2026 RLC Global Forum

The Retail Summit Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2026  

 The landmark event for the global retail industry returns to Riyadh on February 3 & 4, 2026, bringing a sharper focus, a broader lineup of leaders, and a deeper sense of urgency. As markets evolve and institutions reset, RLC’s Retail Conference once again convenes decision-makers from across sectors to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities shaping the future of commerce. 

The exclusive 2026 Retail Summit, however, promises not only scale but substance: a platform for influence, strategic alignment, market foresight, and high-impact coordination.  

A defining moment for the global landscape 

Geopolitical tensions are rising. Global markets are diverging. Technology is outpacing people and organizations. In this fragmented global business landscape, the retail and consumer industries face a critical inflection point. 

From fashion houses and luxury brands to grocery retailers, retail real estate developers, policymakers, and investment firms, the models that once fueled growth are under strain. At the same time, expectations around upscaling, value, inclusion, workforce transformation, and cross-border coordination are intensifying.  

It is against this backdrop that the RLC Global Forum announces the theme for its 2026 Annual Forum in Riyadh: Growth Crossroads. 

Why this focus in 2026? 

While the past few years have tested the sector’s resilience, the decade ahead will demand something more: coordinated, values-driven action in the face of fragmented value chains, disjointed policy agendas, and rapidly shifting market dynamics. 

Retailers and brands—particularly those operating across borders—now face rising cost pressures, new centers of growth, complex ESG mandates, and evolving consumer expectations. At the same time, urban developers, mall operators, and real estate leaders are redefining how physical destinations must adapt, connect, and compete in an increasingly hybrid world. 

At this defining inflection point, the imperative is clear: to rethink growth. Not just as expansion, but as purposeful, collaborative transformation that defines the future of retail. 

Tailored for retail leaders across the globe 

At the crossroads of trust, growth, and transformation, leaders must act together. That imperative is what drives the 2026 RLC Global Forum theme. Grounded in extensive foresight and trend-mapping across the world’s most influential retail, brand, and consumer ecosystems, it reflects the shared priorities of the people we bring together:  

• Retail, luxury, fashion and brand executives, navigating pressure on pricing, values, and localization strategies  

• Urban and retail real estate developers, redefining the future of physical retail and destination design  

• Public sector leaders and regulators, shaping policies for inclusive, innovation-driven growth  

• Investors and capital partners, seeking sustainable returns amid market volatility  

• Technology and solution providers, building the infrastructure that enables global commerce  

• Academia and retail experts, deciphering long-term shifts in consumer behavior, competitive dynamics, and global supply chains 

In 2026, the RLC Global Forum will offer a space where these voices meet, not simply to forecast the future but, more importantly, to influence it.  

Unpacking the agenda 

The theme Growth Crossroads marks the launch of a broader agenda-setting process.  

In the months ahead, the RLC Global Forum will engage global stakeholders through advisory boards and private strategy sessions to refine the program of the 2026 Retail Conference in Riyadh.  

From navigating policy realignment to activating cross-sector investment and fostering innovation partnerships, the 2026 Retail Forum will offer a curated and dynamic space for reflection, deal-making, and strategic acceleration.  

A retail platform with global impact  

For over a decade, RLC Global Forum has been a strategic force behind paradigm-shifting discussions and transformative collaborations in retail and investment. Its guiding principle: Retail should never operate in isolation. 

Through its annual retail forums, executive roundtables, and partner-led initiatives, RLC enables influential leaders to co-create forward-thinking solutions that drive impact across sectors and geographies. 

Join the conversation. Add your voice to the future of global retail.  

👉 Visit: RLC Global Forum – 2026 Retail Conference  📩 Contact us at: [email protected] 

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