After two years of closure due to covid, we were delighted to once again host the CEO Summit along with Jay H. Baker Retailing Center at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. The Summit took place in New York, on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, under the theme “Values + Purpose: Leading the Neo-Renaissance”.

It was a day packed with ideas, insights, and experience as the Summit brought together 150 of the most senior retail and brand executives, including members of the Baker Center’s boards and selected industry partners.

It is worth mentioning that the night before the event, at a special dinner, Tory Burch was honored with an award in recognition of her industry leadership and support of women entrepreneurs.

Read more about the Summit in the Press Release below and watch the event’s highlights in this video.

WHARTON’S BAKER RETAILING CENTER AND THE RETAIL LEADERS CIRCLE ANNOUNCE SPEAKERS FOR THE 2022 CEO SUMMIT

Tory Burch to Be Honored with Retail Excellence Award the Night Before the Summit

CEOs of Warby Parker, Union Square Hospitality Group, Harry’s, Revlon, thredUP, Summersalt, Parade and FIGS to Speak at Event Highlighting Mission-Driven Leaders and Companies

Philadelphia, PA – February 03, 2022 – The Jay H. Baker Retailing Center at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Retail Leaders Circle today announced the speaker lineup for the 2022 CEO Summit, to be held on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in New York City. Under the theme “Values + Purpose: Leading the Neo-Renaissance,” the daylong summit will feature mission-driven leaders and companies that are doing an extraordinary job of capturing consumers’ attention and loyalty, while helping light the way for a more conscious and purposeful retail industry.

In addition, the event organizers announced that Tory Burch will be honored the night before the summit with the Retail Excellence Award in recognition of her industry leadership and support of women entrepreneurs. Burch has prioritized social responsibility since founding her eponymous brand in 2004. In 2009, she launched the Tory Burch Foundation to advance women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship by providing access to capital, education and digital resources, and tackling stereotypes that hold women back.

The invitation-only, power-packed program will bring together 150 of the most senior retail and brand executives, including members of the Baker Center’s boards and selected industry partners. The day’s programming will offer an inside view of how leading organizations are driving profitability by aligning their business model with new consumer priorities and working to create an entirely ethical value chain.

Confirmed speakers to date include:

• Neil Blumenthal, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Warby Parker
• Danny Meyer, Founder and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group
• Jeff Raider, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Harry’s
• Debra G. Perelman, President and CEO of Revlon
• James Reinhart, Co-Founder and CEO of thredUP
• Lori Coulter, Co-Founder and CEO of Summersalt
• Cami Téllez, Founder and CEO of Parade
• Trina Spear, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of FIGS
• Rob Smith, CEO and Founder of The Phluid Project
• Sally Susman, Executive Vice President, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Pfizer
• Walter Robb, Principal at Stonewall Robb Advisors; former Co-CEO of Whole Foods Market
• Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Founder of BrainTrust Founders Studio

“During the past two years, the retail industry has undergone unprecedented transitions as e-commerce has boomed, the role of the store has been redefined, and consumers have adapted their behavior to the pandemic world,” said Thomas S. Robertson, Joshua J. Harris Professor and Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. “Consumers are increasingly focused on companies’ values, purpose and mission and shoppers are more conscious than ever of the effects of their consumption on the world. These changes have challenged brands and retailers to fundamentally rethink their strategic positioning as they closely align their mission and values with their business models.”

In the wake of the global health crisis, consumers are more interested than ever in shopping from retailers and brands that share their values across issues such as DEI, health and wellness, sustainability, vaccination efforts, mental health, philanthropy and body positivity. The daylong CEO Summit will offer an inside view of how selected companies across fashion, wellness, lifestyle, food and beverage, and other industries are leading and driving profitability by aligning their business model with their mission.

“Following the unprecedented changes and uncertainty this pandemic has brought, there has never been a more critical moment for retail leaders to connect,” said Panos Linardos, Executive Director, Retail Leaders Circle. “Our focus this year is to navigate this new landscape and explore how leading brands and retailers can trigger bold new strategies to build a resilient, sustainable and thriving industry future”