Retail World Forum 2026
About the event
Retail World Forum Riyadh 2026 takes place on 14 October 2026 at the Riyadh Marriott Hotel, bringing retail and e-commerce leaders from the Kingdom and the wider region together for a single day. It is the Saudi edition of a forum series held across several retail markets worldwide, each edition accompanied by an awards ceremony.
The programme is built on keynotes, CEO firesides, panel discussions, technology talks and focused breakout sessions, covering AI-driven personalisation, retail media networks, supply chains and speed of fulfilment, customer experience design, sustainability in logistics, and the reshaping of the retail workforce as agentic systems take hold, alongside a reading of Saudi consumer behaviour. The audience is retail brands, e-commerce platforms, FMCG companies, direct-to-consumer brands and luxury retailers, along with retail technology providers, fintech companies, supply chain and logistics leaders, investors and startups.
Attendance is free for senior sector leaders; registration requests are reviewed and approved by the organiser's team, with confirmation sent within 24 hours. The day closes with the Retail World Awards in the evening, a ceremony recognising companies, teams and technologies in design, customer experience and sustainability, with company nominations carrying a fee separate from forum attendance.
Agenda
17- 10:00–10:20Keynote: The Retail Nation — Designing Saudi's Blueprint for Global CommerceAn opening keynote on how retail is becoming part of the country's economic architecture and cultural identity.
- 10:20–10:50CEO Fireside: Saudi's Retail Growth Story — What's Working and What's NextLeaders unpack the strategies fuelling growth, from omnichannel innovation to localised customer experience, and how retailers scale in a competitive market.
- 10:50–11:30Panel: Scaling for Impact — Protecting Efficiency and Customer ExperienceHow streamlined supply chains, smart inventory and digital transformation cut cost without eroding shopper trust, and how to keep cultural relevance while operations grow.
- 12:00–12:20Keynote Interview: How Can Brands Reinforce Trust for Consumers?Moving from a channel-led model to a customer-centric one, upskilling teams for AI adoption, and translating cross-functional effort into customer outcomes.
- 12:20–12:50Panel: A New Chapter of Retail — How Collaboration is Fuelling GrowthRetail media networks built jointly by retailers and brands, shared logistics that cut cost and speed to market, and technology ecosystems enabling personalised commerce at scale.
- 12:50–13:10Tech Talk: From Waiting for Data to Data That ActsWhy business outcomes depend on data and AI, the capability needed to be ready for the agentic era, and what agentic commerce means for retailers.
- 14:00–14:20Presentation: Where Efficiency Fuels Value — Optimising Workflows for Operational ExcellenceEliminating redundancy, automating routine tasks and embedding technology in daily operations so organisations can pivot quickly and sustain growth.
- 14:20–14:45The Decision Room: Finding a True North — Building Cohesive Shopping ExperiencesAligning business models, retail operations and customer engagement into one journey that moves across stores, digital platforms and emerging touchpoints.
- 14:45–15:10Fireside Chat: Speed and Scale — Rethinking Fulfilment as Convenience without CompromiseRe-engineering fulfilment models through technology ecosystems, smarter supply chains and investment in last-mile innovation.
- 15:10–15:25Tech Talk: The Smart Shelf Revolution — Inside the ESL and Vision StackHow electronic shelf labels combined with computer vision reduce stockouts and shrink while enabling real-time pricing and in-aisle personalisation.
- 15:25–15:45Panel: An Agentic Future — Redefining the Retail Workforce ModelEnterprise AI has shifted from conversational interfaces to autonomous execution, and the move requires redesigning both technology architecture and workforce models.
- 15:45–16:00Tech Talk: Building Sustainability in Logistics as a Value DriverIntegrating sustainability into product design, supply chains and customer experience as a point of difference rather than a compliance exercise.
- 16:00–16:20Spotlight: Partners That Grow With Your BrandChoosing partners who act as co-architects of the future, and how shared success becomes the basis of long-term advantage.
- 16:20–17:00Panel: The Consumer Code — Keeping Up with Changing Consumer PreferencesThe closing conversation reads the psychology behind Saudi purchasing decisions and how emotion, design and experience shape the modern Saudi shopper.
- 17:00–17:20Spotlight: From Live Streaming Shopping Events to Shoppable VideosNew ways of engaging younger consumers, and how retailers tailor products, store layouts and promotions to local preferences.
- 17:20Closing Note
- 19:00–22:00Evening: Retail World Awards and ReceptionA gala recognising standout pilots, design achievements, retailtainment concepts and mall leadership across the Kingdom, with cultural performances and networking.
