Conference Theme
& Key Topics

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Are you ready to go “Retail Unlimited”?


Asia Pacific, the largest and most diverse retail market on the planet, is abounding with limitless possibilities. Outpacing the rest of the world in its rate of growth, the same trends are predicted to continue relentlessly over the next decade and beyond. Tapping that infinite potential has become the biggest game globally, with APAC at its center. 

With 55% of the world’s shoppers residing in the region, and more significantly, a middle-class that will grow by 3.49 billion people by the year 2030, NRF 2025: Retail’s Big Show Asia Pacific will spotlight the limitless possibilities in retail, from enhanced customer experiences to digital transformation strategies. 

Featuring high-caliber speakers at our retail conference, delegates from all over APAC, and showcasing the sheer size and speed of growth in the region, NRF 2025 APAC provides an open forum to grab these vast opportunities with excitement. We’re aiming to bring everyone together in the perfect learning and sociable environment - now it’s time for you to tap into its full potential. 

Speaker applications have closed.

Key Topics at a Glance

The Next Generation of Shoppers – Gen-Z

The Gen-Z shopper is a black box – an impressively inscrutable consumer well-versed in covering their digital footprint and following the beat of their own drum. Sometimes, they seem to exist outside of trends that retailers have always lived by. How can companies find a way to get their business, and to keep them coming back?

Managing Talent & Well-being

Today’s world is seeing the rise of not just new age consumers, but new age employees too. Many companies and markets are su􀆯ering from brain drain, as the prioritization of mental well-being and skill development see employees make no qualms about jumping ship, a􀆯ecting expansion plans and scaling. How do companies navigate today’s obstacles to attract, develop and retain talent?

Changing Consumer Tastes – Fresh Food, Fast Food & Diversity in Choice

With growing aspiration comes culinary evolution. APAC’s booming middle-class want their food fresh, with as many choices as possible. This poses increasingly difficult challenges with climate change and geopolitical conflicts creating fears over food and supply chain security. How do companies make sure this fast-growing consumer segment has their needs met?

Destination: Retail – Malls, Food, Entertainment & Formats

The Mall isn’t just a place in APAC retail – it’s a destination. They’re as entertaining as theme parks, replete with restaurants presenting the best food, and o􀆯ering everything from unique store formats to go-karting and ice-skating; what makes the APAC Mall experience so unique?

Sustainability & Circular Economy – globalizing ESG standards

Everyone can agree that sustainability is a good thing, but there is disagreement on how best to practice it. As governments and companies seek to do their part in combating the existential threat of climate change, and consumers become more socially conscious of the consequences of their purchasing decisions on the environment, how can today’s retailers collectively prepare themselves for a greener and more sustainable future?

Crossing Cultures & Borders

4.8 billion people. 40 countries. Thousands of languages and dialects. In Asia Pacific, cross-border expansion isn’t just opening a new store in a new city; it also means learning a new language and understanding a new culture. Yet in these challenging circumstances, many retailers have managed to reach a new audience via the explosion of online marketplaces and formats – what is driving this new form of retail growth?

The Chinese Retail Wave

Europe has given us premium luxury goods. The US pioneered, developed and refined the Department Store and flagship retail. Now, China has given us worldwideaccessible online marketplaces – resulting in an influx of Chinese brands into many, if not all, APAC markets. What has made this such a phenomenally successful endeavor, and can local brands compete, when it costs less to ship an item from Shenzhen to Singapore, than from Manila to Mindanao?

Data, Data, Data – the Foundation of Scaling Big

Wisdom passed down through the ages tells us that knowledge is power. Yet companies are struggling to leverage the knowledge they have on hand, with unoptimized data and legacy systems holding them back from fulfilling their goals of growth and expansion. How should companies sort themselves out if they want to scale big?

The AI Revolution – Optimizing Operations, People and Customer Experiences

The question of AI is multi-fold. As machines get smarter, how companies leverage its capabilities must also evolve. From front-end applications such as customer service and personalization, to back-end wizardry that deals in demand forecasting and operational management, AI might be on the cusp of being the killer app that everyone needs. Are companies even ready to fully utilize it? What happens if they aren’t? And most critically of all, can they even begin to think about AI if their data isn’t organized and up-to-date?

Creating Efficiencies and Driving Margin in an Inflationary World

It’s not just consumers who are trending towards maximizing value – brands and retailers are just as keen on stretching their dollars and streamlining costs. However, solutions that enable e􀆯iciency gains don’t come cheap, creating an additional headache for companies already dealing with rising costs and wafer-thin margins. What can be done to survive in this brave, and expensive, new world? Should companies start exploring new revenue streams such as retail media, or reinventing the use of current real estate through selling 3PL services or other B2B opportunities?

Addressing The Hybrid Consumer – The Case for Investing in a New Retail &Tech Era

The hybrid consumer is incredibly fascinating. They love physical retail, but also want to be wrapped up in digital convenience, creating a cohesive online/o􀆯line shopping journey. This brings expectations that didn’t exist before; are retailers and retail spaces o􀆯ering something that matches up? Just how strong is the case for investing in new Retail Tech and retail space renovation to create a truly seamless consumer experience?

The Delivery Revolution – Moving Goods like never before

Imagine ordering a phone and having it arrive at your desk in just 8 minutes. Or purchasing a washing machine and getting credit approval AND delivery in half an hour. For some consumers in APAC, this is already a reality – but will it become the norm across the region to seek the convenience of online shopping, with the instant gratification of an in-store purchase?

Social Commerce & Direct-to-Consumer Retail

To launch a brand in today’s market couldn’t be more straightforward, especially with the advent of social media. If you’ve got a product or service that fulfils a demand, you can pretty much start selling. Worried about distribution? There’s a plethora of 3PL options to choose from. Need to market and advertise your wares? Social media platforms are right there. Looking to build a loyal customer base? Community engagement is more intimate and faster than ever. This means that brands can concentrate on being brands – building relationships, being agile with market trends, and driving efficient spending. Where does this leave traditional retail approaches to scaling and growth? Is this a bubble, or is it a trend that’s here to stay?
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