Executives from more than 20 department stores and global brands across 10 countries will convene in Seoul in June for a major forum.
South Korea’s Lotte Department Store announced Tuesday that it will co-host the 16th World Department Store Summit (WDSS) with the Intercontinental Group of Department Stores (IGDS) on June 11–12 at Lotte Hotel Seoul.
The WDSS is the retail industry’s largest forum, held annually to bring together department store leaders from around the world to discuss future strategies.
IGDS, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, is the world’s largest department store association with 44 members across 38 countries. Lotte Department Store is the only Korean member.
This year’s summit, held under the theme “Winning with the Customer,” will feature executives from leading retailers and global brands engaging in dialogue on the evolving landscape of retail.
Seoul was selected as the host city in recognition of its status as a global hub of business, technology, and culture, as well as the leadership position of Lotte Department Store in Korea’s retail sector.
The two-day event will consist of eight sessions covering retail transformation, consumer trends, innovation, and customer service excellence. Lotte Department Store CEO Jung Joon-ho will deliver the opening keynote address and present a session on “The Evolution of K-Department Stores” on the second day.
Other notable speakers include André Maeder, CEO of Selfridges in the United Kingdom; Fanya Chandler, CEO of Nordstrom in the United States; Natira Boonsri, CEO of Central and Robinson in Thailand; and Yugo Hiramatsu, General Manager of Shibuya Parco in Japan.
Jung remarked that hosting the IGDS summit in Korea for the first time reflects global recognition of Korean retail.
“We will make every effort to prepare thoroughly so this summit becomes a platform for forecasting the future of retail over the next decade,” Jung said.
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