PRA to launch mentorship program in national confab

CEBU, Philippines —  The Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) is poised to build up players as the economy starts gaining momentum towards full recovery.

A mentorship program will be launched during the 28th National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo (NRCE) slated on August 11 to 12, 2022 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

According to NRCE 2022 Overall Chairman and President of Rustan Commercial Corporation Donnie Tantoco that it is vital at this point in time to showcase more extensive learning sessions face-to-face amongst retailers and their allied industries as everyone directs their path to recovery.

“This is why the NRCE Committee is also proud to launch a new segment called the NRCE Retail Mentorship Program designed to provide an exclusive two-way learning setup where mentor and mentee pairs can have a healthy exchange of ideas and experiences to cultivate an open discussion that can advance their respective careers and businesses,” Tantoco said.

The NRCE, the country’s biggest and most important retail industry event, will finally return to the physical stage with new innovative programs this year.

With the theme “Retail: Ready, Re/set/ GROW!”, retailers can learn from the top industry leaders to better prepare their businesses for the new normal in this two-day conference and exhibition, with the activities to be held face-to-face.

“The 28th NRCE is creating a roadmap to a better retail industry. Hence, we must equip fellow retailers and supplier industries to help them expand their respective brands and businesses by providing transformative and actionable strategies as well as harness innovation to achieve global competitiveness”, Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) President and SEVP-COO of Wilcon Depot Rosemarie B. Ong emphasized.

As retailers and allied industries begin to turn a new leaf, the PRA believes it is time to look for novel and innovative ways to ready businesses for the future, reset the retail ecosystem by adopting new skills and mindsets that cater to the changing needs of the consumers, and grow amid new market conditions and forces.

The event will also feature the cream of the crop of the industry both at the local and international levels such as Tom Oliver, consultant to top Fortune 500 companies, Edwin Hawson of Central Marketing Group, Don Rae of Globe Business, and many more. There will be three stages throughout the event, serving as a venue for over 30 industry experts to share insights and experiences that will help businesses bounce back from setbacks caused by the pandemic. They will touch on topics such as social commerce, global talent trends, the metaverse as a blueprint for businesses, and other exclusive talks over the span of two days.

On choosing the experts for the event, Tantoco shared that together with the NRCE Conference chairmen - Sam Gregory Lim, Vice President of Blims Lifestyle Group and Bryan Liu, Vice President for Strategy and Operations of Penshoppe Group with the PRA board of directors, they put emphasis on selecting leaders they were sure could provide fresh and valuable insights to the attendees.

“The times are now changing, so the industry needs new knowledge and strategies as well,” Tantoco stressed.

Back-to-back with the conference is the “Stores Asia Expo,” which showcases new and cutting-edge technologies to provide solutions that fit your business needs and can be of help to the growth of your company. The expo also serves as a hub to like-minded retailers and suppliers to build strong relationships through collaboration opportunities.

For the past 28 years, the NRCE has been the event for like-minded businessmen in the country to uncover valuable trends, developments, and innovations in the retail arena. It is the biggest and longest-running retail industry event in the country where top retailers and suppliers converge in one venue. It provides retailers with fresh insights, new perspectives, as well as actionable strategies from industry leaders to help accelerate the growth of businesses in the country.