Event News

DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR GLOBAL RETAIL COMPETITION

- Retailers set to compete for international accolade -

The deadline has been extended for entries to the World Retail Awards, which last year saw British retailer, Tesco, scoop the ultimate accolade of ‘Retailer of the Year.’

Retailers throughout the globe are invited to submit their entries to the international awards’ judging panel by 13 February 2009, and will go head to head in a bid to scoop one of nine prestigious international titles.

Now in its third year, the gala awards ceremony is firmly established as one of the most important dates in the global retail calendar and continues to act as a benchmark of excellence in the key areas that are important to modern retailing.

Entries are invited in the following five categories:
- Retail design of the year
- Responsible retailer of the year
- Emerging market retailer of the year
- E-retailer of the year
- Retail advertising awards

In addition, a further four categories will be selected by the grand jury; namely the Outstanding leadership award, Multi-market retailer of the year, Oracle-sponsored Retailer of the year and, in a brand new category, Retail innovation of the year.  Nominations for these categories will come from the judging panel, with the award winners chosen by the competition’s grand jury.

Once again, the grand jury comprises a broad spectrum of CEO level, respected retailers from around the world, together with senior representatives from academia and suppliers.

Individual members include:
Mohammed Alshaya, Chairman, M.H. Alshaya Company
Bernie Brookes, Chief Executive Officer, Myer
Paul Charron, Senior Advisor, Warburg Pincus
Ravi Dahr, Director & Professor of Marketing, Yale Center for Customer Insights
W. Sean Ford, Vice President, Global Business Unit Marketing, Oracle
Dr Wu Jianzhong, Chairman, Wumart Group
Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Executive Director, Corporate and Legal Affairs, Tesco
Richard Simonin, Group CEO, ETAM
Bijou Kurien, President & Chief Executive – Lifestyle Division, Reliance Retail
Andrew Jennings, Group Managing Director: Retail, Woolworths
Dow Famulak, Chief Executive Officer, LF Europe / Executive Director, Li & Fung (Trading) Limited
Matt Rubel, President & CEO, Collective Brands Inc

The Grand Jury will meet in Barcelona on the 5 May 2009, two days before the Awards ceremony, to discuss the shortlist at length.  They will then vote on the winner in each category by secret ballot following extensive discussion.

The nine category winners will be revealed at the World Retail Awards gala dinner, on 7 May 2009 at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) in Barcelona.  The awards are a major, and growing, part of the extensive World Retail Congress programme, which will equally be held in Barcelona at the Centro de Convenciones Internacionales (CCIB) from 6 to 8 May 2009.

Online entry is open until 6 February 2009 at www.worldretailcongress.com.  The cost of entry is €250.

- Ends -

For further information, please contact Financial Dynamics:
Victoria Wallin, + 44 (0)20 7269 9360
Tanya Bolton, +44 (0)20 7269 7296
Or email wrcenquiries@fd.com