Chicago, IL (May 15, 2023) – The Retail Innovation Conference & Expo (#RICE23) is pleased to announce its official co-chairs and key sponsors for this year’s event. Spearheaded by Retail TouchPoints, #RICE23 welcomes globally recognized executives Cathy Hackl, Founder & Chief Metaverse Officer at Journey, and Ari Peralta, CEO of Arigami, as co-chairs for the event, as well as various industry-leading brands that will help bring the industry’s most innovative ideas and solutions to life.
As notable experts in brand experience, Hackl and Peralta will bring a wealth of knowledge and insights to #RICE23. Hackl will serve as the conference’s Metaverse and Next-Gen Fashion & Retail Chair, and Peralta as the official Sensory Design Innovation Chair. With proven track records within the immersive technology space, both are well-positioned to lead the conversation around what’s next in connected commerce. Together, they will spotlight new ways companies can intentionally embrace technology, create more immersive brand experiences and stay ahead of the curve in an ever-changing landscape.
“The retail industry is constantly evolving, and we designed the #RICE23 agenda and experience to reflect the new ways retailers, brand leaders, and solutions providers can come together and explore how they can use data and technology more creatively to better resonate with today’s savvy consumers,” said Alicia Esposito, VP of Content at RICE. “With industry leaders Cathy Hackl and Ari Peralta serving as our co-chairs and brand sponsors like Adobe and Shopify on board, attendees will be able to not just see what trends are driving the future of connected commerce but experience them firsthand.”
Known as the “Godmother of the metaverse,” Hackl is an Emmy-nominated speaker, author, creator and thought leader on augmented reality, virtual reality, and the metaverse. Hackl has worked with some of the world’s largest brands to help them navigate the future of the internet, especially within the retail and fashion industries. As an official co-chair, Hackl will return to the stage as a panelist for the D2 Summit and will host a signing of her newest book, Into The Metaverse: The Essential Guide to the Business Opportunities of the Web3 Era.
No stranger to RICE, Peralta is a Forbes-recognized neuroscientist and sensory designer. As CEO of innovative research consultancy Arigami, he has worked with today’s top brands to help them apply multisensory research and technology to create more engaging customer experiences. Peralta will help shape #RICE23 to ensure attendees feel at “sensory ease” throughout all of the activations and networking moments and will lead a 45-minute breakout session titled, “From Store Building to Mind Building: Leveraging the Senses to Drive Immersion.”
Taking place June 13th – 15th, #RICE23 will feature some of the industry’s most innovative and forward-thinking tech companies and solution providers. Sponsors will include Adobe, Amazon, Shopify, Avalara, Canto, Inc., iAdvize, Intellimize, MNTN, and Ricoh as well as many other brands within the technology, retail and consumer goods industries. By partnering with this diverse and dynamic group of companies, all united in their commitment to driving innovation and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of retail, the event will offer attendees a fully immersive way to experience the latest tools, technologies, and best practices for driving growth and success in connected commerce.
In addition to these sponsors, the event will feature nearly 300 exhibitors and a roster of more than 100 top industry speakers from leading and emerging brands, including General Mills, Coach, NBCUniversal, Walgreens, Liquid Death, Puma, Dollar General, Google, and Walmart.
This year’s speakers include:
- Jaya Balasubramaniam, VP, Store No. 8
- Dominique Essig, General Manager Conversational Commerce, Walmart
- Cathy Hackl, Founder/Futurist, Journey
- Ari Peralta, CEO, Arigami
- Brian Lange, Co-Founder, Future Commerce
- Phillip Jackson, Co-Founder, Future Commerce
- Deborah Weinswig, CEO & Founder, Coresight Research
- David Lehmann, Digital Director, Coach
- Sidi Drissi, Brand President, Bareminerals & Buxom
- Dustin Cochart, Director, Media Network Insights, Dollar General
- Giovanni Zaccariello, SVP, Global Visual Experience, Coach
- Charlotte Mostaed, CMO, Health-Ade
- Jacob Zuppke, President & CEO, Whisker
- Evan Moore, SVP, Commerce Partnerships, NBCUniversal
- Kellie Sawkins, VP of Ecommerce & Marketing, Sundays
- Carter Jensen, Senior Manager, Global Commerce, General Mills
- Shai Eisenman, CEO/Founder, Bubble
- Natalie Cotter, Digital Director, Liquid Death
- Kit Garton, VP of Product & Customer Experience, Chubbies
- Lindsay Mikos, Senior Director Omni-Channel, Walgreens
- Em Gladders, Impact Director, Ritual
- Jeffrey Bustos, VP of Measurement Addressability Data, IAB
- Tristin Brisbois, Director, Advanced Personalization Ideation Center, Life Sciences, Global R&D, PespiCo
- John Storms, Head of Sales & Business Development, Lowe’s One Roof Media Network
- John Mocadlo, CEO, Impossible Kicks
- Alex Williams, Head of Personalization, Marks & Spencer
- Ivan Dashkov, Head of Web3, Puma
#RICE23 will provide a collaborative space where retail professionals can share their experiences with a passionate community of peers and discover new solutions to support their growth strategies. The event will also feature co-located special programming and events, such as:
- Deep-Dive Workshops on June 13th – 90-minute hands-on, collaborative learning with industry peers.
- The D2 Summit: Retail Edition on June 13th – focused on web3, NFTs and the metaverse.
- The Visions Summit by Future Commerce on June 15th – Exploring bold ideas and thought-provoking predictions around the intersection of culture and commerce.
For more information about the 2023 Retail Innovation Conference & Expo and to sign up to attend the event, please visit www.retailinnovationconference.com and register online.
About Retail TouchPoints:
Retail TouchPoints and Design:Retail give all members of the retail world access to a vibrant community that combines insights, inspiration and opportunities to interact with their peers. We sit at the intersection of the art and science of retail strategy, providing granular data, high-value commentary, and aspirational success stories to help readers optimize customer experiences across all channels. Touching all facets of the retail ecosystem, including store experience and design, workforce management, digital marketing and engagement, and omnichannel optimization, our editorial content, multi-media resources and events take timely news and trends and transform them into tactical takeaways that meet the unique needs and priorities of our executive readers.
About Emerald:
Emerald’s talented and experienced team grows our customers’ businesses 365 days a year through connections, content, and commerce. We expand connections that drive new business opportunities, product discovery, and relationships with over 140 annual events, matchmaking, and lead-gen services. We create content to ensure that our customers are on the cutting edge of their industries and are continually developing their skills. And we power commerce through efficient year-round buying and selling. We do all this by seamlessly integrating in-person and digital platforms and channels. Emerald is immersed in the industries we serve and committed to supporting the communities in which we operate. As true partners, we create experiences that inspire, amaze, and deliver breakthrough results.
