The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) will introduce an innovative and reimagined European Conference & Exhibition, on Wednesday the 10th and Thursday 11th April in Barcelona at the Fairmont Rey Juan Carlos I Hotel. The new event combines the acclaimed European Conference with an innovative showcase and exhibition. The conference programme builds on a reputation for rich and diverse content featuring the most senior thought leaders from the retail industry and beyond. Keynote speakers this year include Christophe Cuvillier, Group CEO of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Jonas Kjellberg, Serial Entrepreneur and founding partner of Skype, and David Delgado, NASA’s Visual Strategist amongst many others.
The overarching theme of the event – ‘Space, Place and the Future of Retail’ – will explore the disruptive forces reshaping and evolving the retail industry, today and tomorrow. ICSC expects 1,000+ delegates from over 50 countries, representing 1,600+ shopping centres and more than 44 million sqm GLA. It is the indispensable opportunity for retail real estate professionals to network, gain new insights and showcase their latest and greatest projects.
Bill Kistler, EMEA Managing Director and Executive Vice President of ICSC, commented: “We have taken our tried and tested European Conference and added a whole new dimension to it through the exhibition and showcase space – combining activities to make the event bigger and better than ever before. What we are offering is a one stop shop for retail real estate professionals, ensuring that they get as much as possible out of these two packed days. The industry is embracing change, and we intend to provide it with the platform to flourish.”
Highlight sessions include ‘Armageddon or Renaissance?’, a candid reality check of challenges facing the industry combined with a look at the opportunities they present, ‘Show me the Money! – Where Is It and How to Attract It?’, a discussion amongst online retailers about what they are looking for in the physical world and ‘What’s in Store? – Unique Insights into Rapidly Changing Retail Strategies’ exploring what a truly ‘phygital’ strategy entails. The conference will also feature a series of dedicated outlet sessions as well as more intimate sessions labelled small talks and workshops, offering delegates the opportunity to delve deeper into topics, such as smart cities and customer engagement. The winners of the 2019 ICSC European Awards will be announced on the first day of the European Conference & Exhibition, celebrating Europe’s most outstanding new, refurbished and established retail places.
Providing an opportunity to explore the vibrant retail market of the Catalan capital, retail study tours will be running for the delegates with visits to La Maquinista, Diagonal Mar, Les Glòries and Arenas de Barcelona. A brand new collaboration between Bompas & Parr and Gensler, who have come together to create ‘The Purpose of Place’, will add an experiential element to the European Conference & Exhibition. The five interactive booths located at the entrance of the venue will demonstrate how great places can evoke powerful emotions by engaging the five senses of scent, sight, sounds, touch and taste.
For more information about the ICSC European Conference and Exhibition, as well as registration information, please visit https://icsc.org/2019eu
