Preparing for “a rapidly changing world”

"The New Normal: Adapting to a Rapidly Changing World" is the motto of the 8th Global DIY Summit 2020. Our world is changing at an accelerating pace as technology breakthroughs now happen every three to six months whereas it used to be once every five or six years, the event organisers Edra/Ghin and Fediyma said explaining the choice of summit theme. The reality is that business is becoming ever more complex at a greater speed, yet not all organisations are adjusting or preparing fast enough to handle the next level of change and complexity.
The summit will welcome prominent speakers over the course of two days. Michael Schnei­der, managing director at Bunnings, will hold a keynote speech; DIY International had the opportunity of an interview with him in advance (see next page).
Nick Botter, Industry CTO Retail EMEA from Salesforce, will open the Personalisation session, while Mark Haviland, EVP Brand Development and Sustainability from Rakuten EMEA, will talk about The Age of Responsibility. Veronica Civiero, Global Solutions Manager from Facebook, will give an insight into The Future of Marketplaces, as will Tobias Pohl, Industry Manager Retail - Multichannel from Google. Andreas Kerschner, Category Group Leader from Alibaba Group, will give a workshop to companies who want to trade in China, and Paul Martin, Head of Retail from KPMG, will present the latest home improvement retail trends during the last session of the summit.
"Edra and Ghin are delighted to announce that in 2020 the Global DIY Summit will welcome a record number of retailers, especially from Asia," says John Herbert, General Secretary Edra/Ghin.

"With so much choice, and with a growing number of channels in which to purchase, manufacturers and suppliers need to innovate like never before. To achieve desired business results, suppliers and manufacturers need to maximise strategic cooperation with retailers. Our Global DIY Summit creates the perfect atmosphere to innovate together," says Ralf Rahmede, General Manager Fediyma.
"Our global networking event is the best place to expand your knowledge of the industry's breakthrough innovations and to get inspired by leading international tech companies," says Iñaki Maillard, General Manager Global DIY…