Retail Asia Summit - Hong Kong - November 4, 2026

Stijn is the Data & AI Automation Director of DFI Retail Group. He has over a decade of experience in data and AI strategy across diverse industries, including finance, telecommunications, retail, and consumer packaged goods (CPG), working with prominent companies such as L’Oréal, DFS (LVMH), Accenture, Wells Fargo and Bank of America. His broad international experience spans key business hubs like New York, London, Paris, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Stijn specialises in building and leading data and AI departments from the ground up, leading cross-functional teams, and managing substantial budgets and resources. He has a proven track record of generating positive profit impact by delivering measurable value from data and AI solutions and unlocking the potential of data monetisation.

Stijn’s career evolved from being a hands-on data scientist to a global chief data and analytics officer, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of the data landscape, from technical intricacies to strategic implications. His academic credentials include a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence from Ghent University and an MBA certification in Artificial Intelligence from MIT, solidifying his expertise in the field.
 

Waldemar Jap is a Partner at Oliver Wyman and a senior advisor to consumer and retail leaders across Greater China and Asia. Based in Hong Kong, he brings 30 years of strategy consulting experience in the region, working with C-suite executives, boards, and private capital investors on some of their most important growth and transformation priorities.

His expertise spans growth strategy, commercial excellence, brand portfolio management, mergers and acquisitions, digital initiatives, organization design, and supply chain transformation. Throughout his career, Waldemar has worked closely with management teams to identify new sources of growth, develop new business models, strengthen organizational capabilities, and translate strategy into sustained business impact.

With a wealth of international retail experience in markets across Europe and Asia, Diego Dultzin Lacoste has overseen the regional operations of luxury giants and taken on roles from business development to brand management. 

Working for brands such as Chanel, Kenzo, Paul & Joe, JB Martin, Kooples and Maison Ullens; Diego’s extensive career in the luxury retail space is invaluable to the business he co-founded with Delphine Lefay. Together, they established OnTheList in 2016. 
 

Ms. Eileen TANG is a senior digital technology executive with two decades of experience leading large-scale transformation across Greater China and Southeast Asia. As Head of Digital Business at Maxim’s Caterers Ltd., she develops and executes the group-wide digital strategy for 70 brands and more than 2,000 outlets across Hong Kong, Macau, Mainland China, and Southeast Asia. She oversees the Group’s digital projects, advancing its transformation into the next phase. As AI becomes increasingly central to business transformation, she now leads the Group’s AI strategy and implementation across business units and functions, helping Maxim’s maintain its competitive edge and industry leadership.

Kent is a seasoned IT professional with over two decades of industry experience. He has a strong background in IT consulting and application development, having worked with a diverse range of firms and projects spanning from software companies to banks and retail. Kent began his career as a programmer at IBM before transitioning to developing trading applications at prestigious financial institutions such as Nomura, Citibank, Citadel, and BNP Paribas Asset Management.

During his tenure at BNP Paribas Asset Management, Kent served as the Head of Application Development, overseeing the North America Information Technology Development team. In this role, he provided essential support, maintenance, and application development services to various departments including the investment team, risk, operations, and legal compliance.

Currently, Kent serves as the Head of Technology (CTO) at DECATHLON Hong Kong. His notable achievements include spearheading the partnership with Adyen in 2023 and successfully revamped HK Decathlon's ecom website in 2024.

Kent also serves as the convener for Hong Kong Computer Society since 2023.

Kenichi Shimomura is a Principal in Roland Berger. He advises clients across retail, food, consumer goods and apparel on M&A, growth strategy, transformation and consumer insights. Based in Singapore, he leads Roland Berger’s Japan Desk across Asia.

Tim Smith is Senior Manager, Enterprise Sales for Asia at Klaviyo, based in Singapore, where he is the founding Enterprise Sales leader for the region as the company accelerates its international growth. He works with enterprise brands across Greater China, Japan and Southeast Asia to deepen customer relationships through smarter data, AI-powered personalised marketing automation.
With 19+ years in SaaS sales and leadership, Tim has built and led teams across APJ, Australia, New Zealand, including over a decade at LinkedIn leading large enterprise sales across the region.

Senior Solutions Engineer with 9+ years experience across technical client-facing roles, working with large APAC clients and partners (South East Asia, Greater China & ANZ) in areas of technical architecture, API integrations and platform best practices in pre-sales and post-sales implementation capacities.

Professional and Industry Experience
Anson acts as the Lead Partner for a number of strategic MNC and regional accounts where he covers a number of sectors in the consumer, industrial, tech, smart cities and retail space across the Asia Pacific region. Anson acts as the Lead Partner for a number of strategic MNC and regional accounts where he covers a number of sectors in the consumer, industrial, tech, smart cities and retail space across the Asia Pacific region.

Relevant Engagements
Today, he works with a growing number of C-level executives as a trusted advisor in looking at all aspects of the customer and providing the best in client innovation. Anson has been active in driving a number of thought leadership reports and executive briefings for senior executives covering innovation, technology and consumers in China and across the Asia Pacific region. He has worked with many corporates to understand the complex markets we live in and current levels of disruption being seen with various thought leadership reports including Global Mobile Payments, Consumers & Convergence, Mobilizing Innovation: The Changing Landscape of Disruptive Technologies, Be a Smarter Start-up, MNCs in Greater China, Made in Greater China 2025, Greater China’s Connected Consumers, Global Connected Consumers, Connecting Hong Kong – Perspectives on our future as a smart city, Connected Cities – insights across the ASPAC region, Retail Recharged, The Future of Seamless Commerce in Asia Pacific, The Changing Face of Commerce and a series of summits around smart cities, the future of innovation and consumers. Anson is a frequent speaker at conferences and events around the globe and has completed his Executive Masters in Innovation & Technology with the Poly University as well as the MIT Executive Leadership & Innovation Program.
 

Maxime Valat is Chief Executive Officer of Lacoste Asia Pacific, leading the brand across 15 markets from Hong Kong regional headquarter. With more than 20 years of international experience in fashion and consumer brands, he has built his career at the intersection of brand development through omnichannel go to market strategies, retail excellence and business transformation. At Lacoste, he is driving the brand’s elevation journey and accelerating growth through innovation, customer-centricity and experiences. Passionate about people, culture and long-term value creation, Maxime believes that strong brands succeed when they combine creativity, authenticity, purpose and a deep connection to consumers.

Vincenzo is the Asia-Pacific regional director at Canali Far East, the Italian luxury menswear brand. Prior to joining CANALI, he spent seventeen years at the French luxury group Kering, serving the firm in various capacities. He holds an MBA from HKUST–Northwestern University and an MSc in Corporate Finance from HK University of Science and Technology. Vincenzo has served as an adjunct professor of Digital Marketing and Consumer Analytics at the Asian Institute of Technology Business School.

Biography

From launching my first business in my parents’ garage to leading transformative innovation at global industry giants, my journey is defined by a relentless passion for bridging business vision with cutting-edge technology. I specialize in empowering organizations to unlock new markets, ignite customer engagement, and drive exponential growth through innovation-led strategies.

As a seasoned executive and visionary leader, I excel at uniting cross-functional teams—business, technology, and customer experience—to ideate, incubate, and industrialize breakthrough business models that redefine industries. My entrepreneurial roots instilled a deep customer-centric mindset and an agile approach to leveraging emerging technologies to create lasting competitive advantage for startups and multinational companies.

Key highlights

• Pioneered Microsoft’s entry into the AI metaverse by launching a co-innovation accelerator, collaborating with 25+ global customers to shape the future of intelligent experiences.
• Transformed Air New Zealand’s digital presence, spearheading the creation and scaling of www.airnewzealand.com, enabling the airline’s first online ticket sales and revolutionizing customer engagement.
• Drove a 10x surge in Burger King’s food delivery sales by architecting a competitive digital platform that rivaled Uber Eats, reshaping the fast-food delivery landscape.
• Revolutionized HSBC’s digital program, accelerating their app to #1 in the app store by enabling instant reward redemptions and elevating customer satisfaction.
• Built Toyota’s comprehensive digital marketing stack, integrating websites and CRM systems to enhance brand reach and customer insight.
• Elevated Langham Hotels to #1 on Tripadvisor through strategic social media leadership and customer experience excellence.

Charles is a Managing Partner and Greater China Regional CEO at YCP, overseeing businesses in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. He has been closely working with Chinese Domestic Lifestyle and Luxury Brands to elevate their Branding approach and Retail experiences. With on-the-ground experiences of Southeast Asa, Japan and Europe, he has been helping Chinese Domestic Brands to expand globally. He previously held senior roles at a leading global consulting firm.

Johnny Mui is currently the Acting Co-Chief Executive Officer at Toys“R”Us Asia, where he leads the overall brand, commercial, marketing, and customer growth strategies. Overseeing Market Operations, Merchandise, Supply Chain, eCommerce, Marketing, Creative & Design, PMO, and Retail Innovation, Johnny’s leadership spans across eight major markets—Mainland China,
Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei.

With two decades of expertise in retail buying, category strategy, and product innovation, Johnny is at the forefront of driving the company’s vision for toys, collectibles, and lifestyle categories. His strategic direction ensures Toys“R”Us Asia consistently delivers a product assortment that is relevant, distinctive, and exciting for both families and kidults, keeping the brand fresh and inspiring for every generation.

Prudence Lai is a Senior Consultant at Euromonitor International, specialising in consumer services, beauty, and fashion research. Her cross-category expertise gives her a 360° view of the retail ecosystem, connecting how travel and tourism flows drive footfall, how beauty and apparel shape category demand, and how shifting consumer values redefine the store experience.

Prudence advises brands and industry stakeholders on consumer trends, market opportunities and growth strategies, and regularly represent Euromonitor International at industry conferences, including Cosmoprof Asia, Arabian Travel Market and the UNWTO-PATA Tourism Forum. She is also frequently quoted by international media including the BBC, CNBC, Nikkei and the South China Morning Post for commentary.

Jeanne Pigassou is a Senior Manager from Wavestone, based in the Hong Kong office, leading the Artificial Intelligence Practice in Asia.

Passionate about innovation, Jeanne has a strong background in AI, data and digital topics, boasting more than 10-years experience in large multinational industrial companies, such as Air Liquide and International SOS.

Jeanne has led enterprise AI and Gen AI programmes end to end, from use-case strategy and responsible AI governance to deployment at scale, alongside major data and digital transformation projects.

She leads industry workgroups on Gen AI adoption and trusted AI, and advises executive teams on AI capability that delivers measurable value.

Jeanne is a double Masters graduate from Imperial College London and Centrale-Supelec French Grande Ecole with an MSc in Biomedical Engineering and Engineering, respectively.

Over her illustrious career, Jeanne has worked in the Medical Services, Chemical, Banking & Insurance and Luxury industries, among others.

Ian Yong is a Senior Consultant from Wavestone, based in the Hong Kong office, lead member of the Digital Customer Practice in Asia.

Ian is an avid learner passionate about retail, digital customer, and supply chain. He has a proven background in S&OP, S&OE, and supply planning. He has worked with large scale conglomerates and luxury houses such as Pernod Ricard, Swire, Chanel, and LVMH.

Ian has spent the last 5 years transforming supply planning functions across MnC and FMCGs. He has also worked with luxury retailers to optimize merchandizing functions through Data, AI, and advanced algorithms.

Ian also leads Wavestone Asia’s Anaplan expertise as a functional and technical solution architect providing modelling, data, and integration expertise across the APAC region.

Jenny Lai is President & CEO of Bluebell Greater China, where she curates and leads premium brands across fashion, beauty, spirits, and gourmet. A distinguished executive with 20+ years of experience at the world’s most iconic luxury houses, Jenny is an expert in building brands across Asia.

After starting her career at McKinsey & Company in Germany, Jenny led the market entry of Michael Kors into Greater China, held leadership roles at DFS and Louis Vuitton, and most recently was the General Manager, Asia Pacific for Versace prior to joining Bluebell. She is a trusted thought leader on the Chinese luxury market, beauty industry, and travel retail.

At Bluebell, Jenny has spearheaded the launch of Bluebell's first multi-brand lifestyle concept, BLUESPACE, in Shenzhen in 2026, expanding Bluebell’s role from a brand distributor to a creator of immersive retail environments for the next generation of Asian consumers.

Jenny holds an M.Sc. in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science and an S.B. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is also a certified Applied Jewelry Professional from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

Theresa Lui is a key driver of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group’s transformation journey, bringing over 20 years of extensive HR leadership experience to the Group’s People and Culture transformation. She held senior HR positions in leading retail organisations, including Asia Pacific HR Vice President at Pandora Jewellery, where she led global restructuring and change management initiatives, and Asia Pacific Director of HR Operations at Burberry, overseeing organisational design and operational excellence
projects.

In addition, Theresa serves as Vice President of the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management and as a Member of the Programme Advisory Committee – Talent Development of The Hong Kong Management Association. She is also a volunteer mentor for Human Resources Management students at Hong Kong Baptist University, sharing her professional expertise and life experiences to inspire the next generation to pursue their goals with confidence and a positive mindset.

Nick Batey serves as General Manager of Marks & Spencer Asia for ALF Retail Hong Kong Limited, where he is responsible for leading the business operations and strategic priorities across the Asia region. Based in Hong Kong, he works closely with market and functional leaders to drive business performance, operational excellence, and sustainable growth initiatives throughout the region.

As a senior leader, Nick oversees a diverse portfolio of functions, including retail operations, property, marketing, visual merchandising, business development, technology delivery, and food operations. He partners with teams across multiple markets to strengthen organizational capability, enhance customer experience, and support the continued evolution of the business.

Known for his collaborative leadership style, Nick is committed to building high-performing teams, fostering cross-functional partnerships, and creating a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Through close engagement with both regional and local stakeholders, he helps align strategy with execution to deliver long-term value for customers, employees, and the wider business.