Exploring Future Strategies at the Largest Forum in the Department Store Industry
To Be Held at Lotte Hotel Seoul on June 11-12
Executives from Over 20 Companies in More Than 10 Countries Including the US and UK to Participate
CEO Joonho Jung to Deliver Keynote Speech and Thematic Presentation
Lotte Department Store announced on the 20th that it will host the 16th IGDS World Department Store Summit (WDSS) for the first time in Korea.
The IGDS World Department Store Summit is the largest strategic forum in the industry, organized annually by the Intercontinental Group of Department Stores (IGDS), headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It brings together top executives from leading department stores around the world to explore future strategies. Currently, IGDS has 44 member department stores representing 38 countries.
Since its inaugural summit in London, UK in 2008, the event has been held in 15 cities across 13 countries, including New York, USA (2010), Zurich, Switzerland (2016), and Berlin, Germany (2024). The summit has addressed a wide range of topics, including innovation in customer experience, investments for the future, and digital strategies.
This year, Lotte Department Store, the only IGDS member in Korea, will co-host the event in Seoul. The company explained that the decision reflects both Seoul's status as the center of the K-wave, which exerts significant business, technological, and cultural influence, and the leading position of Lotte Department Store as the top department store in Korea.
This year's summit will take place on June 11-12 at Lotte Hotel Seoul in Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. Under the theme "How to Best Captivate Customers," participants will collaborate to identify optimal strategies for attracting current and future customers.
Executives from more than 20 leading department stores and global brands from over 10 countries will attend, sharing innovative insights based on successful experiences in their respective businesses.
The summit will feature a total of eight sessions covering topics such as changes in the retail industry, consumer trends, innovation and new technologies, and delivering the best service. On the first day, the keynote speech will be delivered by Joonho Jung, CEO of Lotte Department Store, who will also give a presentation on the evolution of K-department stores on the second day.
Other featured speakers include Andre Maeder, CEO of Selfridges in the UK; Fanya Chandler, CEO of Nordstrom in the US; Natira Boonsri, CEO of Central & Robinson Department Store in Thailand; and Yugo Hiramatsu, General Manager of Shibuya Parco in Japan, who will each lead sessions as representative speakers.
On the final afternoon of the summit, a tour program of the Lotte Department Store Main Branch will be held. Key participants will visit various sections of the main branch, including the Main Building and Avenuel, to examine the factors behind the store's success and to envision the future of Lotte Town Myeongdong.
CEO Jung stated, "Hosting the IGDS World Department Store Summit in Korea for the first time is a recognition of K-retail by the world," adding, "As Lotte Department Store is representing Korea as the host, we will make thorough preparations to ensure the summit becomes a venue for innovation that can forecast the next ten years."
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