NextGen 2025: Retail, Real Estate & the New Consumer

Opening remarks from CEO & Founder of Coresight Research, Deborah Weinswig with Joe Dittmar.

Deborah Weinswig | CEO & Founder, Coresight Research

Coresight Perspective: AI and data-driven tools are unlocking new opportunities for commercial real estate—from operational efficiency to deeper insight into consumer behavior.

As technology continues to reshape the retail and real estate landscape, industry leaders must reimagine how physical spaces are financed, operated, and experienced. In this candid fireside conversation, Billy Taubman, President and COO of The Taubman Company, will share his perspective on the critical role of innovation, data, and strategic partnerships in driving long-term value across commercial real estate. 

In conversation with Deborah Weinswig, CEO and Founder of Coresight Research, Taubman will explore how the integration of next-gen technologies—from AI-driven analytics to immersive customer experiences—is redefining investment priorities, operational models, and the tenant-landlord relationship. This keynote will offer rare insight into how one of the industry’s most respected leaders is planning for transformation—while staying grounded in what matters most. 

Speakers:

Deborah Weinswig | CEO & Founder, Coresight Research

William Taubman | President and COO, The Taubman Company

In the age of AI-native retail, personalization has evolved from matching past behavior to interpreting present intent. Today’s most effective digital experiences are not just relevant—they’re real-time, contextual, and built to convert.

In this forward-looking session, Baz Saidieh, Global Partner at Antler, leads a conversation with leaders at the forefront of intelligent commerce. Together, they’ll explore how retailers are moving beyond static recommendation engines to dynamic, intent-driven interactions—powered by AI systems that can understand, adapt, and respond in the moment.

Speakers:

Panel description:
In a world overflowing with products and fleeting consumer attention, four trailblazing founders in beauty and luxury will take the stage to share how they’ve built standout brands that captivate, endure, and outperform. From fragrance and skincare to haircare and wellness, these leaders have redefined categories and built businesses that combine artistry with analytics, and storytelling with strategy.

Speakers:

CDPs, loyalty and AI-fueled customer segmentation 

Coresight perspective: How store footprint trends reveal where—and how—brands should personalize.

Panel description:
The battle for customer attention is no longer just about product or price—it’s about precision, trust, and timing. In this dynamic and forward-leaning session, leaders from the frontlines of beauty, retail, and tech come together to decode the new rules of personalization in a world ruled by data. 

But this isn’t just a panel on marketing mechanics. It’s a high-stakes conversation on loyalty, identity, and the invisible line between connection and intrusion. From AI-powered segmentation to evolving consumer expectations, the speakers will dissect how brands can win—or lose—based on how well they know their customers. 

Speakers:

Gamified experiences, intelligent stores, connected systems 

Coresight perspective: Adopting next-gen technologies enables smarter, faster decision-making across functions—balancing opportunity with risk, resilience, and responsible innovation.

Panel description:
Today’s consumers demand experiences that are not only fast and frictionless—but fun, immersive, and intelligent. This panel brings together leaders at the forefront of unified commerce to explore how retailers are reimagining the shopper journey across digital and physical channels. From gamified customer engagement to smart stores and connected back-end systems, panelists will discuss what it takes to succeed in an era of convergence, complexity, and constant change.

Speakers:

Labor shortage, frontline enablement, AI training tools 

The Retail Power Grid: Aligning Channels, Customers and Coalitions 

The Retail Power Grid: Aligning Channels, Customers and Coalitions
Where People Power Meets Policy, Purpose, and Progress 

As the workforce is reinvented by AI and frontline enablement, the broader retail ecosystem is undergoing a parallel transformation—one where collaboration, advocacy, and consumer alignment are becoming the true sources of power. 

Joe Dittmar of IBM leads a conversation with two of retail’s most influential voices:  David Pinto, the sharp-eyed editor of Racher Press, and  Steve Perlowski, SVP of Industry Relations at NACDS. Together, they explore how value creation is no longer confined to the four walls of the store—but energized by networks of influence across channels, coalitions, and communities.

Speakers:

AI in retail media networks, personalization, ROI tracking 

Coresight perspective: As retail media matures in 2025, success will hinge on clear value propositions, strong partnerships, and the tech capabilities to deliver flexible, high-impact ad experiences.

Panel description: 
Retailers are becoming media companies—and with that evolution comes both promise and pressure. This panel will unpack the fast-growing world of retail media and explore broader monetization models that drive value for brands, shoppers, and shareholders. From sponsored content to AI-enhanced ad tech, our experts will examine the tools and tactics that are actually delivering ROI—and discuss what it takes to build sustainable revenue streams beyond traditional retail.

Speakers:

Tariff pressures, sourcing shifts, operational efficiencies 

Coresight perspective: Companies with strong data, agile logistics, and proactive trade strategies will be best equipped to manage volatility—and turn tariff pressure into long-term supply chain advantage. 

Panel description:
Global disruptions have exposed the fragility—and opportunity—within today’s retail supply chains. As consumer expectations accelerate and geopolitical risks mount, leading brands are shifting from reactive to resilient strategies. This panel brings together innovators in sourcing, design, and retail operations to explore how the supply chain is being rebuilt for speed, agility, and smarter decision-making.

Speakers:

In-store analytics, computer vision, edge tech 

Coresight perspective: Retailers have an unprecedented opportunity to harness AI—from computer vision to GenAI—to boost productivity, personalize experiences, and bring real-time intelligence to the store floor.

Where Every Aisle Thinks, Every Pixel Sells

As consumers toggle between touchscreens and touchpoints, the physical store is undergoing its most intelligent evolution yet—becoming a real-time command center that merges data, design, and decision-making.

In this high-impact session, Krystina Gustafson, SVP of Content at Shoptalk, leads a conversation with retail’s most forward-thinking operators and technologists to explore how brick-and-mortar is being rewired for agility and responsiveness. This is not about adding gadgets to aisles—it is about embedding intelligence into the very fabric of the physical experience.

Speakers:

Retail is reinventing itself. In this provocative and soul-stirring session, Deborah Weinswig—global thought leader, futurist, and CEO of Coresight Research—delivers a keynote that charts the radical reinvention of commerce at the hands of AI, consumer shifts, and technological transcendence. 

But this is no ordinary strategy session. What follows Deborah’s address is a powerful dialogue through art, as two renowned artists take the stage—not to speak about the future, but to show it. Their works explore the convergence of culture, commerce, and code, challenging attendees to rethink how retail interfaces with emotion, expression, and identity.

This is not a panel. This is not a pitch. This is a provocation. If you believe your next breakthrough lies somewhere between a spreadsheet and a sonnet, this session is your invitation. 

Speakers:

Deborah Weinswig | CEO & Founder, Coresight Research

Evening networking reception with themed drinks