Retail Conference at Istana Hotel, Kuala Lumpur on 26 April 2018
If you were NOT in the audience … SOME loss to you!
What are the chances that you will get to listen to speakers and moderators relevant to your various businesses sharing not only what they know about retail but also their ups and downs as well as what is to come?
And, it is all within a day and at only a modest fee equivalent to a buffet dinner for two!
The room was 70% filled by 9 am not just by bodies but was also charged with much anticipation and expectation.
Backed by a team of volunteers from the MRA Youth Wing, Ken the emcee was in his element giving a cheerful greeting and welcome to the 130 delegates.
MRA President YBhg Tan Sri William Cheng was invited to give his welcome address next.
In keeping with the conference’s theme, he pre-empted the audience that the speakers’ presentations will cover the ever-evolving retail challenges, exploring ways on how to cope with them.
Optimism for the growth in the retail sector was cited from authorities such as Retail Group Malaysia, global management consultants A.T. Kearney and RHB Research Institute analyst.
Government’s projections on tourism and tourist arrivals were also given.
The audience heard how food and beverage has been the most promising retail category recording high growth with the millennials and that e-commerce is a formidable contender to retailers.
What will help the retail sector will be a broad-based economy that translates into higher income, propelling higher propensity to spend.
Not to be dismissed though was the country’s preparations for the 14th General Election in two weeks’ time followed up the lead up to and the results outcome, which could impact the anticipated direction of retail growth.
Tan Sri Cheng closed his address with the indisputable truth that successful Malaysian retailers will be those who sell through multiple channels and ride on the digital revolution, thus pre-empting a lead up to the day’s promise of an interesting line-up of speakers from varied retail and related industries offering diverse perspectives on how to survive and upend the retail challenges.
