SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 20September 2018 - The Singapore Management University (SMU) RetailCentre of Excellence (RCoE) will be hosting its inaugural Asia Retail LeadersConference (ARLC) from 18 to 19 October at Conrad Centennial Singapore,discussing key challenges and strategies to navigate the competitive Asianretail landscape.

SMU RCoE is a retail insight-sharing hub inSingapore focusing on generating and disseminating actionable knowledge forretailers in Singapore, Asia and beyond. ARLC will serve as a platform thatengages retail leaders, industry experts, knowledge partners and seniormanagers from around the region.

ARLC 2018 will cover various sub-themes to discussthe critical issues impacting the retail space today. This includes Adapting and Thriving with Omni ChannelCustomers, Retail Innovation and IP, Design Thinking in Retailing, Retailing inIndia and China, Managing Retail Brands, Entrepreneurship in Retailing, and Attractingand Retaining Retail Talent. The opening address will be delivered by ProfessorLily Kong, Provost and President-designate of SMU.

Professor Kapil Tuli, Director of RCoE says, "Weare pleased to organise our first leadership conference to empower retailers totackle key industry challenges for their businesses. This year, we are joinedby more than 20 speakers from across the globe who will be presenting theirinsights of relevance to business and industry. We believe that this exchange ofideas will further prepare retail leaders to navigate their organisations inthis challenging yet exciting time."

The theme of navigating turbulent waters is setagainst the backdrop of an increasingly digitised and interconnected world. Inorder to remain relevant and meet these new consumer demands, the retailindustry is undergoing significant disruption and trying to play in multipleformats. The dynamism of the competitive environment, especially with thepresence of large and up-and-coming e-commerce players, have seen onlineretailers setting up stores to build local presence. Apart from these externalchallenges, the retail industry must also focus on the renewal of leadership,recruitment strategies, staff engagement and employee performance for thefuture of retail.

The conference will feature a combination ofin-depth discussions and talks by leading academics and deep dive workshopswith leading practitioners. ARLC 2018 will include two in-depth workshopsRetail Innovation and IP workshop by Ms. Audrey Yap, a distinguished lawyer andthought leader in IP. In addition, ARLC 2018 will feature a Design ThinkingWorkshop held by Mr. Mark Wee, a pioneer in using design thinking to shapeinnovative human-centred experiences across products, services andenvironments. The conference is part of SMU RCoE's on-going effort to provide aplatform for retail leaders and knowledge partners to network, share and engagein dialogue on growth opportunities and challenges presented by thefast-changing consumer landscape in today's digital age.

For interested participants, registration fee is atSGD750 and available online. Please visit www.arlc2018.sg for more information.