How was the Retail & Development Business Expo-2019 (photo-report)

On March 28-29, 2019, the largest in Ukraine specialized international exhibition of the retail and development industry – Retail & Development Business Expo-2019 – was held in the capital NSC “Olympiyskyi”.

This year the event was attended by about 2,000 people: top-managers and owners of almost all key companies in retail and commercial real estate, as well as organizations offering effective solutions for retail and development. Lukasz Orzechowski (H & M), Yuri Gatkin (Brocard), Andrey Shutko (Fozzy Group), Florent Guillet (Decathlon) and many others were among RDBExpo guests.

The event title partner was the VOVK clothing studios chain – No. 1 among the young Ukrainian clothing brands in growth rates and customer confidence terms.

The official technology partner was the Ukrainian IT-company SMART business. The official partner was River Mall.

Sushi master, Hot Drinks, White Lines, Kiev Project Development, SQM Experts, UTG, Nova Posta, Justin, Meest, CEETRUS Ukraine, NAI Ukraine, SEC Podolyani, SEC Marmelad, Modern-Expo Group, SC Pyramida, SEC Victoria Gardens, SEC Sky Park, VOVK, Budhouse Group, JLL, Aisberg, Pikalka, Omnic, SEC NEO PLAZA, 4Service Ukraine, SEC Megamall, Lumiere, Tips Mart, IDNT, M7 Development, VLU, Passio, SEC and BC Retroville, Identity Invest, Neocon, Convey, ROSS, System Group, Synergetika, Omni Campus, Ledlife, Quantula, Nova Light, Sicore, SHEN, Svitlotek, IBS, Mira, ADER HABER, iMe Group, Solyanka, RDA, Area for success, UVK, WRS, Fishka, DIODIKA, Market Music Ukraine, Midsun, Lioncom, Fillin, Ageless, Chameleon Soft, MINISO, Deloitte, ETC, Imperiya Vody and other presented its stands on exhibition zone two floors.

Robot Prospektus from Arricano

Business conferences were held in three streams in addition to exposures, at which about 90 speakers from Ukrainian and International retail companies shared their experiences, presented interesting cases and new projects, discussed topical the industry problems, its solutions and key market trends.

In total, the program included 16 thematic blocks covering all aspects of the domestic retail life and work. On the first day it was discussed in the first hall, how to sell more through innovation and what strategies exist for achieving optimal success. Top-managers of Epicenter K, Kasta, Multiplex, Arricano, TASKOMBANK and IDNT made their presentations.

Nikolay Chumak, CEO IDNT

Andriy Logvin, co-owner Kasta.ua

Vitaliy Pisarenko, CEO Multiplex Holding

Michael Merkulov, CEO Arricano

At the same time, delegates from Leroy Merlin, Watsons, LC Waikiki, Eldorado, AGROMAT, the jewelry house ZARINA, AST Agroholding and Company MIRA spoke in another hall. They discussed in the panel discussion the mistakes of top-management hiring, the successful leader key competencies, the criteria for selecting successful top-managers and other topical issues of Executive Search.

Third Modern Retail Forum was held in another hall as special session, which was accompanied by an exhibition of innovative products from Modern Expo Company. During the forum, the theme of which was Transformation in Retail, 11 speakers from Ukraine, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Poland reviewed cases from Ukrainian and international companies about business-strategy in terms of innovation, modern retail trends, major trends in retail design etc.

Modern Retail Forum

Alessandro Gaffuri, owner & СЕО CELS Group (Italy)

Bogdan Lukasik, Head of the Board Modern-Expo (Poland)

The composition of the exhibition second session’ speakers was no less bright. Delegates from Nova Poshta, Varus, OMNIC, OVK, Glory Global Solutions and other companies spoke in the first hall. Logistics solutions and business processes’ optimization in retail were on the session agenda. Speakers made among other things presentations on the themes “New logistics for e-commerce”, “Cross-industrial innovations in self-service: retail, logistics and real estate”, “Outsourcing RC” and others.

At the same time, delegates from Comfy, Zlato.ua, Mebelok.com, KIDDISVIT, MyPlay and the Ukrainian Retail Association discussed information security in retail in another hall.

Michael Gorfunkel, Director of Glory Global Solutions

Irina Kholod, Head of Marketing Nova Poshta

Managers of Comfy, Zlato.ua & KIDDISVIT

First day final sessions were held with the participation of experts – delegates from Dragon Capital, JLL, CBRE Ukraine, BC and SEC Retroville, SEC ZLATA PLAZA, Retail & Development Advisor and Budhouse group in the one hall and Auchan Retail Ukraine, Allo, MasterZOO, Mikki / MyPlay, Svitlotek and Stepanov – in another hall.

Katerina Vesna, JLL Ukraine

Natalia Kravets, Head of Property Management in Dragon Capital

Alexandr Fialka, partner of Retail & Development Advisor

Panel discussion

Panel discussion “New Shop Concepts” with managers from Auchan Retail Ukraine, Allo, SMART Business, KIDDISOFT so on

There was a coffee break after each session, and market participants could communicate in an informal setting, exchange impressions about the exhibition, talk about their achievements and discuss future plans. Informal communication often turns out to be much more successful and easier than long hours of reaching formal agreements. Moreover, one could meet at the Retail & Development Business Expo with people who were usually too busy to find time for a leisurely conversation on professional topics.

The VIP-zone for negotiations worked separately for particularly sensitive topics’ discussion, from where a view of the square near the Olympic Stadium was opened. Here it was possible to more substantively discuss future cooperation, get acquainted with innovations in the market, and find out about the best business solutions.

The first day of the Retail & Development Business Expo-2019 ended with a large-scale party where participants and guests of the event could relax, enjoy food and drinks, dance and socialize in the most relaxing atmosphere. During the event, RDBExpo partners raffled off numerous prizes and gifts. Evening prize fund partners were Yves Roсher, Isei, Aloha and others. Evening alcoholic partners were the companies Jack Daniel’s and Finlandia. Sweet partner was confectionery SMІYAN chain.

VIP-party RDBExpo-2019.

The second session day was no less intense. Session number 1 in the first hall was devoted to the presentation of new shopping and entertainment centers projects. SEC White Lines in Kiev, Alfa Mall and NEO PLAZA in Dnepr, as well as the largest in Eastern Europe Barabashovo shopping center reforming in Kharkov were among its. Delegates from UTG, A Development, Joint Industrial Park, ABEC, SC Barabashovo took part in the discussion.

During the session, experts of the Ukrainian Retail Association presented a large-scale research on the detailed analysis of the tenants’ pool in the largest shopping and entertainment centers in Ukraine. More information on the report can be found on the link.

Daria Kuharenko, A Development

Eugenia Loktionova, UTG

Valeriy Kirilenko, SC Barabashovo

Ivan Zaitsev, editor-in-chief UKrainian Retail Association

Panel discussion

After the break, leaders of Auchan Retail Ukraine, Intertop Ukraine, MAFIA, CASTA, Yakitoria and Deloitte Ukraine met to discuss transformation as the main challenge for the industry in 2019-2021. They discussed what external and internal challenges for companies are facing for the next five years, how experts assess the readiness of own companies to work with these challenges, how they plan their own transformation, and so on.

Victoria Lutsenko, Auchan Retail Ukraine

Panel discussion

Serhey Badritdinov, СЕО Intertop Ukraine

First hall final session was devoted to e-commerce and marketplace. Speakers were top-management Rozetka.ua, Zakaz.ua, EVO.company, Omnicore, Pikalka, and also MD Fashion. They discussed digitalization, how to start grocery retailers to earn online, Ukrainian EDI, stores without cashiers and cashiers and how for retail to increase sales online 10 times in 1 year.

Eugen Nepotreba, Zakaz.ua 

At the same time, a session was held in hall No. 3 under the theme of the topic “Can business influence “the rules of the game”. Experts discussed during the panel discussion positive and not very much positive experience working with authorities in the context of changes to legislation, how they managed to abolish the mandatory maintenance of BASO (KURO) and Reviews and suggestions Book, when to wait for an electronic waybill and whether there will be a 3rd generation RSO.

CEO of Intertop Ukraine, acting executive director of the SUP and head of legal department Brocard Ukraine took part in the panel discussion. The session was held under the SUP guide

Serhey Badritdinov, СЕО Intertop Ukraine

At the same time, 3 sessions in a row took place in hall 2. The first session was devoted to marketing, digital and PR. Marketing directors, Head of SMM and other specialists from INTERTOP, MFK Gulliver, Kasta, COMFY, Bespoke Marketing and RocktData.io shared their expert opinions on these issues. They spoke among other things about the “client path” in the new digital world, modern marketing techniques, working with chat bots and much more.

Valeriya Tolochina, Head of Marketing INTERTOP

Valeriya Tolochina, Head of Marketing INTERTOP

Katerina Zhurakhovska, Head of Marketing MFK Gulliver

Olga Belikova, Head of SMM Kasta

Alex Zhilyaev, Head of Digital&Brand Marketing COMFY

Mykola Maranchak, Head of Digital Ukrainian Retail Association

Eugeniya Baglai, Founder Bespoke Marketing

Daria Danilova, СЕО и co-founder RocketData.io

The second session of the second hall was called “LEGAL RETAIL”. Lawyers-experts, delegates of such companies as Epicenter K, PepsiCo Ukraine, MERX, and also ADER HABER, under whose auspices the entire session was held, shared their experience.

Session”LEGAL RETAIL” from ADER HABER

The final session was devoted to franchising and was held under the auspices of the Franchise Grope. The panel discussion was attended by the leaders of MINISO Ukraine, Salateira, No Taboo, Sharikava and Franchise Group.

Jack Shi, CEO MINISO Ukraine

Miroslava Kozachuk, founder, co-owner & СЕО Franchise Group

Angela Zaporozhets, sex-shop chain No Taboo

Jack Shi, CEO MINISO Ukraine

Miroslava Kozachuk, founder, co-owner & СЕО Franchise Group

Alexandr Savilov, co-owner Salateira

It could be meet among the event guests top-management and line managers of companies that play a key role in the formation and development of a civilized retail market in the country: McDonald’s, Brocard, Ceetrus, LC Waikiki, LPP, Arricano, Budinok Іgrashok, Zolotoy Vek, SIOF, SOVA, Zarina, Megasport, Furshet, Varus, Tavriya V, Megamarket, Arena, ARGO, Yves Rocher Ukraine, SEC Soartak, SEC Komod, SC Globus, Manufactura, Forum Lviv, Darynok, Eldorado, RDA, Cushman & Wakefield, DEKA and many others.

Traditionally, everyone could be photographed near the brand-wall, which was attended by the logos of the organizers, as well as partners and sponsors of the event.

More photos –  Facebook RAU.

The Ukrainian Retail Association thanks all speakers, guests and partners of the event, without whom holding the exhibition would be impossible:

• Title Partner – VOVK
• Official technology partner – SMART business
• Official partner – River Mall
• Session partners: Modern Retail Forum, SEC Podolyany, SUP, UVK, TAC, RocketData, SC Barabashovo, NEO PLAZA
• Event partners: Park Inn by Radisson Kyiv Troyitska, Miniso, Ageless, UMA Consulting
• Sweet partner: SMIYAN
• Alcohol partners: Jack Daniel’s, Finlandia
• Exclusive water partner: Coca Cola HBC Ukraine
• Party Partner: Sushi Master