01 October, 16:45 - 20:30
Retail doesn't stand still – and neither do we. Our annual Retail Forum brings together retailers, brands, and partners to explore what's next for the industry, and how to turn new and big ideas into real growth.
This year, we focus on the profitable, connected store and how retail media, data, and social commerce are reshaping the customer journey. The brands keeping up – and pulling ahead – are those blending sharp in-store execution with smart use of insight, media, and creativity, all while holding on to what matters most: trust and loyalty.
Across talks and discussions, we'll explore how to build stronger customer relationships, create personalised experiences without eroding trust, and design journeys that bring customers back, again and again.
Travel to IKEA Wembley
The IKEA Wembley Store has free parking available on site and is well connected by public transport. Neasden and Wembley Park stations are both around a 15-minute walk from the store, served by the Jubilee line, with the Metropolitan line also running through Wembley Park. Additionally, London buses 112, 206, 16, 224, and 232 stop near the store.
Complimentary Coach Travel to IKEA Wembley
To make your journey to the Retail Forum to be as smooth as possible, we are also offering a dedicated coach service, free of charge, for delegates who'd like to travel together from Central London directly to the IKEA Wembley Store.
The coach will depart from a central London pick-up point at around 16:00, arriving in good time for the Forum, which runs from 16:45 to 18:45, followed by a networking reception until 20:30. A return service will depart from Wembley shortly after the end of the event at 20:30.
You can book either:
A one-way journey to the Wembley Store
A return journey from Central London and back
Seats are limited, so book your preferred journey early to secure your place.
As private coach transfers are provided, please note that a no-show fee applies if you reserve a seat but don't use it on the day.
Join us as we explore customers, journeys & growth.
Early bird pricing now open. Register before 30 August to save 25% on your ticket. Limited availability - book now to secure your spot at the best rate.
Featured Speaker
As Managing Director for the UK and Ireland, Karen is responsible for all UK & Ireland subsidiaries of
H&M. This includes overseeing around 7,000 colleagues, the operations of over 200 physical stores,
our digital platforms, and the development of the brand and growing customer base in one of H&M’s
most significant markets globally.
Karen brings over 25 years of experience at H&M to her role, beginning her journey on the shop floor,
she has held 14 roles across store operations, area management, and sales markets, most recently
serving as Sales Market Manager for the Nordics. Her career is marked by a deep understanding of
retail operations and leadership, and a proven ability to drive growth and transformation. Karen has
successfully led cross-functional teams to elevate customer experience across multiple regions
Featured Speaker
David McCabe has had a long and impressive journey with IKEA, which started in the UK when he joined the opening of the Lakeside store in 1996. Since then, he has built broad international experience across IKEA in North America and Europe, in country and global leadership roles across Expansion, Commercial, Retail Logistics, Innovation and Retail Management. Dave then went on to become CEO for IKEA Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia for four years, with a strong focus on developing people, strengthening performance and leading with IKEA values at the core.
Prior to joining IKEA UK, Dave served as the Global Fulfilment & Core Services Manager for Ingka Group, leading IKEA’s global Fulfilment team. Together with the IKEA UK and Ireland team, he is focused on working together to shape the future of retail in this very important IKEA global market.
2 Drury Way, London, United Kingdom, NW10 0TH
Bookings are non-refundable, but at the discretion of the organiser, you can change the name of the person attending. For this, please contact events@scc.org.uk.
Disclaimer: If you experience any issues when registering, please contact events@scc.org.uk and we will ensure you are registered quickly and smoothly. We are currently rolling out a new event system, so some features may look or behave slightly differently. Thank you for your patience while we complete this transition.
Highlights from the Retail Forum 2025
See the highlights from the Retail Forum 2025. Our annual event that brings together senior leaders from major retailers and brands, retail technology and media innovators, and high-street and industry organisations
Photo gallery
Explore photos from the Retail Forum 2025 here.
There's a lot of talk about AI and technology. I know from my own experience that a large amount of every company's budget is on AI related things. And I think that companies need to think a little bit more for themselves and break away from the pattern and not just follow each other. You should stay customer-centric and not tech-centric.
I think it's really about taking action, letting down the guard in terms of just learning by doing. I think that's the only way, especially when we talk about stuff like AI. We can do it without letting go of all the guard rails, but just getting started and not, as one of the panelists said, letting the US and China take the lead again – that would be really great.
The words technology, stores and staff really resonated – the holy trinity of what retailers do and provide, or the way that they interact with their customers, which is the sort of missing piece of that equation. It shows they've got an awful lot on their plate that they're going to have to think about in an omni-channel, unified commerce world to get all of those elements aligned to deliver what they want to deliver.
I think it's really important that we collaborate and connect. But I think it's mainly about building community and sharing insights in a very competitive market in the UK and Ireland. I think if we can learn from each other and support each other, then that's only going to be beneficial for retail as a whole. Collaboration and community are the main things that I will take away.
Hearing insights, different viewpoints from a variety of people and businesses can only enrich your own thinking. I'm a big believer in five minds are better than four. When we've got experts in the room like this, discussing these points, it gives you a different perspective, an outside-in look into insights you wouldn't think of if you didn't have these people in the room with you.
