The annual Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit takes place in a virtual setting this year, with ESM: European Supermarket Magazine confirmed as a media partner for this prestigious event.
The Summit, the premier conference and networking platform for CEOs and top-level executives from across the food retail and consumer goods spectrum, will run from 21 to 24 June, and will be based around the theme 'Now What?'
Collective Action
“The challenges facing businesses, society and our environment have become even more pressing in the last year, and the Global Summit provides an important chance to reflect on all we have learned, to catalyse even greater collective action," commented Wai-Chan Chan, Managing Director of The Consumer Goods Forum.
"To seize the opportunities for positive progress, the world needs business at its best – and we know that leadership from our sector is vital as we build back better.”
The Summit's virtual platform has also been developed to enable delegates from around the world to access live broadcasts and pre-recorded sessions at a time that best suits their schedule, as well as avail of valuable networking opportunities.
For more information on how to register, visit the Consumer Goods Forum website.
Day-By-Day Breakdown
Day 1 (21 June) will commence with a presentation on Lessons from Covid-19 & Its Multifaceted Impact, with Wai-Chan Chan discussing this important topic with McKinsey & Company and Johnson & Johnson.
Other highlights of the day will include 'Fireside Chats' with Tim Steiner, CEO of Ocado Group and Rodney McMullen, chairman and CEO, The Kroger Co; spotlights on Russia and the Middle East; and a special CEO insight panel, featuring Malina Ngai, CEO, A.S. Watson, David Taylor, CEO, P&G, and Tobias Wasmuht, CEO, Spar International.
Day 2 (22 June), kicks off with a series of CEO-only sessions (invitation only), hosted by Alan Jope, CEO, Unilever; Brian McNamara, CEO of GSK Consumer Healthcare; and Ian McLeod, CEO, Dairy Farm International.
Following this, Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider and Ahold Delhaize CEO Frans Muller will join GSK's McNamara for a discussion on Ways to Build Resilience in Tough Times; Daniel Zhang of Alibaba Group will explore Trends and Learnings from China in the Post-Pandemic World; Walmart, Danone and Unilever will provide an update on the Forum's Collaboration for Healthier Lives project; and there will be Fireside Chats with Laxman Narasimhan, CEO, Reckitt, James Quincey, chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company, and Judith McKenna, president and CEO, Walmart International.
On Day 3 (23 June), proceedings will get underway with an examination of retail trends in China, featuring Wumart and Bain & Company, followed by a presentation from Falguni Nayar, founder and CEO of Nykaa, who will provide a success story from India.
This will be followed by a Fireside Chat with Dirk Van de Put, CEO, Mondelēz International, who will then also take part in a discussion on food safety.
The final day of the Summit (24 June), will commence with a discussion with Fang Qu, co-founder of Chinese lifestyle community Xiaohongshu, followed by a number of presentations on environmental sustainability, featuring Unilever's Alan Jope, Galen Weston, chairman and CEO, George Weston Ltd, and others.
The Summit will close with a multi-faceted discussion on What’s Next for the Industry and How Will CGF Contribute, featuring input from Coca-Cola's James Quincey, Alibaba's Daniel Zhang, former Danone CEO Emmanuel Faber and Özgür Tort, CEO, Migros Ticaret.
The Global Summit, reserved exclusively for members of the CGF, comes ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit and COP26 – which are putting even greater focus on what businesses are doing to secure sustainable food systems, protect the planet and look after employees and consumers.
Setting The Standard
“Our members believe businesses must look after the planet, care for communities and earn the trust of consumers through genuine openness and innovation," Chan added.
"The Global Summit is a vital part of us pushing ourselves to continually go further and do more, with members setting themselves up to succeed in a transformed industry where sustainable business is not just an ambition but an expectation.”
The full schedule can be found here.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. For more Retail news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
