Retail World Forum

Retail World Forum is a series of leadership forums and awards held across several retail markets worldwide, each edition bringing retail and e-commerce leaders together with technology and solution providers, investors and the wider ecosystem. The format is a single curated day of keynotes, CEO firesides, panel discussions, technology talks and case studies; each edition focuses on the opportunities and challenges of its own market while connecting them to the global picture, and attendance is limited to senior decision-makers after a registration review. Every edition is accompanied by the Retail World Awards, recognising companies, teams and technologies in innovation, design, customer experience and sustainability, with nominations assessed by the Fast Company Middle East editorial team across strategic and technical categories. Three editions are currently announced: Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on 14 October 2026, the Middle East on 17 November 2026, and South Africa in 2027 on a date yet to be announced. Alongside its events the forum publishes articles and analysis on retail industry trends.