World Retail Congress Aims to Answer Looming Industry Questions

Every year since 2007, the biggest brands, executives and personalities of the retail industry have met at the World Retail Congress. The 2019 edition of the conference just concluded in Amsterdam, and was by no means a standard retail event.

Lionesque Group Founder Melissa Gonzalez was among the session leaders this year, moderating a discussion titled ‘Think Different: Creating Spaces that Resonate with Customers’. She was joined by Neelandra Singh, Senior Vice President of DTC and Franchises at Adidas, and George Gottl, Co-Founder of FutureBrand UXUS.

The panel explored experiential retail and how brands can create scalable footprints.

Gonzalez passed along these images of her time at the event, which was held in Amsterdam this year.

Other speakers included National Retail Federation CEO and President Matthew Shay, Harrods CEO Michael Ward, Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen and Walmart International President and CEO Judith McKenna.

For more retail perspective from Melissa Gonzalez, click here!

For more coverage of Retail World Conference, and the latest in retail news, head to our industry page!

 

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

The Tech-Enabled Hospital of the Future: Implications for Care Delivery
The Tech-Enabled Hospital of the Future: Implications for Care Delivery
March 12, 2026

Gone are the days when a hospital was simply a place where patients received care. Today’s hospitals are rapidly evolving into highly connected ecosystems powered by advanced technology, networked devices, and real-time data. The modern hospital is no longer confined to physical walls—it’s a dynamic digital environment where data flows seamlessly, AI supports clinical decisions,…

Read More
career
Stop Chasing Titles, Build a Career That Matters: A CAO’s Advice on Long-Term Success
March 11, 2026

Career advice in finance and accounting often centers around promotions, titles, and compensation. But in an era where professionals frequently change jobs every few years—the average American worker now stays in a role for less than four years—industries are facing growing talent shortages and reevaluating what long-term career success looks like. The question many…

Read More
Career success
A CEO’s Blueprint for Career Success: Leading with Love to Drive Performance and Culture
March 10, 2026

Leadership right now feels heavier than it did just a few years ago. Teams are stretched, expectations are high, and many employees are quietly disengaged. In fact, Gallup’s 2025 U.S. data shows that only about 31% of employees are actively engaged at work, leaving the majority feeling disconnected or indifferent. For CEOs and senior…

Read More
employer-sponsored apprenticeships
The Degree That Pays You Back: How Employer-Sponsored Apprenticeships Are Rewriting Higher Ed
March 9, 2026

Higher education is under pressure. Over the past few years, public confidence in the value of a four-year degree has declined significantly, with fewer Americans expressing a strong belief that traditional higher education delivers a worthwhile return on investment. At the same time, employers consistently report that graduates lack job-ready skills—particularly the “durable skills”…

Read More