MANILA, Philippines - The SM Department Store recently hosted the 53rd International Association of Department Stores (IADS) General Assembly at the Peninsula Manila, bringing some of the world’s top retailers to Manila.
The IADS, the first association entirely devoted to department stores, brings together department stores from many different countries to share retail management experiences and best practices. The elite group invites one department store per country, and SM was selected to represent the Philippines.
The three-day event consisted of executive meeting and conferences at the Manila Peninsula’s Conservatory, as well as welcome cocktails at Salon de Ning and a dinner at Teatrillo in Casa Manila, Intramuros. Delegates also had mall tours at SM City North EDSA, SM Megamall, and the SM Mall of Asia, while their spouses visited Pico de Loro.
Among the delegates were Paul Delaoutre, general manager of the Galleries Lafayette in France; Willy Oergel and Wilhelm Van Agtmael, CEO and supervisory board member of Breuninger in Germany; Lovro Mandac, chairman of the Management Board of Galeria Kauhof in Germany; Hannu Penttila, CEO of Stockmann in Finland; Bernard Jungo, CEO of the Manor in Switzerland; and Robert Fadel, chairman and CEO of ABC in Lebanon.
Patrick Perez Pradere and Ramon Oliva, president and CEO, respectively, of Pyrenees in Andorra; Ji Xiao An, chairman of the board of the Beijing Hualian Group in China; Supaluk Umpujh, vice chairman of The Mall in Thailand; Franz Kraatz, managing director of Robinsons in Singapore; Angus Gozali of Panen Lestari Internusa and Chan Key Haw of Javaretailindo in Indonesia; as well as IADS general secretary Maarten de Groot also attended the conference. They were welcomed by SM executives led by SM Investments vice chair Tessie Sy-Coson, SM Department Store president Jorge Mendiola and senior vice president Ricky Lim.