Program

FORUM PROGRAM

Sunday Jan 29, 2023
Monday Jan 30, 2023
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023

11:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Registration & Information Desk
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12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Executive Committee Meeting and Lunch
Private meeting and Lunch of the RILA Executive Committee.
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM: Board of Directors Meeting
Private meeting of the RILA Board of Directors.
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM: Welcome Reception
Kick off the Retail CEO Forum at this casual opening reception, where you can meet and reunite with fellow Forum participants. Dress casually for a relaxed evening of fun and networking.
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM: RILA Board Chair's Dinner
Join members of the Board and other invited CEOs at this opening dinner. (Invite Only)

7:00 AM – 7:45 AM

Breakfast

Please join us for breakfast and networking before the programming day begins.

7:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Registration & Information Desk

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Welcome Remarks

The Retail CEO Forum will open with the themes that will drive RILA's work on behalf of the industry for 2023.

Speakers: Corie Barry
Chief Executive Officer, Best Buy Co., Inc.

Incoming Chairwoman, RILA; Brian Dodge
President

RILA

8:30 AM – 9:10 AM

The Business Imperative of Mental Health and Wellbeing

Whilst mental health is becoming less stigmatized, companies are still trying to figure out what strategies and tactics to use to build compassionate and resilient work environments. This conversation will explore the challenge of addressing mental health and wellbeing.

Speakers: Jimmy Etheredge
Chief Executive Officer - North America

Accenture; Michelle Peluso
Chief Customer Officer & Co-President of Retail

CVS Health

9:10 AM – 9:30 AM

Networking Break

9:30 AM – 10:10 AM

Retail CEO Spotlight: Conversation with Rodney McMullen

The highly anticipated CEO spotlight features Rodney McMullen who will share his perspective on leading Kroger through demanding times – COVID-19, supply chain challenges, retail crime and inflation – and making the most important decisions to deliver superior value to his customers, associates, communities, and shareholders.

Moderator: Brian Dodge
President

RILA

Speaker: Rodney McMullen
Chief Executive Officer

The Kroger Co.

10:10 AM – 10:30 AM

Networking Break

10:30 AM – 11:10 AM

DEI: Measuring Value Inside and Out

This discussion will address the multifaceted challenges of implementing and measuring the success of DEI strategies at scale by leveraging case studies focused on both recruiting and engaging Black employees and Black-owned brands. From effectively using metrics to build and retain diverse teams to measuring the business outputs of those teams, including for DEI-related projects, this conversation will help decisionmakers articulate how their DEI programs are clearly linked to enterprise value.

Moderator: Erin Hiatt
Vice President, CSR

RILA

Speakers: Kim Adams
Vice President, DEI and Talent Acquisition

Ulta Beauty, Inc.; Valerie Irick Rainford
CEO

Elloree Talent Strategies

11:10 AM – 11:40 AM

ORC 2.0: Retail Driving Vibrant Communities

The INFORM Consumers Act has been signed into law, and states around the country are funding task forces to investigate and prosecute criminal rings selling stolen product online. But is that enough? From vacant downtown offices to the challenges of addiction and homelessness, the underlying issues that negatively impact communities also lead to major operating challenges for retailers and shopping districts. This session will discuss how RILA will be partnering to take the next step in the effort to combat retail theft by leaning in to help address these community-wide problems.

Speakers: Jason Brewer
Senior Executive Vice President, Communications & Marketing

RILA; Michael Hanson
Senior Executive Vice President, Public Affairs

RILA; Lisa LaBruno
Senior Executive Vice President, Retail Operations

RILA

11:40 AM – 1:10 PM

Networking Luncheon

Getting to know your peers in the industry is a key opportunity of the CEO Forum, and this informal networking lunch is a perfect setting to meet and connect.

1:10 PM – 1:50 PM

The Economic Road Ahead

This presentation will dive into the economy, markets, and the key forces retailers must navigate in 2023.

Speakers: Benjamin Frost
Global Co-Head, Consumer Retail Group

Goldman Sachs; Vishaal Rana
Managing Director, Cross Markets Consumer Retail Group, IBD

Goldman Sachs

1:50 PM – 2:10 PM

Networking Break

2:10 PM – 2:50 PM

A Practical Conversation to Preserve Retail Workforces

Retail workforces are undergoing profound change. Union organizing strategies effectively capitalize on social justice momentum, perceived gaps in a company’s stated values and actual behavior, and an appetite among younger workers to embrace activism and protest for change. This session willl focus on these trend and how smart management teams can prepare for this new state of play.

Moderator: Lacey Bundy
Chief Legal Officer

PetSmart, Inc.

Speaker: Gene Scalia
Partner

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

2:50 PM – 3:10 PM

Networking Break

3:10 PM – 3:50 PM

Growth, Trends, and the Outlook for Implementing Digital at Scale

This conversation will discuss key trends in digital retail from how to interpret growth metrics, to frameworks for evaluating technology investments, to the key questions CEOs should be asking their digital leads. This session will also deliver insights into technologies that are tablestakes and the state of tech talent today.

Moderator: Krystina Gustafson
Senior Vice President, Content

Shoptalk

Speaker: Tim Simmons
Chief Product Officer

Sam's Club

3:50 PM – 4:10 PM

Networking Break

4:10 PM – 4:50 PM

Policy, Politics, and Talent: Leading in Challenging Times

Join Award-winning Journalist Katty Kay as she interviews Mitch Daniels about his views on the state of politics in Washington with divided control, the most important policy issues facing the country, and the 2024 presidential primary. Their wide-ranging discussion will also cover the future of talent and skills development in the workforce and the lessons he learned about leadership as Governor of Indiana and President of Purdue University.

Moderator: Katty Kay
Journalist, Author & Broadcaster

BBC World News

Speaker: Mitch Daniels
President, Purdue University

Former Governor of Indiana & Director, Office of Management & Budget

4:50 PM – 5:00 PM

Closing Remarks

6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Monday Night Dinner & Entertainment

End the day with an informal dinner and entertainment – another casual and fun networking opportunity.

7:00 AM – 7:45 AM

Breakfast

Please join us for breakfast and networking.

7:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Registration & Information Desk

8:00 AM – 8:05 AM

Welcome Day Two

8:05 AM – 9:05 AM

Wall Street’s View of Retail in 2023

This conversation will focus on the state of the retail industry, the critical metrics driving market valuations, and how investors view the economic landscape.

Moderator: Joel Anderson
President & Chief Executive Officer

Five Below, Inc.

Speakers: Simeon Gutman
Managing Director

Morgan Stanley & Company Inc.; Josepha Kaufman
Investment Analyst

T. Rowe Price; Yasmine Nainzadeh
Consumer Sector Head

Centenus Global Management

9:05 AM – 9:25 AM

Networking Break

9:25 AM – 10:05 AM

Society as Stakeholder: The Future of Stakeholder Capitalism

Business leaders are reevaluating their responsibilities toward and relationship with key company stakeholders. This conversation will focus on the role of the CEO and companies amidst this shifting landscape as documented in Alan Murray’s Tomorrow’s Capitalist: My Search for The Soul of Business.

Moderator: Karyn Schoenbart
Former Chief Executive Officer & Board Member

The NPD Group

Speaker: Alan Murray
Chief Executive Officer

Fortune Media

10:05 AM – 10:15 AM

Closing Remarks

All times are eastern time. Schedule and program are subject to change.

FORUM PROGRAM

Registration & Information Desk

Executive Committee Meeting and Lunch

Board of Directors Meeting

Welcome Reception

RILA Board Chair's Dinner

Breakfast

Registration & Information Desk

Welcome Remarks

The Business Imperative of Mental Health and Wellbeing

Networking Break

Retail CEO Spotlight: Conversation with Rodney McMullen

Networking Break

DEI: Measuring Value Inside and Out

ORC 2.0: Retail Driving Vibrant Communities

Networking Luncheon

The Economic Road Ahead

Networking Break

A Practical Conversation to Preserve Retail Workforces

Networking Break

Growth, Trends, and the Outlook for Implementing Digital at Scale

Networking Break

Policy, Politics, and Talent: Leading in Challenging Times

Closing Remarks

Monday Night Dinner & Entertainment

Breakfast

Registration & Information Desk

Welcome Day Two

Wall Street’s View of Retail in 2023

Networking Break

Society as Stakeholder: The Future of Stakeholder Capitalism

Closing Remarks

Attend the can’t miss event for retail executives!