The Congress always brings together a wide range of powerful speakers representing all sectors, channels and geographies. We asked just a small selection of speakers from the 2025 agenda to introduce themselves and to share their thoughts on retailing today and what they will be focused on when they present at the Congress. 

 

Adwaita Nayar, CEO, Nykaa Fashion

1. How did you first get into retailing? 

Retail was not just a career choice but an opportunity to build something meaningful. I graduated from Yale University and spent a brief period at Bain and Company as a consultant in New York. Around that time, my mother, Falguni Nayar, decided to leave her successful career in investment banking and start her own business, Nykaa to address the glaring gap in the beauty retail industry. Indian consumers lacked access to quality beauty and personal care products, and there was a need for a platform that not only provided products but also built trust through education and community engagement. That’s how Nykaa was born in the year 2012. 

Inspired by her entrepreneurial journey, I left my position in New York and joined her as a co-founder right from the company's inception. Initially, we worked closely together to build Nykaa from scratch, starting out in a small workshop and handling every task ourselves. But I also felt the need to further sharpen my entrepreneurial and business management skills. I then pursued an MBA at Harvard Business School, always intending to bring new ideas and strategies back to Nykaa and help the brand evolve. 

My journey into retail wasn’t just about business—it was about redefining how Indian consumers discover and experience beauty and fashion. What started as a digital-first brand, curating a portfolio of global and home-grown beauty brands evolved over time into an omnichannel player. We also brought our expertise into physical retail with immersive, experience-driven stores. 

2. What excites you most about the retail industry? 

The beauty of retail lies in its dynamism—it's an industry that never stands still. Consumer preferences evolve, technology reshapes interactions, and cultural shifts redefine shopping behaviours. What excites me the most is how retail today is no longer just transactional; it's about building meaningful experiences. 

At Nykaa, we have seen first-hand how an omnichannel approach—where online and offline seamlessly merge—enhances customer journeys. Today’s consumers expect personalization, convenience, and engagement, all in one place. Whether it’s using AI to tailor recommendations online or offering in-store consultations with beauty advisors, retail is all about elevating the experience. 

Moreover, I love how retail has the power to empower—whether it's through championing home-grown brands, supporting local artisans, or providing customers with the confidence to express themselves through beauty and fashion. It’s this ability to innovate and create impact that keeps me inspired every day. 

3. Tell us about your business or brand. 

Nykaa is more than just a beauty and fashion retailer—it’s a brand that represents trust, empowerment, and inclusivity. When we started, e-commerce in India was still finding its footing, and beauty was not a category that many believed in. But we saw an opportunity to build a platform where consumers could discover products, learn about them through expert content, and shop with confidence and trust. 

Today, Nykaa is a household name, offering thousands of brands across beauty, fashion, and wellness. Our strength lies in curation and authenticity—we don’t just sell products; we create an ecosystem of trust, backed by rich content, tutorials, and expert guidance. With over 220 physical stores across 70+ cities in India, we’ve successfully brought our digital DNA into the offline world, creating a seamless shopping experience for our consumers. 

Our goal remains the same: to make beauty and fashion accessible, personalized, and joyful for every Indian consumer. 

4. What do you see as the biggest opportunities for retailing today? 

Retail is undergoing a transformation like never before, and I believe the biggest opportunities lie at the intersection of technology, personalization, and sustainability. 

With AI and data analytics, retailers can now offer hyper-personalized experiences, tailoring recommendations, offers, and even product launches to individual preferences. At Nykaa, we've leveraged technology to refine our consumer journeys, making sure that each touchpoint—whether digital or physical—feels uniquely relevant to the customer. 

Sustainability is another massive shift. Consumers today are more conscious than ever about what they buy, where it comes from, and how it impacts the planet. Brands that align with these values—whether through eco-friendly packaging, ethical sourcing, or transparent supply chains—will not only gain loyalty but also drive long-term impact. 

Finally, the integration of experiential retail is a game-changer. Shopping today is not just about buying—it’s about engaging, discovering, and experiencing. Whether through virtual try-ons, in-store masterclasses, or interactive product trials, brands that can create immersive retail environments will be the ones shaping the future. 

5. Which country do you look to for innovation in retail? 

While global markets like the US and China have led the way in retail innovation, I believe India itself is one of the most exciting and forward-thinking retail ecosystems today. 

India’s retail landscape is unique—it blends centuries-old shopping traditions with cutting-edge digital adoption. The way mobile-first commerce has taken off here, along with hyperlocal deliveries, digital wallets, and social commerce, is unlike anywhere else. While we do take inspiration from global markets, what’s happening in India is truly homegrown and revolutionary. 

For instance, in many Western markets, e-commerce took precedence over physical retail. In India, however, we’re seeing a hybrid model thrive—where consumers discover products online but still value the touch-and-feel experience of offline stores. This fluidity between digital and physical retail is what makes India a global leader in retail innovation. 

6. What message will you want to get across the most when you speak at the World Retail Congress in London? 

If there’s one message I’d like to share, it’s that the future of retail belongs to brands that build trust, create engagement, and put the customer at the heart of everything they do. 

At Nykaa, we’ve always believed in more than just selling products—we believe in creating a community. From the very beginning, we built a platform where customers could not only shop but also learn, experiment, and express themselves. That sense of trust and authenticity has been our biggest strength. 

Retail today is no longer just about transactions; it's about building relationships. Brands that listen, innovate, and evolve with their consumers will be the ones that thrive. Whether through technology, sustainability, or storytelling, retail’s future lies in those who can make shopping a deeply personal and enriching experience. 

Rolf Schumann, CEO, Schwarz Digits

1. What excites you most about the retail industry? 

The retail industry is incredibly dynamic and ever-evolving, which makes it quite exciting. The integration of technology, such as AI, AR/VR, or IoT, is transforming the shopping experience. From personalized recommendations to virtual try-ons, the possibilities are endless. Understanding and predicting consumer behaviour is both a challenge and a thrill. The way trends shift and how retailers adapt to these changes is fascinating. The seamless integration of online and offline shopping experiences is revolutionizing the industry. It's exciting to see how retailers are creating cohesive and convenient shopping journeys for customers. 

2. What do you see as the biggest opportunities for retailing today? 

Personalization: Leveraging data and AI to create hyper-personalized shopping experiences is a major opportunity. Retailers can tailor recommendations, promotions, and even product designs to individual preferences. 

Omnichannel Integration: Seamlessly blending online and offline shopping experiences is crucial. Enhancing the omnichannel experience can lead to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.  

Experiential Retail: Creating unique and engaging in-store experiences can draw customers in and differentiate brands from competitors. This includes interactive displays, events, and immersive environments.  

Collaborations and Partnerships: Forming strategic alliances with other brands, tech companies, and even influencers can open new avenues for growth and innovation.  

To summarize: Behind all innovation of course the technology shift towards AI driven businesses builds the foundation. 
We don’t wait for challenges to become problems. We seize opportunities. Therefore, we created a new word at the Companies of Schwarz Group: Not only thinking ahead but acting ahead. 

3. Which country do you look to for innovation in retail? 

All nations that have committed themselves to excellent research are role models. In all countries people make the difference. 

4. What message will you want to get across the most when you speak at the World Retail Congress in London?  

In Europe, we have one mission: The Commitment to our Digital sovereignty. Digital sovereignty is crucial for several reasons: Ensuring that data is stored and processed within a country's borders helps protect it from foreign surveillance and cyber threats. This is particularly important for sensitive information and critical infrastructure like ours. By controlling their digital infrastructure, countries can reduce dependence on foreign technology providers. This can help prevent disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions or trade restrictions. Digital sovereignty allows nations to enforce their own laws and standards, ensuring that data handling practices align with local values and legal requirements. By fostering a local tech ecosystem, countries can stimulate innovation and create jobs. This can lead to the development of homegrown technologies and reduce reliance on foreign companies. That is what we at Schwarz Digits stand for. 

Wern-Yuen Tan, Partner, Hillhouse Investment

1. How did you first get into retailing? 

I became a retailer by chance, starting with my first operational role managing McDonald's in Taiwan. This experience led to an unmissable opportunity to join Walmart in China during a pivotal period of omnichannel transformation. That’s where my passion for retail first began! 

2. What excites you most about the retail industry? 

At its core, retail is a people business. We need to deeply understand our consumers and their lifestyles, while depending on our associates to create engaging shopping experiences. But it’s also increasingly a data-driven business, where real-time insights can help drive significant outperformance. Few industries blend these elements with such intensity.   

3. Tell us about Hillhouse Investment 

We are a global investment firm, founded in Asia two decades ago, with ~$90B in assets under management. We invest in technology, consumer, retail, healthcare, industrials, and business services opportunities. Our investment approach is based on accumulating deep insights into emerging trends, partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs to redefine their industries, and driving enduring value creation via accelerating growth and operational improvements. As long-term investors, we have the flexibility to operate across all stages of a company’s life cycle, from venture capital to buyout, offering solution-capital to our portfolio company partners. 

4. What do you see as the biggest opportunities for retailing today? 

Future winners in retail will be those that heavily invest in understanding the next generation of consumers – whose dreams, aspirations, and shopping habits will differ significantly from their parents’ – and who can combine these insights with a powerful operating model that executes consistently, at scale, and with human-centricity. 

5. Which country do you look to for innovation in retail? 

There are opportunities to learn from retailers across the globe. Europe is home to value leaders who have excelled in supply chain optimization, private brand development, and lean store operating models. Asia is a hotbed for digital commerce innovation, while in North America, you can find format specialists that do an excellent job of focusing on particular shopper cohorts or occasions. 

Britt Olsen, Chief Commercial Officer, On

1. How did you first get into retailing? 

My very first job was actually in retail when I was a teenager working the shop floor of a fashion retailer. I continued in the retail space after college but more on the real estate side of the business. Since then I've always been in it in some way - whether servicing partnerships with retailers or now building our own retail channel at On. 

2. What excites you most about the retail industry? 

I've always really enjoyed the people that choose to work in this industry. I think it takes a special type of person to be in it and to want to live in this space for a long time. The industry is a hustle that requires a lot of quick thinking, solving new challenges, taking action and above all else, one that is centered on relationships and experience.   

 
3. Tell us about your business or brand 

On is one of the fastest growing sportswear brands on the planet. We are rooted in performance, design and sustainability with a mission to be the the most premium offering in our industry. We've been on a mission to ignite the human spirit through movement for the past 15 years and we've just recently built our own retail business to complement our channel mix.  

 
4. What do you see as the biggest opportunities for retailing today? 

I think the industry has an opportunity to elevate the customer ceremony and in-store experience in a totally new way. Differentiating your brand can really be seen and felt in an important way in a physical space. Customers also want convenience and ease of doing business - that will mean more opportunities for digital product connections, AI and omni-channel thinking: both table stakes and moments of differentiation.  

 
5. Which country do you look to for innovation in retail? 

China is a great market to see what the future looks like in terms of excellent omni-channel integration. The demand for excellence from the customer in China is very high and leads to some of the best retail experiences in the world. Another personal favorite place of mine is Sao Paulo Brazil. I think it boasts some of the highest service levels in the industry.  

 
6. What message will you want to get across the most when you speak at the World Retail Congress in London? 

I just hope to be another voice in the industry that has something to learn and something to share that can add value to attendees. I think it will be important to share that On has seen such success because of our focus on a complementary channel mix from day one. We believe that wholesale, own retail and digital channels all need to work in concert with one another in order to build a sustainable, long-term brand. There are differentiated and engaging ways to connect with customers across channels.  

Brieane Olson, CEO, Pacsun

1. How did you first get into retailing?   

I started working in retail when I was 15, stocking the back room at Banana Republic. I loved the fast-paced energy of the store and quickly worked my way up to being a pacesetter. From there, I never looked back. I spent high school and college immersed in the retail world, working at retailers like Nordstrom, Benetton, J.Crew, learning firsthand how stores operate and how customers shop. That early exposure shaped my understanding of the industry from the ground up. Later, I moved to Italy to study fashion in a deeper way, which led to roles in luxury with Gianfranco Ferré and Valentino before I transitioned to youth-driven brands like Abercrombie & Fitch. Those experiences, spanning everything from heritage fashion houses to fast-moving trend-driven retail, have influenced how I think about brand-building today. 

2. What excites you most about the retail industry?   

The constant evolution. Retail never stands still, and that’s what makes it so exciting. It’s a space where creativity, technology, and culture all collide. Right now, AI and digital innovation are opening up new ways to engage with consumers, and that’s just the beginning. At Pacsun, we’re doing more than just selling clothes. We’re creating a brand experience that connects with our community on a deeper level. We sit at the intersection of fashion, music, art, and sport, and we’re always looking for ways to bring those worlds together in an authentic way. At the same time, we’re committed to growing responsibly to make sure that as we scale, and that we’re making a positive impact. 

3. Tell us about your business or brand.  

Pacsun is rooted in youth culture. It started in California, which gave us our foundation of effortless, trend-driven style, but the brand has always been about more than just fashion. We exist in the spaces where young people express themselves, whether that’s through what they wear, the music they listen to, or the communities they build. We’re constantly evolving, tapping into the right collaborations and cultural moments to stay connected to what’s next. From working with world-renowned designers to giving emerging creatives a platform, we see fashion as a vehicle for self-expression. Above all, we’re a brand built on individuality and community, creating experiences that go beyond just the clothes. 

4. What do you see as the biggest opportunities for retailing today?  

 The future of retail belongs to brands that invite their community to be a part of the journey. Today’s consumer doesn’t just want to buy from a brand, they want to engage with it, shape it, and feel like they belong to something bigger. That’s why co-creation is such a massive opportunity. At Pacsun, we embrace this by listening to our audience and making them an active part of our brand, whether it’s through product collaborations, experiential retail, or partnerships that feel personal to them. The more brands lean into that two-way conversation, the stronger and more loyal their communities will be. 

5. Which country do you look to for innovation in retail?  

 Retail innovation is happening everywhere. There’s no single country leading the charge. What’s most exciting is how Gen Z is driving change on a global scale. They’re rewriting the rules of how people shop, and we’re seeing that influence play out worldwide. That said, France and Italy continue to be major sources of fashion inspiration, thanks to their deep heritage in design and craftsmanship. But some of the most forward-thinking retail concepts today are coming out of Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. It’s less about a single region and more about staying connected to youth culture across the globe. 

6. What message will you want to get across the most when you speak at the World Retail Congress in London?   

Pacsun has built a strong foundation in Southern California and across the U.S., but our focus is on scaling globally in a way that feels organic and true to our brand. Expanding into new markets goes beyond selling more products. It’s about showing up in a way that makes sense for our community worldwide. The future of retail is about cultural connection. That can be through fashion, music, sports, or art, and our goal is to meet our audience where they are and bring them something fresh and aspirational while staying accessible and authentic. Pacsun is built for the next generation, and that means growing with them, wherever they are in the world.