Enhance your visit by attending the Global Seminar Series taking place across the three days of the event.
This year we welcome a line-up of industry experts to help you navigate the world of global sourcing and build your knowledge.
Each session is one hour in duration and tickets cost $40 +gst per session.
Daily Program
Ryan Swenson
Director of Policy & Advocacy at the Australian Retailers Association
Navigating Retail in 2025: Trends, Tensions and Transformation
Tuesday 17 June
10 – 11am
Session Overview
Navigating Retail in 2025: Trends, Tensions and Transformation
As global retail faces a period of recalibration, the Australian market is not immune to the effects of shifting trade dynamics, evolving ESG regulations and expectations, digital disruption 2.0 and the evolving political landscape.
In this keynote Ryan Swenson will explore the current and emerging trends shaping the retail sector—from tariff pressures and supply chain reshuffles to accelerating consumer demand for sustainability and ethical sourcing. Gain critical insights into how Australian retailers are responding to these challenges and opportunities with innovation, agility, and strategic foresight. This session is essential for anyone looking to stay ahead in a volatile sourcing and retail environment.
Olivia Carr
Director/Founder, SHHH SILK
Ecommerce with Purpose: Turning Online Sales into a Platform for Giving Back
Tuesday 17 June
11:30am – 12:30pm
Session overview
Ecommerce with Purpose: Turning Online Sales into a Platform for Giving Back
Join Olivia for an inspiring exploration of how ecommerce businesses can transform their platforms into engines for positive social impact. Drawing on real-world examples, Olivia will share actionable strategies for embedding purpose into every stage of the ecommerce process, from sustainable sourcing to meaningful giving programs.
This session will reveal how connecting profit with purpose not only fosters community and customer loyalty but also creates lasting impact for underserved communities worldwide. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale with intention, this session will leave you inspired to align your online business with a greater purpose.
Bridget Veals
Executive General Manager Womenswear, Footwear and Accessories at David Jones
Fall 2025 Trends: A Top Buyer’s Bird’s Eye View on the Season
Tuesday 17 June
1.30 – 2.30pm
Session overview
Fall 2025 Trends: A Top Buyer’s Bird’s Eye View on the Season
A deep dive into the biggest fashion trends to emerge from the Fall 2025 runway show season in New York, London, Milan and Paris, aka fashion month, with one of Australia’s most influential fashion buyers: Bridget Veals, Executive General Manager Womenswear, Footwear and Accessories at leading Australian department store David Jones.
We will unpack the season’s biggest news and look at both the macro and micro trends that dominated the runways in the ‘Big Four’ fashion cities, which will inevitably be omnipresent across the fashion retail landscape over the coming 12 months, both at the top designer end, as well as trickling down to the mass market. One case in point, the apparently unstoppable denim boom.
Dr Rachel Lamarche-Beauchesne
Senior Lecturer, Torrens University
How to communicate sustainability to consumers
Tuesday 17 June
3 – 4pm
Session Overview
How to communicate sustainability to consumers]
While it is imperative that fashion companies adopt sustainable marketing and production practices, they must also communicate their actions to their existing and potential consumers. Designed for all business owners and creators with an interest in sustainable development communications strategy, this session will address the unique challenges of such activities in the fashion industry.
Case studies on the best communication approaches surrounding sustainable and eco-responsible products will be presented, and the meaning of certifications will be discussed. Participants will leave the session equipped with an increased understanding of effective approaches to communicate and publicize their present and future sustainable practices in order to both inform and attract consumers.
- Current trends in Marketing and Business
- Navigating the Risks of using AI
Jenn Donovan, Founder
Social Media & Marketing Australia
Future-Ready Marketing: Using AI to Boost Business
Wednesday 18 June
10 – 11am
Session Overview
Future-Ready Marketing: Using AI to Boost Business
We aim to equip marketing professionals with the skills to integrate artificial intelligence into their content strategies. Key areas to be covered include:
- AI in Marketing: Understanding AI’s role in modern marketing
- AI Tools: Exploring AI-driven content creation tools
- Personalisation: Leveraging AI for personalised content
- Data Analysis: Utilising AI for consumer data insights
- Ethical Considerations: Discussing responsible AI use in marketing
PANEL DISCUSSION
Panel facilitator Rosanna Iacono, Co-founder & CEO, Growth Activists
The Unstoppable Rise of B Corp
Wednesday 18 June
11:30am – 12:30pm
Panellists
The Unstoppable Rise of B Corp
The B Corp movement continues to grow at pace, with over 9500 businesses world-wide now certified and committed to the principles of business acting as a force for good. When it comes to the fashion industry hundreds of ecosystem players have joined the movement, from fashion brands to manufacturers to textile innovation start-ups.
This panel will explore what B Corp is, why the movement is growing, the value it creates for the businesses that certify and for their many stakeholders, what it takes to actually get certified, and where the standards are heading over the coming years.
Therese Tarlinton
Author, Global Business Advisor and Partnership Expert
Collaborate to Dominate: How Suppliers and Retailers Can Win Together
Wednesday 18 June
1.30 – 2.30pm
Session Overview
Collaborate to Dominate: How Suppliers and Retailers Can Win Together
Forget playing it safe—if you want to stand out, it’s time to rethink how suppliers and retailers work together. This session dives into the art of collaboration, showing how bold, creative marketing partnerships can amplify reach, boost credibility, and set your brand apart in an overcrowded market. Therese will share her no-nonsense strategies to help you create partnerships that actually deliver. Learning Outcomes:
- Create Bold Campaigns: Learn how to design collaborations that grab attention, drive sales, and leave competitors scrambling to keep up.
- Leverage Each Other’s Strengths: Discover how to build trust and amplify your credibility by aligning your goals and assets.
- Differentiate with Impact: Get actionable tactics to break out of the ordinary and ensure your brand leads, not follows.
Neale O’Connor
Associate Professor, LaTrobe University
Navigating the New Sourcing Landscape: Field Lessons from Asia’s Manufacturing Evolution
Wednesday 18 June
3 – 4pm
Session overview
Navigating the New Sourcing Landscape: Field Lessons from Asia’s Manufacturing Evolution
Drawing from extensive factory visits and research across Asia, this session explores critical shifts in global sourcing and manufacturing. Discover how trade tensions, sustainability demands, and technological advances are reshaping production networks. Gain practical insights into navigating this evolving landscape and positioning your supply chain for future success.
Anaita Sarkar
Founder, Hero Packaging
Sustainability: Your Secret Weapon for Cost Reduction and Market Leadership
Thursday 19 June
10 – 11am
Session Overview
Sustainability: Your Secret Weapon for Cost Reduction and Market Leadership
As retail competition intensifies, it’s not enough to simply keep up with trends. Brands must make bold, strategic moves that set them apart. Anaita will share actionable brand-building strategies and impactful tactics to help brands rise above their competition. She’ll cover key areas, including key takeaways:
- Strategies for Differentiation – Defining and communicating unique brand values
- Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage – Attracting customers while reducing costs
- Innovative Branding Tactics – Building an unforgettable brand identity that converts customers into advocates
- Scaling with Purpose – Growing without sacrificing integrity and staying true to core values.
Nehal Jain & Yesha Patel
Founders, After
From Waste to Worth: Turning Textile Waste into Opportunity
Thursday 19 June
11:30am – 12:30pm
Session Overview
India – A profitable Sourcing Destination for Home, Lifestyle, Fashion, Furnishing, Furniture
India is one of the important suppliers of Home, Lifestyle, Fashion, Furnishing, Furniture to the world market, thanks to its rich heritage of craftsmanship and versatile production capabilities. India’s diverse product offerings, from handcrafted textiles and intricate décor to high-quality furniture, cater to the unique tastes and demands of global markets.
With competitive pricing driven by cost-effective labor and production, India delivers high-quality products that enable global buyers to secure attractive margins. Moreover, as sustainability becomes a global imperative, India’s sourcing landscape has shifted towards eco-friendly practices and ethical production. Many suppliers are now adopting sustainable materials, fair-trade practices, and environmentally conscious methods, positioning Indian products as appealing choices for environmentally aware consumers.
Join the session and explore opportunities offered in India.
Robert Lockyer
Founder and Chief Client Officer, Delta Global
The Sustainable Packaging Revolution: Insights from a Global Leader
Thursday 19 June
1 – 2pm
Session Overview
The Sustainable Packaging Revolution: Insights from a Global Leader
Robert Lockyer is the founder and Chief Client Officer at UK-based Delta Global, a leading sustainable luxury packaging solutions company that is changing the way businesses and consumers interact with premium retail products, which has worked with clients including Net-A-Porter, Zimmermann, Russell & Bromley, Lane Crawford and Tom Ford.
In this session we will look at sustainability in packaging and the challenges and opportunities for Australian brands; circularity and how to rethink source and waste management; connecting the dots on packaging and consumer loyalty; the role of technology, notably AI, in supply chain management through the company’s Delta Global Intelligence division; and Delta Global’s bespoke innovation services, products and materials.