8th Congress of Modern Distribution
#MODERNTRADING
08:30 - 09:00 a.m.
Registration of Guests
09:00 - 09:10 a.m.
Opening of the Congress
ECONOMICS OF TRADE
9:10 - 9:15 a.m.
Opening address by the Chair of the Programme Council
- Renata Juszkiewicz, Chair of the POHiD Board, Vice-President of EuroCommerce
09:15 - 09:35 a.m.
Address of the Government's Representative
- Michał Baranowski, Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Development and Technology
09:35 - 09:50 a.m.
Speech:
Trends, Challenges & Transformation
- Expectations for EU retail and wholesale in 2026 and beyond
- Juan Manuel Morales Alonso, President, EuroCommerce
09:50 - 10:30 a.m.
CEO's debate:
CURRENT CONDITIONS AND THE FUTURE OF THE TRADE MARKET
- How should retail prepare for changing regulations and increasing cost pressures while maintaining profitability and responding to customer expectations? Strategies and long-term planning in a changing regulatory and economic environment
- Competitiveness and market formation. Can the Polish retail sector withstand competition from Chinese marketplaces amid macroeconomic uncertainty? How can the industry co-create stable and fair market conditions?
- How do generational differences (e.g., expectations of Generation Z vs older consumers) affect commercial strategies and sales models?
- Stability and resilience of supply chains. How to build a structure that can withstand future crises?
- Dark store, urban store, urban delivery - how does the traditional industry find itself in this reality?
- National E-Invoicing System (KSeF) implementations in commerce, or how the electronic invoice system is changing document management?
Speakers:
- Marina Dubakina, President and General Manager for Sustainable Development, IKEA Retail in Poland
- Waldemar Pawlak, Senator of the Republic of Poland, Chair of the Senate Committee on National Economy and Innovation
- Marcin Ładak, Head of the Legal Department, Member of the Management Board of the Biedronka chain
- Adrian Jabłoński, Dyrektor Corporate Affairs & Communications, JTI Polska
- Nils Swolkień, Chief Executive Officer, Castorama Polska
Moderator:
- Marcin Piasecki, Managing Editor, publicist, Rzeczpospolita
10:30 - 10:40 a.m.
Moderated discussion:
The role of the retail sector in three decades of the Polish economy’s development
Guest:
- Prof. Joanna Tyrowicz, Economist, Professor at the Faculty of Management, University of Warsaw
Moderator:
- Piotr Mazurkiewicz, Journalist, Rzeczpospolita
10:40 - 11:10 a.m.
Debate:
Can we afford the future? Survival strategy or growth strategy?
- Won't the focus on costs cause the Polish retail sector to overlook a key moment for investment? Building partnerships with technology providers
- The financial and macroeconomic foundations of trade resilience. How can we stimulate growth and finance innovation in an era of market uncertainty and regulatory pressure?
- Directions of retail evolution. What will the sector look like in the next 5 years?
Speakers:
- Maciej Herman, CEO, Lotte Wedel
- Prof. Konrad Raczkowski, Director of the Centre for World Economy, UKSW
- Jan Starzyk, Member of the Management Board, Auchan Polska
- Marek Sypek, FMCG industry expert
Moderator:
- Piotr Mazurkiewicz, Journalist, Rzeczpospolita
11:00 - 11:40 a.m. | COFFEE & NETWORKING BREAK
CUSTOMER TRENDS
11:40 - 11:55 a.m.
Shaping the future of Retail Media
- How to turn printed promotional leaflets into profit: how does SP2D support the growth of Retail Media?
- How do Poles plan their shopping?
- The main paradoxes of Retail Media
Presentation:
- Robert Biegaj, Country Manager, Shopfully Polska
11:55 - 12:10 p.m.
Presentation:
Using transactional data to predict and shape purchasing behaviour
- Aleksandra Nowak, Business Development Manager, Mastercard
12:10 - 12:25 p.m.
Presentation:
The hybrid world of shopping – where are consumers’ shopping journeys heading?
- Karolina Flaht-Soroka, Client Business Partner, Strategic Insights & Analytics, NielsenIQ
- Konrad Wacławik, Retailer Service Director, NielsenIQ
12:25 - 1:10 p.m.
Debate:
CUSTOMER IDENTITY IN A HYBRID WORLD
- Hyperpersonalization and data-driven decision relevance. How to effectively analyse and predict consumer behaviour. What to build sales projections on?
- Automation with a human face or how to maintain authenticity in modern commerce? The new dimension of the relationship with customers
- Personalisation for Agents AI. How to build "loyalty" and "brand bond"? How can retailers seize their opportunity to create sales?
- How traditional loyalty programs (points/discounts) are able to build loyalty when the customer is an algorithm
- The blurring of online and offline (scan & go, buy online, pick up in Store). Legal risks of mixing online and offline models
- How to retain the omnichannel customer? How do you combine disjointed purchase paths into one consistent, credible user profile and build customer identity across both channels?
- The value of Customer Experience or how to build purchasing strategies based on technology - seamless payments and advanced applications
Speakers:
- Małgorzata Domagała, Vice President, Products and Solutions, Mastercard Poland, Czechia and Slovakia
- Katarzyna Feret, Head of Digital Transformation, Pepco
- Agnieszka Radawiec, Chief Marketing and Digital Officer, OBI Polska
- Paweł Grabowski, Director of Digital B2B, Żabka Future
- Krzysztof Kośmider, Managing Director, Head of Retail & Fashion, Accenture
- Robert Stupak, Member of the Management Board, Director of Marketing, Digital, E-Commerce and IT, Carrefour Polska
Moderator:
- Karol Tokarczyk, Digital economy analyst, Polityka Insight
1:10 - 1:25 p.m.
Presentation:
Transparent processes and autonomous decisions – how to build operational resilience in the retail sector in the age of AI
- Pavel Arno, IBM Process Automation, Data & AI Specialist, IBM Poland
- Bartosz Kochanowski, Member of the Management Board, Rhenai Digital Workforce
1:25 - 2:00 p.m.
Debate:
E-COMMERCE - THE REVOLUTION OF DATA, AI AND EXPERIENCE
- Digital transformation of commerce in the age of AI and data - how to build convenient, scalable online commerce that simultaneously strengthens security and customer trust
- How are automation, artificial intelligence and e-commerce solutions changing the way companies operate?
- A new standard for the online shopping experience. Growth strategies for e-commerce or how to scale online sales?
- The dual nature of the customer or how to simultaneously respond to abandoned shopping carts and build full consumer engagement?
- From click to delivery - shopping 3.0. How to shorten the purchase path and increase customer interest? (delivery tracking, easy returns)
Speakers:
- Marek Dorsz, Director e-commerce, MediaMarkt.pl
- Wiktor Glinka, Director, Business Development, Mastercard Europe
- Szymon Turnau, Digital Director, Auchan Retail Polska
- Konrad Wacławik, Retailer Service Director, NielsenIQ
- Norbert Wawrzyniak, Director of Strategic Ventures, ZEN.COM
Moderator:
- Wanda Żółcińska, Editor-in-Chief, HandelExtra.pl, VFP Communications
2:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Debate:
EMPLOYEE - HOW TO MEET NEW EXPECTATIONS?
- Managing employees in retail chains. Building customer relations
- The limits of automation. In which areas of the industry is human presence essential, and how can modern tools support employees?
- How to maintain the authenticity of the service? The role of training and upskilling in modern commerce
Speakers:
- Sylwia Filimon, Communications Manager, Jysk Polska
- Kalina Kordalska, Director of Recruitment, HR Marketing and Employee Relations, Kaufland Poland
- Joanna Topolska, Human Resources Director, OBI Polska
- Prof. Jacek Męcina, PhD, Advisor to the Management Board, Lewiatan Confederation
- Wojciech Wieroński, CFO, PHH Group
Moderator:
- Michalina Szczepańska-Brzozowska, Editor of ‘Handel’ magazine
2:30 - 3:10 p.m. | LUNCH
TRADE IN BOTTLE GREEN
3:10 - 3:20 p.m.
Presentation:
Sustainable goals start with sustainable energy
- Karina Michaluk, Head of the PPA & Origination Department, Polenergia
- Marta Porzuczek, Head of the Environmental Protection Department, Polenergia
3:20 - 4:10 p.m.
Debate:
SUSTAINABLE GOALS OF THE TRADE INDUSTRY
- Responsible business – it pays off!
- Corporate responsibility as part of a long-term business strategy. Sustainability, responsibility towards consumers, employees and the environment.
- Sustainable development and the circular economy as long-term, realistic and profitable initiatives for retail businesses
- Legislative requirements, the CSRD directive and expanded ESG reporting obligations
- How to turn regulatory costs into a competitive advantage. Is the circular economy now a business necessity?
- The role of retail chains in shaping environmentally conscious consumer attitudes
- Improving energy efficiency to save energy and achieve climate targets in supply chains
- Environment versus wallet, trends versus beliefs? The depth of consumers’ environmental choices
Speakers:
- Magdalena Bobko, CSR Director, Auchan Poland
- Katarzyna Kosel, Human & Culture Change Leader
- Aleksandra Robaszkiewicz, Head of Corporate Communications, Lidl Poland
- Jacek Hutyra, Sustainability Director, Leroy Merlin
- Michał Siwek, Head of the Decarbonisation and Biodiversity Office, BNP Paribas Bank Polska
- Wojciech Zając, CEO, Polenergia Trading; Commercial Director, Polenergia
Moderator:
- Liliana Anam, Board Member, Responsible Business Forum
4:10 - 5:00 p.m.
Debate:
SIX MONTHS LATER... THE BAIL SYSTEM AND HOW IT WORKS
- Recycling and reuse of packaging. The reality after the introduction of the deposit system in Poland? What is working effectively, and where are the challenges?
- Has the industry been well prepared for the changes being made?
- Security issues and liability for deposit embezzlement in commercial units
Speakers:
- Patrycja Aremke, Environmental Protection Team Manager, Żabka Polska
- Agnieszka Koc, Director of Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Jeronimo Martins Polska
- Edyta Urbaniak-Konik, Member of the Management Board of OK Operator Kaucyjny
- Maciej Białek, Deputy Director of the Waste Management Department, Ministry of Climate and Environment
- Grzegorz Czekalski, Chief Sustainability Officer, Eurocash Group
- Piotr Okurowski, Chairman of the Management Board, Kaucja.pl
- Jakub Tyczkowski, Chairman, Rekopol Packaging Recovery Organisation
Moderator:
- Aleksandra Ptak-Iglewska, Journalist, Rzeczpospolita
5:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Debata
LOGISTICS AND ITS RACE AGAINST TIME, COST AND TECHNOLOGY
- "Last mile" logistics and delivery costs
- From the warehouse to the customer's door, or how to build a resilient, fast and profitable supply chain?
- Customer expectations for fast, cheap or free delivery. Optimising cost and delivery time while maintaining reliability is an ongoing operational and financial challenge
- Regionalisation of supply, or a return to "neighbourhood." Shortening Supply Chains and Building Networks Within the Region
- Investment in logistics management technologies. Construction of local warehouses for fast order fulfilment
- Digitalisation of logistics processes - modern warehouse monitoring. How to digitise and automate warehouse processes?
- Supply chains - what problems will they face? What will help ensure and strengthen supply chain resilience to risks?
Speakers:
- Paulina Dziubińska, Senior Director, Industrial Agency, JLL
- Łukasz Boguszewski, Supply Chain Director, Leroy Merlin
- Tomasz Kuchta, Head of SCM, Kaufland Polska
- Radosław Nowak, Managing Director, Greenyard
Moderator:
- Monika Woźniak, Senior Business Development Director, Industrial Agency, JLL