of the UK’s defining voices in disruption and marketing. He was previously CEO of a hospitality tech scale-up called Tink Labs, where he scaled the business from 20 to 200 across EMEA. Prior to that, Paul was Group CEO for Havas Media Group, responsible for a £100m turnover, in a 900 people organisation. In his role as President of independent marketing consultancy CvE, his experience makes him uniquely suited to deliver the CvE promise of being a next-generation service company at the nexus of media, technology, and data, created to serve marketers in the modern digital marketing ecosystem. He is an advocate for diversity and inclusion, and an advisor for Women in Marketing. Paul was named one of Management Today's '30 Male Agents of Change.'

Scott Fyfe

CEO

David Jones, Australia

Scott Fyfe was appointed as CEO of David Jones in 2020 and has been at the forefront of the turnaround of David Jones. He is a highly experienced retailer in the Australian and international markets having held the position of CEO of the Country Road Group from January 2017 and previously at global market leader Marks & Spencer where he worked in a variety of Director roles spanning buying, merchandising and sourcing for a period of twenty years.

Dimas Gimeno

CEO & Founder

WOW, Spain

Dimas Gimeno is an entrepreneur and investor in the retail and technology industry. After working as an intern in the litigation department of the law firm Baker McKenzie, he traveled to Australia to study film direction at the Sydney University of Technology. As a fourth-generation member of the family that owns El Corte Inglés, he joined the company after returning from Australia and took on various executive roles, including overseeing the opening of El Corte Inglés centers in Lisbon and Porto. Dimas served as the Executive President of El Corte Inglés from 2014 to 2018. Currently, he is the CEO of WOW, a phygital retail platform, and the founder of KAPITA, an investment firm specializing in retail & tech that supports companies that define and transform the future of the retail sector. He holds a law degree and a master's degree in private law from Universidad de San Pablo (CEU) and an EMBA from AESE Business School.

Jonathan Hopkins

Founding Partner

SONDER, Australia

Jonathan Hopkins is Founding Partner of Sonder which has helped unlock more than $10 billion in retail media revenue for leading retailers including luxury department stores like Harrods, David Jones, Myer and Woolworths, to name a few. Jonathan is an experienced media and marketing executive with over 25 years of experience at media agencies, media owners and marketing roles. He was previously CMO for music platform VEVO and Managing Director of strategic media planning and buying agency, Razor. Over several continents Jonathan has led businesses and brands on a mission to disrupt, innovate and challenge category norms. His work has been acknowledged by the industry, recognizing him as one of marketing’s 40 under 40 by AdNews.

Mona Kattan

Co-Founder & Global President

Huda Beauty & Kayali Fragrances, UAE

Mona Kattan is the Global President of Huda Beauty, which she co-founded alongside her sisters Huda and Alya Kattan. A driving force behind the launch of Huda Beauty, Mona saw potential when her sister Huda, a makeup artist, started designing her own faux lashes and encouraged her to create a product line. Together in 2013, they launched a line of faux eyelashes at Sephora, and the debut collection sold out almost immediately. Today, they have grown the company to a valuation of $1B with a line of groundbreaking products which are globally distributed at leading retailers including Sephora, Harrod’s, Net-a-Porter and others. As President, Mona continues to grow the Huda Beauty brand overseeing brand strategy and driving new innovation. In 2018, Huda Beauty launched their fragrance line, Kayali, with a collection of four scents designed by Mona.

Andrew Keith

CEO

Selfridges, UK

Andrew Keith is CEO of Selfridges, and former President of Lane Crawford and Joyce Boutique. Andrew joined Lane Crawford in 2001 playing an integral role in the introduction of western brands to China. He oversaw the expansion of the business with the opening of new stores in Shanghai, Chengdu and a second store in Beijing, reinforcing Lane Crawford’s reputation as Asia’s most influential multi-brand retailer. Appointed CEO of Selfridges in February 2021, Andrew brings his breadth of experience in the fashion industry to the UK as he takes responsibility for the company’s four stores in London, Manchester and Birmingham, as well as its online business. Andrew is committed to driving Selfridges’ vision to reinvent retail, with a clear purpose to imagine and create a more sustainable future for its customers. Under Andrew’s leadership, Selfridges continues to pioneer an innovative and inspiring brand and experience driven offer across all touchpoints.

André Maeder

CEO

The KaDeWe Group, Germany

André Maeder is an expert for the global market of international retail and premium and luxury brands. He has been the CEO of The KaDeWe Group with its three iconic department stores KaDeWe (Berlin), Alsterhaus (Hamburg) and Oberpollinger (Munich) since January 2014. Prior to joining the group, André was Chief Retail Officer and Member of the Board of KARSTADT Warenhaus. He also served as CEO of Charles Voegele Holding for 3 years. André worked at Harrods, London, as Chief Retail and Chief Merchandise Officer for 6 years. From 2004 to 2009 he was a Member of the Management Board of Hugo Boss and Chief Retail Officer in charge of developing more than 500 stores worldwide.

Carlos Marín

CEO

Liverpool, Mexico

Carlos Marin leads the strategic growth of El Puerto de Liverpool's main retail business. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, he is dedicated to strengthening Liverpool's leadership in Mexico through its extensive network of 125 stores and a robust omnichannel ecosystem. Putting customers at the forefront, he emphasizes unique and seamless experiences anytime, anywhere. Prior to Liverpool, Carlos held key roles at Grupo Modelo, where he supervised the expansion of "Modeloramas" convenience stores and the development of the international beer brands portfolio in Mexico. He also has a background in Dupont and started his career in the clothing industry. Carlos holds an Executive Program degree from Stanford University, an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin (McCombs School of Business), and two bachelor's degrees in Industrial Engineering from Universidad Anáhuac and Business Administration from the International University in Geneva.

Karl Nader

Partner & Managing Director

AlixPartners, UAE

Karl is an experienced consultant and transformation leader with more than 20 years of experience in the consumer & retail sector in Europe and the Middle East. He has assisted international and GCC retailers, and retail conglomerates to accelerate their performance through revenue lever activation, new value proposition design, effective omni-channel, margin expansion, operating models, partnership models, and driving international growth

BS Nagesh

Chairman

Shoppers Stop, India

BS Nagesh has been involved with Shoppers Stop and its group companies since its inception in 1991 as the first employee. As part of his personal philosophy of Learn, Earn & Return, he stepped out of the day-to-day roles of the business as MD in 2009 and founded TRRAIN. He is currently the Chairman and Non-Executive Director of Shoppers Stop Limited and is also the Founder Chairman of RAI (Retailers Association of India). B S Nagesh is on the Board of IGDS (Intercontinental Group of Departmental Stores), and the Vice-President for Asia. He is also on the board of Marico Limited and Kaya Limited. He has been awarded with the prestigious NCPEDP — Hellen Keller Award for creating livelihood opportunities for Persons with Disabilities and was recognized as the Change Maker at the Sabera Awards. He has been honoured as an Ashoka Fellow in 2019.

Pete Nordstrom

President & Chief Brand Officer

Nordstrom, USA

Pete Nordstrom spearheads strategic initiatives and sets the vision for the brand's customer experience and resonance. He also supports the company's merchandising, store operations and supply chain organizations. Throughout his career, Pete has driven innovation in the customer shopping experience, transforming and strengthening Nordstrom's reputation in the fashion industry and expanding its offerings. Under his leadership, Nordstrom has grown from $5.1 billion to $15.1 billion in revenue, added over 200 store locations, and launched the first flagship store in New York City. Pete's commitment to leaving a positive impact has resulted in achievements such as 100 percent pay equity for employees, earning a spot on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For list for 20 consecutive years, and aiming to contribute over $50 million to local communities by 2025.

Terry O'Connor

CEO

Matahari Department Store, Indonesia

Terry O'Connor is an accomplished retail executive with over 30 years of experience in the industry. His career began in retail buying roles with Colorvision PLC in the UK before he moved to Singapore in 1993 to lead Courts' Asian operations as a buying director. Terry quickly rose through the ranks, serving as the Managing Director of Courts Singapore from 2000 to 2007 and later becoming the Regional CEO of Courts Asia from 2007 to 2019. His expertise in retail and omni-channel strategies has been instrumental in driving the success of the companies he has led. Terry holds a Master's degree in Business Administration in Retailing and Wholesaling from the University of Stirling, UK, and was later awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the same institution for his significant contributions to retailing and British business in Singapore.

Dr Oliver Pabst

General Partner

Redalpine Venture Capital, Switzerland

Dr Oliver Pabst is a General Partner at Redalpine, a leading Swiss venture capital firm, and Chairman of the Advisory Board at X-Technology Swiss R&D AG, a research and development company. Prior to that, he was the CEO of Mammut Sports Group AG for over five years, where he led the company through a period of significant development and expansion. He has also served on the Executive Board of Conzetta AG and held key management positions in prominent organizations like Boards & More and Willy Bogner KGaA. Oliver has a deep passion for driving innovation and growth, and extensive experience that intersects between technology and the sports and lifestyle industries. He has invested in early-stage companies for over 15 years and enjoys serving as a close advisor to founders, including in his role as a board member for a number of innovative startups. With a strong foundation in business strategy, Oliver began his career at McKinsey in Zurich after completing his PhD at the University of St.Gallen.

Sebastian Picardo

President & CEO

Holt Renfrew, Canada

With over 25 years of professional experience, Sebastian Picardo has worked for multiple companies in the luxury sector in regional and global executive roles based in Buenos Aires, London, Barcelona, Hong Kong, and Toronto. He has also served as non-Executive Director in South-East Asia and the Middle East. Prior to joining Holt Renfrew in 2020, Sebastian was Deputy President of Asia’s iconic luxury department store Lane Crawford and has held senior management positions at Burberry, Net-a-Porter, Alexander McQueen and Deloitte. Sebastian holds bachelor’s degrees in Public Accounting, and in Business Administration, as well as a Master’s degree in International Finance. Recently, he successfully completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Mark Sage

VP Loyalty & Member Experience

DFS Group, Hong Kong S.A.R.

In his role as VP for Loyalty & Member Engagement at DFS, he manages data insights, CRM marketing, loyalty strategy and loyalty product development for the DFS loyalty programme LoyalT. Mark has worked in loyalty marketing for over 20 years and gained extensive experience of consumer orientated marketing programs, having implemented and consulted on loyalty & CRM solutions for clients across financial services, travel, telco, retail and CPG. Mark Sage is a subject matter expert in the area of customer retention and specifically loyalty marketing. He is a highly skilled relationship marketing professional, with a considerable range of best practices and case experiences to contribute. With a background in product design, digital development and a passion for marketing, Mark unites the strategy and theory around customer retention marketing with the art of the possible with regard to product delivery. A keen advocate of relationship marketing and the psychology behind customer behavior, he brings a different perspective on customer loyalty.

Brian Schneider

Partner

AlixPartners, UK

Brian Schneider guides leading companies through complex transformations to bring about both process and cost efficiencies. Clients benefit from his more than 10 years of consulting experience with a focus on the retail, wholesale, and consumer product industries. Brian's areas of expertise are operational performance improvement via merchandising planning and allocation, inventory effectiveness, supply chain optimization, organizational design, and overall cost reduction. Brian has an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

David Seban-Jeantet

Chief Investment Officer

Société Générale Private Wealth Management, Luxembourg

David Seban Jeantet joined Société Générale Private Banking in 2011 as Head of Discretionary Management. In 2017, he got appointed as the Chief Investment Officer. With over 20 years' experience as a financial analyst and fund manager, he worked as an Equity Research analyst at ABN Amro in London, and then as a Fund Manager at Axa Investment Management in 2003. In 2006, he was voted best European financial analyst by Institutional Investor. In 2017, he was appointed Chief Investment Officer of Société Générale Private Wealth Management. He completed his education in Economics in Finance from Université Panthéon Assa in Paris.

Mudassir Sheikha

CEO & Co-Founder

Careem, UAE

Mudassir Sheikha is an American Pakistani business executive and co-founder and current CEO of the Middle Eastern and North African ride-sharing app company Careem that is based out of Dubai, UAE. Mudassir’s career in tech started with Silicon Valley startup Brience. He then co-founded DeviceAnywhere, a company that was acquired by Keynote in 2008, and he went on to join management consulting firm McKinsey & Company in Dubai. In 2012, he left to form a new company with ex-McKinsey colleague. Mudassir graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in economics and computer science, and then completed a masters degree in computer science at Stanford.

Dr Stephan Sigrist

Founder & Head

W.I.R.E., Switzerland

Dr Stephan Sigrist is an interdisciplinary strategist and founder of the think tank W.I.R.E., which analyses new developments and technologies at the interface between science and practice. He leads his team to develop forward-looking solutions and advises decision-makers. In 2020, he launched the Future Society Association, to reconnect business and society in order to sustainably curate the upcoming changes towards a circular economy and data-based business models. An author of numerous books and studies, international keynote speaker and curator of spatial knowledge projects in collaboration with design and art, he was named "Digital Shaper" by the Swiss business magazine Bilanz. He is also a board member of the Swiss Allergy Centre AHA and a member of the innovation council of Innosuisse, the Swiss federal funding agency for science-based innovation. Currently, he is on the board of directors of a start-up for a digital mobility network and on various strategic committees. He studied biochemistry at ETH Zurich and completed a dissertation at the Collegium Helveticum. He has also worked in medical research at Roche, as a management consultant at Roland Berger and at the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute.

Charaf Tajer

Founder & Creative Director

Casablanca Paris, France

Charaf Tajer is a self-taught creative director and designer who got his start co-founding and working at streetwear brand Pigalle and Paris nightlife hotspot Le Pompom, then with French collective Pain O Chokolat, Off-White and Supreme. He launched Casablanca in 2018, taking inspiration from his Parisian and Moroccan roots, with laid-back pieces in luxury materials. Casablanca started with menswear but has since expanded to womenswear, leather goods, jewellery, eyewear and footwear. The label gained traction with women in Los Angeles, worn by model-celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner who helped to accelerate the brand's rise. The Paris-based label has collaborated with New Balance, Globe-Trotter, Caviar Kaspia and LVMH-owned jeweler Bulgari (its first partnership with a major luxury house). Tajer was one of eight joint winners and finalists of 2020’s LVMH Prize. In 2022, Tajer was included within the influential BOF 500 global community. He was also a finalist for the International Woolmark Prize and Andam Grand Prize in 2021.

Evan Voshell

Vice President Retail & Commerce

Mastercard Data & Services, USA

As Vice President, Retail Segment Lead at Mastercard, Evan is tasked with the global strategy and go-to-market approach for the company around the retail and restaurant industry verticals. Evan brings over 18 years of experience in global strategy development and execution. Prior to this role, Evan led a cluster of markets for Mastercard’s Data & Services business in Southeast Asia, where he was responsible for driving growth across all industry verticals. Earlier in his career, Evan held positions and consulted with FIS, USAID, IBM and GE.

Ravi Thakran

Chairman & Managing Partner

Turmeric Capital, Singapore / UAE

Ravi Thakran, with over two decades at LVMH Group, held various senior positions within the organization, including President of Sephora Asia, CEO for LVMH Watches & Jewelry Asia, Group President for LVMH Asia, and Group Chairman for LVMH Asia. Additionally, he founded L Capital Asia in 2008 and served as its Chairman and Managing Partner. Prior to LVMH, he held key management roles at the Swatch Group, Nike, and the Tata Group. Ravi holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Angelo Zegna

Consumer & Retail Excellence Director

Zegna, Italy

Angelo Zegna is currently the Consumer and Retail Excellence Director at Zegna. In the past, he worked for Luxottica in São Paulo, Brazil first and later NYC, USA as well as for Bain & Company in Mumbai, India. Inspired by the founder, ZEGNA follows its own path down the road that Ermenegildo built over 110 years ago in the mountains in Piedmont, northern Italy. Established as a fabric maker, ZEGNA is internationally recognised as a leading global luxury menswear brand and part of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group. Angelo Zegna holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Science from The School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

Yu Zhou

Senior Director of Strategic Planning & Intelligence Center

Bailian Group, China

Zhou Yu has 26 years cross-field working experience. Before joining Bailian Group, Joe worked in Tianjin University and Shanghai General Motors. He has in-depth insights and rich practical experience in corporate strategic planning, investment and operation management, consumer research, styling design and product development. Since 2019, he has held the responsibility of strategic planning and implementation management at Bailan Group. He has led the completion of a series of major development planning projects to aid in Bailan Group's digital transformation and strategic execution, with a focus on sustainability development strategy. He holds an EMBA degree in CEIBS and a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Tianjin University, China.

Dr Stephan Zoll

CEO

SIGNA Sports United, Europe/USA

Stephan Zoll is the Group Chief Executive Officer of SIGNA Sports United (SSU) and a member of the Management Board. He was the President Online at Sears Holdings from 2016 to 2017, and before that he worked at eBay from 2007, latterly as the Vice President and General Manager for Germany. Stephan began his career as a management consultant at Booz Allen & Hamilton and later at Oliver Wyman, which he left as a Partner in 2007. He studied law from Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich, and obtained a PhD from the University of Augsburg. He also completed the Executive Leadership course at Harvard Business School.