When Coolblue saw the light of day in 1999 in the student room of Pieter Zwart and his college friends, nothing suggested that it would grow into one of the largest webshops in the Netherlands and Belgium. What began as a modest webshop for mp3 players is now a billion-dollar company known for its customer service and innovative approach. Black has always strived for customer satisfaction with the slogan “Everything for a smile”. His vision and entrepreneurship have made Coolblue a leading example company in the e-commerce world.

Dirk Van den Berghe worked from 2014 until 2021 for Walmart, Fortune 1 firm, in various leadership roles. During this period he was a privileged observer of and partner in the comprehensive digital transformation of Walmart. During this period, Walmart’s share price virtually quadrupled, while the majority of its European and even its US competitors trade today at only a fraction of their market cap of 10Y ago. Dirk will share what he learned from the Walmart experience. He will also refer to learning from other digital transformations, both positive and less positives ones. Finally he will share his experiences working with several of the leading global, digital (pure play) platforms around the world and will explain what makes them – in his opinion – so successful.

Goe Beestig is fully committed to experience and community building in their shops. This gives them access to the hearts of their real customers, the pets. In a hyper-competitive market, value creation is crucial for a shop. In this presentation, you will catch a glimpse of Goe Beestig’s DNA, and see how they can win the hearts of their customers.

Nicolas Koevoets is the manager of Goe Beestig, a formula of pet shops. With a background in retail and fashion, he has gained both operational and commercial knowledge, which translates well into the formula.

Gianni Daems is co-manager of Goe Beestig. He also operates several Albert Heijn supermarkets and several daily newspaper stores, tobacco shops and bakeries.

Lander Janssens director of Sales & Marketing Kringwinkel asks us some critical questions. How can the retail sector solve its waste problem? Is growth still possible in a green future? From second-hand to ‘repair as a service’, De Kringwinkel strives for new solutions to old problems. Through collaborations with companies like Bol, De Kringwinkel is transforming from a receiver of goods to a strategic partner in sustainability initiatives.

Discover together with Paul Balsack, Partner at Delaware BeLux, how technology empowers frontline workers, who are the heart of retail, to drive Customer Experience (CX), Employee Experience (EX) and operational excellence. As customer expectations rise and retail becomes increasingly digital, these employees remain the essential human touchpoint in stores.

We will demonstrate how technology equips frontline workers with essential product knowledge, customer insights and engagement tools, enabling them to deliver personalized, authentic service. By providing the right tools and training we empower and engage these employees to become true retail heroes.